i love getting a peek at homes above stores or studios. it just seems like the best of both worlds – all the pluses of working at home and of working in an office. zoe van de wiele lives above her clothing boutique, cloth clothing, in fort greene, brooklyn. it’s a full-house with her husband hub moore, their two daughters – frida and happy -, and a cat and dog – kittyman and chill-e. luckily hub is a woodworker, so he’s been able adjust the home as the family has grown and their needs evolve. (for more, see the complete flickr set!) {thanks zoe, hub, frida and happy!} {and thanks to mackenzie stroh for all the house photos, and michael k. mills and shannon greer photography for the shop photos!} -amy a.

[We bought the building 10 years ago, it has evolved organically and out of  necessity. There's a lot going on in the space with my shop, my husband's work and 2 little kids. My brother-in-law, Maxwell Moore, who is an architect, also gave us lots of good ideas.  I like old, simple and calm - wood/brick/cement.  I grew up in loft spaces with my artist parents - Gerald and Ann van de Wiele - so I wanted to make this space feel more open and raw.  It's hard to do that where the bedrooms are needed, so we used as many glass doors and windows as possible to keep it open and light. I also like inexpensive or free so a lot of what I've decorated the house with was given to me or found on the street. I also have found many a good deal on eBay. The chair [photo above], is a good example. It was hanging from a tree in the back yard of a friends rental apartment, left behind. I asked her to give it to me when she moved and several years later, she did.]

[photo above: That's Chill-e, our Basenji, sitting below a painting that Hub's mother did of him and his brothers when they were little.]

[Hub's grandfather was an architect and built a house on Cape Cod with all wood walls - it had that wonderful silver grey beach house look. It inspired us to want all wood walls in the kitchen. I wanted the space to feel like a room that I wanted to live in rather than a cold white kitchen.]

[All art is by Frida and Happy - a sitter of ours put a couple pictures up a few years ago and there was no turning back.]

CLICK HERE for more of Zoe’s Peek (and all the images on one page!)

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it’s all girls in the windsor terrace, brooklyn home of art director, stylist and painter heather chontos. heather has created this serene home for herself and two daughters – kodie, 11, and zana, 2.  she has a fascinating background – first studied egyptology in barcelona, then on to london where she studied art history and material studies (focusing on the science of painting and drawing conservation). and has since worked with an impressive roster of clients – everyone from italian vogue to anthropologie – and has partnered with some amazing photographers. but what really has all of us drooling are her incredible paintings (see more on heather’s blog) so lovely! {thanks, heather, kodie and zana!} -amy a.

[I change the interior of this space almost monthly. Through my work, I see so many things that inspire a constant change of style. I like modern clean lines mixed with really old rough, falling apart things. I grew up in a cluttered house and as a result, can’t stand clutter. I have too much stuff as it is - a side effect of my work. I love the old French white plaster walls and wrecked furniture, but I also love Danish modern wooden clean beautiful tables and cabinets. I guess I like “simple chaos” in my interior.]

[photo above: The light in this apartment is very beautiful and makes everything glow. I love my bird sculpture - it is from Haiti.]

[photo above: This a new one that I don’t think I can part with! It is a collage and oil painting, 8 feet high, 6 feet wide. I love the size, I am working on an even bigger one!]

CLICK HERE for more of Heather’s peek & all the images on one page!

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painter rosetta santucci lives with her husband, their two boys and labradoodle, Banjo in this home in footscray, (just outside of melbourne) australia. rosetta’s background in costume for film and television along with her passion for textiles has deeply influenced her painting style. as someone who used to bemoan the white walls in rental apartments, i love seeing how so many painters live so gracefully with white. it reminds me that not all white is equal and that the right white can certainly make all the difference. {thanks rosetta!} {and a special thanks to lucy at the design files for suggesting rosetta to us!} -amy a.

[The house has many original features so we just needed to highlight what was already here, like beautiful old boards which we limewashed and we refreshed the walls with white paint to show off our art! I am a painter and I am lucky enough to have a lovely studio at the rear of our house which I work in nearly every day. I grew up in the Barossa Valley surrounded by vineyards and wide open spaces, and in so doing, developed a deep concern with natural forms connected to life – plants, bones, feathers, hills, trees and stones. More and more I realise that my paintings are a path of self discovery and an expression of life’s experiences. As an artist, I understand that nature and life have a lot to offer.]

[photo above: This is the dining room where we have our meals, its beautiful in winter with our cosy original fireplace.]

[photo above: This is the living room with a 1970's Australian "Chiswell" teak sideboard with some eclectic vintage pottery. The abstract painting is by my husband John. And the gorgeous labradoodle "Banjo" sits on the cowhide.]

[photo above: This is our bedroom and it is one of my paintings which sits above the bed.]

CLICK HERE for the rest of Rosetta’s peek (and all the images on one page!)

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[photo by emily gilbert]
we’ve all been drooling over this brownstone from the folks at the brooklyn home company – the details are just amazing! the sculpture over the fireplace, the dining table crafted from a fallen beech tree, and the hand-carved four poster bed – all made by fitzhugh karol, a woodworker and sculptor, and lyndsay caleo, a jewelry designer and goldsmith. they certainly are one majorly talented couple! the pair met at risd grad. school. in addition to their individual work, they collaborate on the interior planning and architectural design for the brooklyn home company (and fitzhugh create a sculpture for each project!) i now know whom to call when i get that brooklyn brownstone of my dreams (of course, i’ll just might need a fairy godmother first!) {thanks fitzhugh and lyndsay!} {and thanks to emily gilbert for the amazing photographs!} -amy a.

[Moving to New York was a big jump for both of us, having grown up in the country. The main goal for our living space in NY was to create a departure from the city. We looked at many brownstones but there were very few buildings on the market that fit our model. We needed lots natural light, outdoor space, room for plenty of guests, a bathroom for two, storage, a great kitchen, personal workspace, and 3 rental apartments to help with the mortgage. (In a 55' x 20' brownstone we had to be creative.) We approached the project like a puzzle and it was just a matter of figuring out how it would all fit together.]

[photo by emily gilbert]
[photo above: We discovered the structural beams during demolition. Fitzhugh made the white, wood sculpture above the fireplace, the built-in bookcases, coffee table as well as the bar stools. Lyndsay found the Indian daybed at a salvage yard.]

[photo by emily gilbert]
[photo above: The library ladder leads to one of the "guest-rooms." The large cage lights above the kitchen island were salvaged off of a freighter ship from India. Lyndsay and Fitzhugh made the dining table together from a fallen beech tree. The bookshelves house various collections which are constantly growing and being rearranged.]

[photo by emily gilbert]
[photo above: Another angle of the dining table. The turned wood mirror was made by Lyndsay's father. The large ceramic form is by Toshiko Takaezu, for whom Fitzhugh was apprentice.]

CLICK HERE for the rest of The Brooklyn Home Company peek! (and all the images on one page!

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three years ago graphic designer asia gwis and her husband sebastian (and 2 dogs and 3 cats) found this amazing 80 year old former schoolhouse in the countryside of poland. they moved it to warsaw where they restored it. the exterior remains an old, black cottage, but they’ve designed everything on the inside themselves, and filled it with treasures they have collected over the years. the hard work has paid off, and today we have a sneak peek inside. click here for many more images (in addition to the post), and you can find more of asia’s work here and here. {thanks, asia!} -anne

[above: Our living room is currently black and white. The old floor is painted in white.  I like this "giant" lamp very much.  The couch is from Ikea, the tv table was made by my husband. The picture is by a friend of my husband, the very talented young polish artist Swanarts.]

Our kitchen is mainly furnished by Ikea except 3 chairs: one is Eames, one inherited from my grandmother, one (stool) found in the building and restored by my husband. The table is still under construction.

Our fireplace, with wooden wall, and head of the black horse. We placed stones found in our garden in front of fireplace.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Asia’s sneak peek after the jump!

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ever since dutch designer marianne van ooij and her husband moved to new york, they’ve called this brooklyn apartment home. marianne is not a fan of too much color or clutter (and would have their home emptier if possible), but it’s about striking a balance with her husband, who is the opposite and prefers bright colors and accessories. but they’re very happy with the result of some level of austerity, and also color in a limited form. click here for additional images, and more of marianne’s work here and (etsy shop) here! {thanks, marianne!} -anne

[above: It was only after a year that we got proper dining chairs, first we used boxes, a beanbag and discarded school chairs. The chairs are from CB2 and were originally turquoise. I have re-upholstered them many times, but like how they match the green chair now, so will keep them like this for a while now.]

I like living in old houses and the French doors remind me of that. The idea for these Slim Shelves came from my habit of piling books up on the floor in groups op 8, in order not to forget them. Every now and then we put other books the shelves in and that changes the look of the room in an instant.

In summer this side of the house is like green park and many birds. It is also very quiet. I like working there as there is not much that reminds me I am in NYC (except for the fire escape), therefore it is perfect to work.  This corner doubles both as ‘garden’ and studio. The birds on the table are gift of friends in the Netherlands, the owners of the company Inke that makes wallpaper silhouettes of vintage wallpaper.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Marianne’s sneak peek after the jump!

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good morning! i wanted to start today with these beautiful new pieces from kuehn keramik at horne. i love their metallic teacups and saucer ($85-$90) and these sweet patterned bavarian forest bags ($55-$75). click here to shop the full kuehn collection at horne…

yesterday and today the lovely ladies of dos family have been kind enough to invite us inside their beautiful homes. monday morning we got a peek at guest blogger jenny’s home, and today jenny’s giving us a tour of her blogging partner isabelle’s home. click here and here to check out their homes and the playful way they integrate their children’s artwork into each home…

photographer nancy neil, her husband, lobster man and filmmaker, ethan and baby ohle live in this 1903 cabin that was built in capinteria, ca. to escape demolition, the cabin was moved to the foothills of santa barbara where it now sits on an 80-acre tropical fruit farm that has been family-owned since 1846. the original one-room cabin was expanded to include two bedrooms and two bathrooms, but the heart of the home is still the original structure built more than 100 years ago out of untreated railroad ties. the couple have their own chicken coop in the back and a large organic garden. nancy has always had a passion for the arts and at 14 she already knew she wanted to be a photographer. she’s worked on pregnancy portaiture, weddings, events and editorial for magazines like anthem and has worked with stewart+brown for the last two years (their fall/holiday shoot was on the property!) these beautiful images of her home just took my breath away! if you’d like to see more, there are 68 photos in the flickr set! {thanks nancy, ethan and ohle!} -amy a.

["Decorating" is not in our budget. So I always try my best to create a space that is warm and inviting from what we already have - a home rather than a house. Everything in our home has meaning and value to us and lots of the trinkets are reminders of moments and friends in our life. We are so fortunate to be living here. Just 12 days after we moved in - a little over a year ago - our previous home burnt to the ground in the Santa Barbara Tea Fires. Four months later, we delivered our son in this house. The first baby born on the property in over 100 years!]

[photo above: Our living room/dining room, which is heated by the wood burning stove in the corner. My husband trades lobster from his catch for firewood, which keeps us all nice and toasty. We left a large open space in the center so Ohle had room for running around. Our goal is create an environment that is hands-on. A place where he belongs and we don't constantly have to say "careful" or don't touch!"

[photo above: The corner of our dining room. The chandelier came with the place.  The rest of the furniture is mid-century teak. The three plates above the window are some of my favorite gifts from our wedding and housewarming made by Rebekah Miles.]

CLICK HERE for the rest of Nancy’s Peek! (And all 24 images on one page!)

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looking at the home of danielle deboe – a former furniture and home accessories buyer as well as former visual manager for anthropologie – you’d never know she just moved into this home over the holidays and has lived in 8 places in 7 years.  these days she owns her own store, room service,  and runs made in the 216, an event to highlight work being created in cleveland, ohio, where she is based.  because of her shop, tradeshows and the internet, she’s constantly exposed to new great products, but can’t afford it all, and must instead edit for her own needs and tastes. she considers her aesthetic eclectic, always involving a lot of color.  ironically, fashion-wise she tends to wear only neutrals. her home becomes a way for self expression, and her goal is to find a harmonious balance between new and old, and do it as affordably as possible. enjoy the full sneak peek below, and you can find all the full-sized images right here. {thanks, danielle!} -anne

[above: In my office are temporary bookshelves, I am having a friend make me new shelves made of barnwood to fill either side of the chimney, but this space is very utilitarian for me, my books, my inspiration board and my desk, which is not pictured but a beautiful 19th century desk I found at auction, and I think it pairs quite nicely with my Panton chair.]

The fireplace, currently non-functioning has really lovely details and is definitely one of the main things that attracted me to this house.

My living room doesn’t get a tremendous amount of light so this is definitely my after work location.  I really like sitting under a lamp in this quiet room and reading, or cozying up with my laptop to work comfortably.  The sofa was a vintage find that cost more to dryclean and I know the original owner of the sofa as she is the owner of one of my favorite vintage stores in Cleveland,  so I didn’t even have to question its origins!

Another image of my kitchen shows the chairs, which were white metal when I found the 4 of them for $20 at the thrift store.  A little red paint and some quirky fabric found at Ikea for $8/yd and Voila!  A very pleasant place for me to start my day!

CLICK HERE for all 19 images of danielle’s home after the jump!

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this glimpse into michael quinn’s carroll gardens, brooklyn apartment showcases a true generosity of spirit – his home is open to friends, animals and things! in addition to working for the well-known mannquin company, rootstein, michael is ever crafting, styling, set designing and event planning! and he is able to put all display experience to good use using the dual principles of ‘put like with like’ and ‘how high can i reach with a hammer.’ (michael’s apartment is also featured in one of our favorite books – the find by stan williams) {thanks michael! and thanks to michelle talan for the lovely photographs!} -amy a.

[Living with so much for so long feels a bit like wandering off into a woods of my own making.  I have been collecting things my whole life, but I came to New York after school without too much stuff, and worked in publishing, so money was tight.  I used to stay late after work and my friend in the art department would help me make things to hang on my barren walls.  It seems laughable now, but it was also really formative, in a way; that time, that devotion, was a certain genesis for something great. Like a lot of other people, I started off with a lot of my family's castoffs, but that tendency to shelter has come to include a huge variety of things, animals, even people.  Many people have called this place home over the years, if only for a short while, and I think the place absorbs and reflects those energies.  By and large this apartment has become something of a refugee camp for Things That No One Else Wants. I am one of those people who thinks if you love something, you can find a way to incorporate it into the mix; if something speaks to me, there is always room in my inn.]

[photo above: This is more of a Platonic ideal of a desk than a place where I actually do work.  I grew up in a really small house, then a series of tiny apartments, so I have a lifelong habit of working, always, at my kitchen table. One of my prized possessions is my father's high school classroom copy of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.  The chair is one of the first things I got when I moved to this neighborhood.  I thought it seemed so 1940's Private I, but it has mechanical bull tendencies; it has bucked nearly every person who's ever sat in it.  Its patchwork cushion is one my mother made in the 1970's; the pattern is, I believe, "Log Cabin."]

[photo above: Believe it or not, that peel-and-stick tile floor was the selling point.  I had always wanted to live in a place with a black-and-white checkered floor.  I have an almost pathological tendency to focus on the merits of one single (read:  dangerously inconsequential) detail at the expense of the oft-lauded "big picture."  (Here that picture included a toilet lurching dangerously towards the tub; a crumbling plaster ceiling; doors that swell like melons in the summer and fly open at a touch in winter).]

[photo above: For me, this is the heart of the place.  It's filled with pictures of people and animals that I have loved and who have passed; and sacred things that people have given to me.  This is like memento central.  The two old dresser drawers were salvaged by my old boyfriend and hung on the wall as a place for my shrines; I had never lived in a place with plaster walls before, and was little-prepared for the challenge of getting a nail in.]

CLICK HERE for more of michael’s peek (and all the images on one page!)

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