Houzz Tour: Farmhouse Chic in San Francisco
Michele Cabot fills her 900-square-foot city apartment with French country charm
Michele Cabot's tiny apartment is a tranquil haven in the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco. A love of all things French and a knack for sewing and refinishing furniture dictated the serene aesthetic of the space.
Inspired by a year in France, Cabot wanted to design her apartment in a blend of French Provencal and farmhouse style. Instead of opting for new versions, Cabot found almost everything by scouring flea markets and antique fairs for furniture.
More shabby-chic style
Inspired by a year in France, Cabot wanted to design her apartment in a blend of French Provencal and farmhouse style. Instead of opting for new versions, Cabot found almost everything by scouring flea markets and antique fairs for furniture.
More shabby-chic style
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| Most of the items in Cabot's home are either vintage or handmade. Her creative uses for vintage French linen seem to be never-ending. "Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention," she says. Wall color: Linen, Restoration Hardware Pitcher/candlesticks: Atelier de Campagne |
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| The dining room built-in is one of Cabot's favorite things about her apartment. She uses the dainty display to hold vintage pitchers and old painted bread baskets from France. " This part of the home feels very San Francisco to me," she says. |
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| For a rustic, mismatched look, Cabot put four German antique bistro chairs and two Louis XV caned back chairs around her dining table. Cabot painted, distressed and covered the chairs herself. |
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Although Cabot thinks her rental kitchen leaves some things to be desired, she's done a great job at making the space work. Barstools in the same style as the rest of her home add rustic elegance, and Cabot added wainscoting under the counter for a little extra detail. Next up: New pendants and countertop.
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| A small area in the hallway is a good place to seat an overflow of guests — a likely scenario in the small apartment. Cabot hand-sewed the slipcovers for these chairs, and found the side table at a local flea market. |
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Cabot's apartment improvement project started with the white linen slipcover on her living room sofa. "As long as I can remember, I've wanted a white linen sofa," she says. As these can be spendy, she decided to make a slipcover for the sofa she already had.
She found a beautiful heavy but soft white linen and made the slipcover without using a pattern or even a sewing machine! The slipcover turned out beautifully, and Cabot actually encourages her daughters to play on it. Every time she washes it, it comes out softer and more worn in. She also made the stockings above the sofa.
She found a beautiful heavy but soft white linen and made the slipcover without using a pattern or even a sewing machine! The slipcover turned out beautifully, and Cabot actually encourages her daughters to play on it. Every time she washes it, it comes out softer and more worn in. She also made the stockings above the sofa.
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| The sofa slipcover was such a success, Cabot decided to make slipcovers, duvet covers, curtains, pillows, tablecloths and more. "Somehow I knew I could make these," she says. "I went into the project with the knowledge that it would require quite a bit of time, extensive use of my seam ripper and undying patience." |
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| As in many San Francisco apartments, the bedroom was originally a living room. Cabot handmade her bedding out of a soft and heavy 6.5-gauge linen and antique hand-loomed hemp linen. The mirror and frame above her bed are from a local flea market, and her parents brought the table lamp from Ireland. Wall color: Linen, Restoration Hardware C Wreath: Ballard Designs Picture frame: Shabby Chic |
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Beautiful period details add to the home's vintage feel. Cabot contrasted the traditional mantle above a non-working fireplace with a more contemporary piece of art.
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| The bedroom is fairly large, so Cabot made a small sitting area at the foot of her bed using a white sofa and two antique French chairs. The room has five large windows, which provide considerable natural light and make the atmosphere more serene. Coffee table: Trunk from flea market Candleholders: Atelier de Campagne |
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| Cabot made many of the pillows and runners in her home from antique hand-loomed linen, a fabric used to make grain sacks in Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. "I love the history behind them as well as the rustic feel, durability and unique style of each piece of fabric," she says. Chairs: Shabby Chic, flea market |
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Vintage bed frames in the girls' room have a dainty, antique feel. Cabot made their bedding out of the same linen that she used in her room, and snagged the chandelier from her sister.
All of these crafty endeavors have encouraged Cabot to blog about her new projects, and open an Etsy store.
All of these crafty endeavors have encouraged Cabot to blog about her new projects, and open an Etsy store.
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A small bench with cubbies was found at Pottery Barn and hand-painted pink with white polka dots to match the rest of her daughters' room.
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| "My biggest challenge is trying to find the time to do everything," Cabot says. "I want to sew, paint furniture, learn to cane chairs and headboards and take upholstery classes. Since I'm a mom with a full-time job, this can be tough." You can follow Cabot's projects on her blog, Summersoul. More Houzz Tours: Kay Loves Vintage Cozy and Crocheted in the Netherlands |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 8, 2012.
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