Misty’s Bright and Colorful Cottage!

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media

updated Jun 20, 2019

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Name: Misty Adair, husband John, two young sons and dog, Lucy
Location: Allandale, Austin, TX
Size: 1375 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years

When we spotted some photos of Misty’s home in a few of her previous posts here on Apartment Therapy, we knew we needed to get in there for a house tour! A visit to Misty’s house in the Allandale neighborhood doesn’t disappoint. Full of bright colors, fun designs and a clean, organized aesthetic, you’ll get inspiration from all of Misty’s neat decor ideas.

Though Misty and her husband have recently placed this adorable home on the market (just moving to a different part of town, not because they don’t love it!), the house is still an excellent example of not being afraid to try out bold colors or interesting layouts. At just over 1300 square feet, this three bedroom, one and half bath house feels huge! The place feels very open, and lots of windows let in tons of natural light (even on the gray day we shot these photos). Though many rooms feature their own color and decor schemes, the house has a cohesive design. We also admired many of Misty’s simple organizational ideas, like an ultra-efficient entryway in a nook by the front door, and a kitchen command center on a wall of the kitchen. Rounding out the rest of the house’s features is a huge backyard complete with a big playset, artist’s studio and separate, fenced in dog area.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

AT Survey:

My style: I suppose it’s vintage eclectic — because our house is a 50’s cottage with a random sampling of things collected. My personal style preference changes all the time but my budget doesn’t quite keep up.

Inspiration: Whatever I am currently obsessed with . . . which could be an Echino fabric or a vintage china pattern or a spread in Domino (oh, how I miss Domino).

Favorite Element: I love my kitchen, especially the farmhouse sink, counter weight pendant lights and the built-in plate rack.

Biggest Challenge: Staying organized, which is a challenge for us anyway. With a busy family coming and going we seem to be always depositing things all over the house. And homes are just not as cute when they’re messy.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

What Friends Say: They say it feels happy and inviting. People always rave about the Camus quote on the front door and the brick floor in our kitchen. We also hear that the house feels bigger than it really is because the space is so efficiently laid out.

Biggest Embarrassment: We bought a coffee table that is hinged so the tabletop lifts up to double as a TV tray. It is probably a pretty tacky thing to have but most of our friends are still jealous.

Proudest DIY: The stripes I painted in the boy’s bedroom. Much less fun and satisfying was hanging sheet rock in my studio. We did it (miserably) and it almost ended our marriage.

Biggest Indulgence: Does the TV count? My husband counts that as furniture but I beg to differ. I would say our bedroom furniture was the biggest splurge, only because we bought it all at once. Honestly, we are just not at a fancy phase in our life.

Best advice: This comes from my 5 year old: “I’m not afraid of color because it doesn’t move or scare you.” Be brave and use color in your home…but always test paint colors first. There is very little in your home that you can’t undo.

Dream source: Mercury Design Studio

Other Inspiration: Our lifestyle – we have a practical house that works with our budget and busy family. I am also constantly inspired by the creativity of others and random things in the world around me. I try to be observant because I can always be surprised.