neutral tone because it gives an inviting, cozy feeling. Study · 10/8/2017 · privacy for the family bed-rooms down the hall. “[We added it] for form and function,” Rachel

An imperfect house with excellent details provided the ideal canvas on which this DIY

blogger is creating her dream home.

An imperfect house with excellent details provided the ideal canvas on which this DIY

blogger is creating her dream home.

StudyCharacterB Y D E V L I N S M I T H

P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A M Y B A R T L A M l S T Y L I N G B Y J I C K I E TO R R E S“It’s easier to decorate with a neutral tone because it gives an inviting, cozy feeling.”

68 cottages & bungalows | cottagesandbungalowsmag.com

the movies, the music, the fashion—the era’s interior design rarely ranks. Gaudy colors and syn-thetic fi nishes are just a few of the style missteps we’ve happily left in the past.

When Rachel Bousquet and her husband found their home two years ago, much of the interior was still trapped in the ’80s. Every room was painted canary yellow, the dark-brick fi replace had no mantel, the kitchen had dark cabinets and the rooms had popcorn ceilings, but she saw be-yond all that and pictured the rustic cottage she longed to create.

Thou gh th ere’s much from the ’80s we view fondly today—

SEASONAL MUSTS. Natural elements like pumpkins and foliage bring a taste of the fall season to Rachel’s front entry. She carries this theme into her home, using natural touches to update her décor from season to season.

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“There are little things you can do to your home to give it character if it doesn’t have any.”

EXPRESS YOURSELF. Vintage-style signage can be found throughout the home. Rachel has de-veloped relationships with sign makers through her Instagram and blog and has helped create a number of the signs found in her home.

“I knew right away when I saw it, ‘This is the house,’” Rachel says. “I loved the tall ceilings in the living room. There was this little opening that went into the hallway and I thought, ‘Yes, this is where the barn door is going.’”

STEP BY STEPSince purchasing the home, Rachel and her hus-

band have been transforming it room by room and tracking their progress on her DIY and style blog, beautifultreasuresblog.com, and her Instagram account, @rachel_bousquet. Freeing the home from its canary yellow walls was a priority, with shades of gray selected for the walls in the living room, dining room and master bedroom, as well as the paneling found in the dining room.

Similar tones were chosen to give the worn, dark fireplace bricks a facelift. A new mantel was added and the gold firebox painted black. Rachel and her husband created the barn door that closes off the bedrooms from the living spaces, and treated the wood in a gray shade that complements the walls and original flooring.

INTO THE BLUE. Color pops are integrated into the neutral décor, with Rachel switching up her accents throughout the year. Navy blue is currently found in the home, a nice complement to the neutral tones that Rachel finds calming.


FARMHOUSE TOUCHES. When she first visited the home, Rachel knew she wanted to install a barn door over this hall entry. Custom made by Rachel and her husband, the door adds a farmhouse touch to the home and provides privacy for the family bed-rooms down the hall.

“[We added it] for form and function,” Rachel says of the barn door. “I love, aesthetically, the look of a barn door, I just feel like it gives this statement in a room. Also, our kids’ bed-rooms are down the hallway and I wanted to be able to close off the living room from the hallway to block out noise when we’re having family over or friends.”

The popcorn was scraped from the ceilings. The kitchen, which will be undergoing a full renovation soon, was treated to a quick update with the addition of an island, and the dark cabinets were refreshed with coats of white paint.

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PERSONALITY PLUSThe grays and whites used throughout the home provided a

backdrop for Rachel’s décor choices. “I think that neutrals are just very warm and cozy,” she says. “When I’m decorating they don’t make me feel overwhelmed. It’s easier to decorate with a neutral tone because it gives it an inviting, cozy feeling.”

These neutrals are livened up with pops of color that alternate with the seasons. Rachel’s current choice of accent color is navy blue, which she describes as, “a calming color. If I have to add in pops of color, I think that the blue stands out but blends with the neutrals nicely. It

gives a subtle pop of color without being too overwhelming.”That blue is being used throughout the house on pillows, blankets,

rugs and more in a range of contrasting but not clashing prints, like checks and stripes. Rachel carefully selects the prints she’ll blend in her rooms. “If I’m going to do buffalo check on one couch, I’ll do a very neutral white throw on that couch, and then if another chair has a plain, neutral pillow, I’ll add my plaid throw on that chair,” she says. “They’re all very neutral tones, so I don’t think they’ll clash because they’re all in the same color family.”

|TOP| SIMPLE UPDATES. While a full kitchen re-model is being planned, Rachel and her husband

made a few changes to get the space more closely in line with their style. They added the island and

painted the walls and cabinets white.

|OPPOSITE| ANTIQUE CHIC. This 100-year-old hutch was sourced through an app that connects

buyers with local sellers. Rachel contemplated painting it, but her followers are convincing her to

leave the chippy piece as is.


VINTAGE FLAVORRachel further expresses herself in the home with a variety of classic

and classically styled pieces, from family heirlooms to custom-crafted pieces to lucky finds sourced thanks to her online presence.

Lacking storage in the kitchen ahead of their planned remodel, Rachel and her husband are using her grandmother’s pie safe as a makeshift pantry. “[It’s] really important to me because it was my grandma’s, and I just think it’s so beautiful; it’s white and it has a little green glass doorknob on it,” she says.

The signage found throughout the home was made by a number of artisans, many of whom Rachel collaborated with to customize just the right sentiment for her décor. She found the hutch via an app that connects local buyers and sellers, buying the piece from a woman whose family had owned it for over 100 years. Rachel now uses the tall, chippy piece to display an ever-changing assortment of collectibles throughout the year.

All of these touches, along with the work Rachel and her husband continue to do, are helping transform the space into the home Rachel envisioned on her first visit. “If you find a home that you like that doesn’t give you the character you’re looking for, you can always add character yourself,” she says. “There are little things you can do to your home to give it character if it doesn’t have any.”

S E E S O U R C E S , PA G E 1 4 4 .

SOOTHING PATTERNS. The home features a mix of patterns that contrast but don’t clash. In the master bedroom, plaids, stripes and checks cohabitate thanks to a shared blue-and-white palette.

|ABOVE| Textured and natural accessories add rustic charm to the bathroom. Using a collection of small pieces keeps the look simple and prevents clutter from piling up in the confined space.


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neutral tone because it gives an inviting, cozy feeling. Study · 10/8/2017 · privacy for the family bed-rooms down the hall. “[We added it] for form and function,” Rachel