Rene’s lovely little Seattle home is not fancy or spacious but it exudes charm and comfort. In fact, it is a small apartment that embodies Rene’s decorating ingenuity (on a tight budget) and her take of French country style, which includes a little romance (of course!) and a touch of shabby.
Rene made the small entryway welcoming and cozy with a vintage bench topped with grain sack pillows, French market baskets hanging on simple hooks, and “un chat”.
The living room is all about whites and textures. A pair of rustic shutters and a vintage door add contrast and interest while the little chandelier contributes romance to the inviting space. Rene also managed to give the room an extra function by including a little desk area near the sofa.
The gentle rose design of the pillow (from www.cabbagesandroses.com) introduces just the right touch of color to the sofa’s mostly white coverings.
A small painted bench takes on a the role of table on the other side of the sofa. The lamp was chosen for its glass base that allows the corner to “breath”. The shade keeps up with other neutral tones.
Across from the living room and around the corner from the entryway Rene made the best use of a narrow hallway with a French chair and foot stool, and an antique hutch to store favorite linens and white ironstone. The top of the hutch is the perfect display area for a collection of vintage green glass bottles of various shades and shapes.
The spare bedroom is now home to Rene’s atelier where she keeps the vintage textiles she uses to craft pillows and other home goods. An old child French iron bed adds to the charm of the space.
The kitchen owes its appeal to its simple furnishing, painted floor and homey fabrics and accessories (and of, course, the kitty !)
The master bedroom is as inviting as it is is soft. To add depth and texture Rene placed a pair of shutters behind the head board and a wicker chair next to the bed. Keeping the wood floor natural also helps anchoring the room.
Painted a soft gray hue a pair of bedside tables provides a link to the dresser.
Rene first painted the dresser gray, and then stenciled the vine and flower motif with a sliver paint.
Even an ordinary bathroom can be made special when, as Rene did, it is transformed with an antique sideboard topped with a marble slab, a sink, and a tiled backsplash framed with architectural elements. The chandelier and mirror are the icing on the cake!
We had a lovely day photographing this sweet nest. Thank you Rene! xoxoxo
