Lisa's House, Ann Arbor, Michigan, part 1



Here's something special for us today-- reader Lisa's gorgeous 1915 home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A little backstory: Lisa, her husband and 4 kids currently live in Manhattan Beach, California in a 1,700 square feet beach cottage.  They're in escrow now and moving soon to this Georgian Colonial with over 4,200 square feet.  Lisa's excited by the decorating possibilities, and is eager for ideas.

So let's give her some ideas, shall we?  Today we'll focus on the first floor, and next week we'll tackle the upper stories.


Lisa likes light and bright decor, and touches of bohemian and midcentury modern.  A neutral base with pops of color and unexpected touches seems like a good way to make this house more youthful, and give a tiny nod to their Californian past.

{Chloe Warner}

The living room is pretty, but a little too patterned and feminine:


It's also pink in this before photo, but has already been repainted beige.


This design is still traditional, but much cleaner, and allows for pops of bohemian color.
I would add neutral drapes, like in this design I'm suggesting for opposite the fireplace:


Lisa could take those chairs in a more midcentury direction to be statement pieces in the room.

The living room opens to the sunroom with wonderful French doors:


Since Lisa has pinned pianos and their possible placements...


...a beautiful vista like Kate's of Centsational Girl comes to mind.  Kate's door color is also a pretty possibility.  Here's the rest of Lisa's sunroom: 


I love the idea of a chaise in front of the piano. It's a luxurious touch fitting of such a grand house.
Plus, it would be a great spot for Lisa to curl up with her kiddos.

{Crisp Architects}

OR, if she puts the piano elsewhere and goes the sunroom as playroom route...

{Samantha Pymm (I neutralized the red stripes)}

...they could curl up on the window seat instead!

The sunroom's other set of French doors opens to the library:


I was still thinking about the piano, and loved the furniture placement in this photo:

{Cumming Interior Designers}

But, since Lisa mentioned using the library as a tv room, here's another neutral furniture arrangement, that's been lightened and brightened, just to try it out:

{Eric Olsen, Architect}

Next to the library is the guest bathroom:


Lisa mentioned wanting to use peacock color in this room, inspired by a perfume vial she was given.

{Schloegel Design}

Changing the wallpaper and updating the mirror, sconces, and window treatment gives us this beauty.

On to the dining room:


Lisa would like to keep the gorgeous chandelier and pair it with a family friendly farm table.


Lisa had pinned this nearly identical room, and it's the perfect inspiration. 
 Just to give her another option, I found this room:

{source unknown}

The furniture is a little more traditional, if Lisa wants a slightly dressier option.

Now for the room I had the most fun with, the kitchen:


Since Lisa said they might change it completely at some point, I felt free to show intermediate levels of change:

First, update the lighting over the windows, some of the fixtures, and the color scheme:


The ceiling is Benjamin Moore's Perspective, walls are Street Chic.

Second, paint the cabinets and brighten the walls:                  Third, everything's painted!

Walls are Sea Salt, cabinets are Windy City.               Walls are Cosmopolitan, cabinets are Asphalt.

That was fun.  If only real painting would be so quick and easy for them!

Lastly, Lisa's wonderful porch, where she can retreat from decorating decisions now and then:


I love the idea of black wrought iron out here, especially if it has personality:

{HGTV}

As long as the furniture is comfortable, because this is a view worth gazing at for a long time:




Gaze at that and rest up!  We've got 2 more floors of this beautiful house coming up next!














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