By zestybuzz 
Images by Lyndsay Hannah and styling by Wanda Furman.
Final time our good friend Abbey Nova invited us into her dwelling, she was residing in an Higher West Facet condo along with her husband Tim and toddler son, Alex. Now, 13 years later, Abbey, Tim, six-foot-tall Alex, and her youngest son, Ben, dwell within the northwest nook of Connecticut, in a house with studying nooks, colourful art work, and so many crops. Right here’s a glance inside…
LIVING ROOM
Sofas: Lee Industries. Espresso desk: Customized. Lamps: Hackeny Flooring Lamp. Facet desk: related. Rug: Loloi.
On taking time: I’m a gradual decorator and can hold transferring a bit of furnishings round, and even change the aim of a room, till it feels proper. Once we lived in New York, I may get our flats wanting the best way I needed straight away. However this home is educating me that some rooms take time. If a room feels off, I imagine that over time, I’ll discover the precise format, piece of artwork, or no matter that factor is.
Amaryllis: Van Engelen Inc.
On brightening winter: I grew up in an remoted a part of Vermont the place winters have been darkish and chilly and it was straightforward to get snowed in. However my mother did a very pretty job of surrounding herself with magnificence, particularly throughout that dreary season. She grew amaryllis bulbs January by March. In the present day they’re a winter survival device for me, too.
Portray: Michael Abrams. Dollhouse: Etsy.
On significant artwork: This Michael Abrams portray may be my favourite piece in our dwelling. His work speaks to each Tim’s love of nature and our shared connection to this area. Once we have been newly married, I stunned Tim with a go to to the gallery and he selected this portray. I nonetheless bear in mind the look of pleasure on his face as he made his selection, and the way grown up I felt in that second.
On an evolving paint combo: For this room, we used Farrow & Ball Elephant’s Breath, a heat grey coloration that appears totally different each time I stroll by the room — within the night it’s virtually lilac coloured. We painted the ceilings White Dove by Benjamin Moore.
Penant: Shades of Mild. Desk: Design Inside Attain. Chairs: Design Inside Attain.
On summer time traditions: In the summertime, our household eats dinner at this desk as a result of we will depart the aspect door open, which catches the breeze. Certainly one of our go-to meals is grilled kebabs and a easy arugula salad with shaved Parmesan.
Desk: “From my childhood dwelling.” Print: Commissioned from Michael McKay.
On rising crops: I’ve had some crops for 10 years. However others, it doesn’t matter what I do, don’t keep alive. I used to really feel like such a failure when a plant would die. Over time, although, I’ve determined that I simply received’t purchase that sort of plant once more! I additionally just like the app PictureThis. It identifies your crops and methods to take care of them, all from simply importing a photograph.
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM
On meals that work for everybody: For weeknight dinners we make a whole lot of rice bowls with teriyaki salmon bites and edamame. We additionally love peanut noodles and broccoli with crispy baked tofu. Any sort of bowl scenario is nice as a result of everybody can repair their meal simply the best way they need it.
Desk: Fb Market. Chairs: Design Inside Attain through Charish.
On a canine named Argus: My oldest son Alex has dyslexia, so for studying he dove into audio books and graphic novels and fell in love with The Odyssey sequence. Within the Odyssey, Odysseus’s canine, who acknowledges him after 20 years when nobody else acknowledges him, is known as Argus. So, once we received our beloved pup, we needed to title him Argus. It appears like a heavy title for a canine, however it’s additionally very candy.
Dresser: Craigslist. Meals = Love print: Katherine Miles Jones. Girl’s portrait: “My nice grandmother Dorothy West.”
On making a balanced gallery wall: First I outlined the form and dimensions of the wall on the ground with painter’s tape. Then, I pulled out all of the artwork we had and grouped it contained in the tape parameters. I spent two weeks rearranging items and texting photographs of every iteration to Tim, who was touring for work; he has a great eye and gave sensible ideas. It was useful for us each to see photographs of the preparations and to have the ability to evaluate.
On the place to scout artwork: I’m all the time attempting to withstand the siren name of artwork. I like spending evenings wanting by on-line auctions and eBay. Two eBay sellers I comply with are Boris Wilnitsky High quality Arts and ArtGate-European Oil Work. Any time I discover an artist I like, I’ll arrange a saved search on eBay or liveauctioneers.com and hold an eye fixed out for items in my worth vary.
On elevating kids with a nine-year age hole: Our boys each have stunning, foolish, inventive sides, and the best way they join is gorgeous. We didn’t plan on ready so lengthy; I simply had a whole lot of miscarriages. However then throughout my being pregnant with Ben, I frightened in regards to the 9 years distinction. I talked to anybody I may discover who had the same age hole with a sibling. And universally, everybody mentioned, ‘Don’t fear, they’re the sibling I’m closest to.’ After all, each my boys can push one another’s buttons. However they’ve a very nice bond as a result of they’re not aggressive with one another. I really feel so fortunate to be their mother.
PARENTS’ BEDROOM
Quilt: Schoolhouse. Velvet pillows: Collyer’s Mansion. Rug: Mattress Bathtub & Past. Facet desk: Room & Board. Lamps: Zara Residence.
On following your intestine: The earlier homeowners used this as a sunroom (full with a scorching tub!) however we made the unconventional selection of turning it into our main bed room, and it’s such a present. Within the morning, the sunshine streams in by home windows that look out over the backyard. Waking up right here feels so pure and peaceable.
On agency mattresses: I like my mattresses HARD. In faculty, once I was struggling by a too-soft dorm mattress, my father drove up with a bit of plywood to create the agency floor I wanted. So, I assume the important thing to a snug mattress is figuring out what works for you.
Chairs: classic. Pillow: The Six Bells.
On humorous pillows: My grandmother lived in a really elegant and buttoned-up home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her kitchen, she had a poster of a flowery girl in a fur coat pushing a loaded purchasing cart with the textual content ‘When the going will get powerful, the powerful buy groceries.’ It was such an ideal glimpse of her humorousness amid all that New England propriety. I looked for a duplicate of that poster for years with no luck. So, once I noticed this pillow, I actually screamed with pleasure.
BATHROOM
Block print: “Ben made this in a printmaking class with the artist Meg Musgrove!” Planter: classic.
On repurposing planters: Any compelled bulbs akin to paperwhites, hyacinths, and amaryllis would work fantastically in an vintage bowl — you simply want so as to add pebbles on the backside and control the water stage. These blooming hyacinths come from my good friend and neighbor, Pom, who runs English Backyard Grown and affords seasonal flowers to native subscribers.
BEN’S ROOM
Quilt: made by Abbey. Pillow: Anthropologie. Facet desk: “From my childhood dwelling.” Lamp: Goal. Rainbow: “a present from my sister.”
On children’ books: Ben simply turned seven and he is able to not be a child. He loves audiobooks, particularly this sequence, and we hearken to about 5 audiobooks per week. For his birthday he requested for a speaker. I assumed it was the sweetest request.
Horse: thrifted.
On kids’s books: I like In The Evening Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, and we’ve hung this print all around the home. Once we moved Ben’s room downstairs, he mentioned, ‘That’s my favourite e-book. Can I’ve that in my room?’ We had learn that e-book loads when he was youthful, however earlier than that second I had by no means recognized it was his favourite e-book. It jogged my memory that you simply by no means know what moments your children are going to recollect.
ALEX’S ROOM
Cover: Heather Taylor Residence, related. Lamp: Goal, related.
On a shocking factor about teenagers: I’m all the time amazed by how Alex is aware of a lot about every little thing. He sprained his ankle this summer time, and once we have been speaking about his foot, he was utilizing the identical terminology as my bodily therapist. I spotted that he realized it from watching bodily remedy movies. And it’s like that with so many issues. He’s an excellent cook dinner and photographer, too.
Chairs: Ikea.
On leaning into letting go: I really feel like teenagers may be so villainized. However they’re supposed to push our buttons. Their job is to drag away from us. And that may be painful, after all, however it appears like such a privilege to witness them grow to be who they’re changing into.
GARDEN
On gardening within the winter: I wish to examine gardens within the winter. Through the summer time I’m all the time exterior planting and clearing and transferring issues round. However the winter is once I quiet down with a stupendous English backyard e-book. That’s when all the planning occurs. [Ed. note: Here’s Abbey’s garden in the summer! So gorgeous.]
Thanks a lot, Abbey. We love you.
P.S. Extra dwelling excursions, together with a teeny tiny Swedish condo and a reader’s introvert nook.
(Images by Lyndsay Hannah and styling by Wanda Furman, for Cup of Jo.)