Today I wanted to give you guys a glimpse inside a house that I toured and fell in love with over the weekend. Take a gander at this charming little house dubbed the “Smurf House” (I’m sure you can guess where it got its name).
In addition to being cute, this house is also famous – it won the 2007 Renovation of the Year Award for its conservation district.
I love this porch directly off the master bedroom – it feels so Southern, don’t you think? And the pale blue siding accented with periwinkle is just awesome – I wish fun colors like that would look as perfect on every house! Although the exterior is picture-perfect, to be honest I wasn’t really expecting to be wowed by the inside of the home.
But I was wrong!
Just inside the front door you are greeted with this unexpected open floorplan – as well as some decor that had me totally swooning.
What I love most about this open living space are the bold choices and unexpected combinations made by the homeowner – the pops of orange in an otherwise muted color palette, a mirrored side table, luxurious silk curtains and statement lighting all work together flawlessly.
I like that the homeowner chose to add modern chandeliers to both the living room and breakfast area – they are in a straight line across the ceiling so instead of competing with one another they simply serve to define the two spaces in an otherwise open floorplan.
I like the kitchen a great deal, but I’m not bowled over in comparison to the rest of the home. I think it’s the cabinetry that isn’t doing it for me – maybe something in a richer wood tone would have felt a bit more historic and flowed a little better with the furnishings throughout the home. Or maybe it’s just me!
This little dining room is just past the kitchen, and is in its own little world. I actually really like that – I feel as though the focus would be solely on you and your guests, without the distractions of television or anything going on in the rest of the house. And it overlooks a great backyard, as an added bonus. I love the combination of the sleek West Elm circle chairs with the more luxurious upholstered chairs – and they all work well together with their lovely curves.
Just off the main living space is a small half bath (under the stairs), and then the master suite. And not to hype it up too much, but this is probably the best master suite I’ve ever seen in person – it’s awesome!
You walk directly into the master bedroom, which is serene yet bold at the same time with deep chocolate browns and pale blue paired with faux fur and two statement lamps. The rich curtains act as a focal point behind the bed in place of a headboard, and the door to the right of the bed leads out onto that gorgeous patio you saw above.
On the left-hand side of the master suite is this spa-like bath. The luxurious and spacious feeling is enhanced by the sliding panels (from Ikea!) which allows the two spaces to either become one or remain totally separate.
This bathroom has all the basics you would hope for in a master bath – double sinks, soaker tub, walk-in shower, and storage. But beyond that, it has all the little details that you can only dream of – a crystal chandelier, floating vanity, the shower has frameless glass panels, and the soaker tub overlooks a beautiful side yard.
My only complaint has to do with the vanity – have you noticed it yet? The mirror is about 10 feet away on the opposite side of the soaker tub! I’m guessing that the homeowner typically uses a small mirror on a stand that remains on the ledge behind the vanity.
On the opposite side of the master bedroom is this totally drool-worthy closet. I don’t know any woman (or man, for that matter) that wouldn’t give her right arm for a closet like this. Tons of built-in storage, windows, a chandelier, and an island? I’m sold!
If you head back to the front door and head upstairs, you are greeted by this lovely capiz chandelier:
At the top of the stairs and on the left is this sunny and funky guest room – I would never have been so bold as to paint the walls orange, but now I’m feeling completely inspired.
I love the combination of orange, white and chocolate – the shock value of the orange is tempered beautifully by the chocolate and white, and keeps what could be a very loud color from screaming at you. Instead, it just feels rich and eclectic.
This bedroom adjoins a hidden study through the sogi screen:
My favorite part about this study is the antique desk that has been painted a stark white – while some would shudder at painting such a piece (sometimes I feel that way, too), you can’t deny that it both looks fabulous and acts as a neutral yet interesting piece in this space.
The homeowner has clearly learned the lesson of pairing bold colors with only one or two other shades – in this case, the mustard yellow is calmed by white and black for a totally chic look.
At the top of the stairs, between the two bedrooms, is this bath remodeled with a walk-in shower and oodles of glass tile – we all know I’m a sucker for glass tile!!
The last room in this surprising home is the third bedroom, which is glamorous and refined with a bit of an edge. The element of painted woodwork is repeated with the antique bed, and the mirrored side table and chandelier add a touch of sparkle to the space. As the homeowner demonstrated in the master bedroom, the combination of chocolate brown and blue (in this case a steel blue) is instantly luxurious.
The sophisticated flair of this room is accentuated with a pair of vintage Barbie illustrations.
And although I didn’t get any pictures of it, this property also had a full guest quarters in the backyard – how cool is that? Curious about the stats of this house? Check out the detail sheet below:
So what do you guys think of this house? Are you as bowled over as I am, or do you think it’s a little over the top? While I love it, I’m wondering how I would feel living in a home like this 24/7 – I mean, how would it go with my sweatpants and tank top?
Some images courtesy of GoliadAve.
