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Houzz Tour: Lola Nova's Small Space, Big Life
Tour the Blogger's Heartfelt Oregon Home
Known online as "Lola Nova," Alexandra Smith is an artist, designer, shop owner, blogger and musician. On a daily basis Smith strives to create beautiful, useful items for the home and life in general. Part of her purpose involves "giving new life to old stuff." She even shares how to do so with others through tutorials on her blog, Lola Nova.
This theme runs through Smith and her family's personal residence — an 800 square foot 1950s stucco cottage located in Oregon — as well. In a small green cottage Alexandra, her husband and daughter enjoy a very big life. She says, "Our home's look is constantly in flux, always changing when the inspiration (or the mood) strikes!" Check out this ideabook to see how they do it.
This theme runs through Smith and her family's personal residence — an 800 square foot 1950s stucco cottage located in Oregon — as well. In a small green cottage Alexandra, her husband and daughter enjoy a very big life. She says, "Our home's look is constantly in flux, always changing when the inspiration (or the mood) strikes!" Check out this ideabook to see how they do it.
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| Light streams into Smith's kitchen remodel. The room incorporates eco-friendly cork floors, a cherry butcher block countertop, handcrafted cabinet doors and a touch of stainless steel. |
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Open shelving provides an approachability to the kitchen area. Smith simply loves her old-made-new plum glass door.
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Smith added a stainless steel topped freestanding cabinet to the end of her built-ins to extend her working surface. A chalkboard above keeps messages for the family.
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Smith's mid-century modern office chair in burnt orange complements a desk freshened with new paint. Her vintage dogwood blossom tablecloth is repurposed as a curtain to welcome spring.
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| A "patchwork of treasured pieces," this handmade quilt from Smith's childhood provides a colorful experience for her daughter's bed today.
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Here again Smith's vintage fabrics get put to good use for her daughter. Scrabble magnets spell out how she feels about her new creation.
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A mission-style frame gets a new life when a vintage floral fabric covers the cushion. Mismatched furnishings with a common fabric color palette make this space feel like home.
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| Showing Alexandra's talents and serving as the masthead of the blog, her mantle features colorfully canned aloe and a vintage enamel hand-painted tray. |
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Serving the family's "summer lounge," the music station doesn't have an iPod doc but rather an eclectic mix of mid-century modern, granny chic, and nostalgic pieces — including the family turntable.
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Smith calls this "a study in steely blue and naturals," featuring the vintage elements she loves.
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Old suitcases serve as storage for the family's trinkets and treasures. Not only are the suitcases good looking, they serve a purpose as well. Smith says, "I like to decorate my home with things that look as though they have a story to tell."
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A fleeting moment of spring light coming through the vintage gingham and print curtains creates further inspiration for Smith's next creations.
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An inherited typewriter and lamp adorn Alexandra's desk. She adds a touch of life and creativity to spur her on with aloe plants "dressed" in handmade sweaters.
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| The master bedroom has a warm sunlit look in the morning. Sage green walls and timeworn fabrics give the space a comfortable feel. |
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A backyard chicken coop gives a moody day a rosy outlook. While the coop houses the family's "lovely lady hens", it also brightens the backyard when painted red. The blogger's green bicycle sits ready for her next designer creation.
As her blog touts, it's "whatever Lola wants."
Thanks for sharing your house, Alexandra!
More Houzz Tours
As her blog touts, it's "whatever Lola wants."
Thanks for sharing your house, Alexandra!
More Houzz Tours
Comments
Suzy Pierce So delicate and beautiful. What an inspiring space. Thank you for sharing!
2 years ago · Like
chaulkie3 It's really strange but Alexandra's 1950's house is very like my house which was built in 1960. This collage of pictures of her house is very helpful to me because I have been working to maintain the vernacular of my house. I want to update it without losing the 'vibe'. Thanks. :)
2 years ago · Like
valeriehein I love this house! I have been dreaming of a house like that for years and am so happy to see items similar to ones found in my own home!
2 years ago · Like
irluan very nice colour palette!
2 years ago · Like
patscats2 bellaseven described it perfectly, delicate and beautiful.
2 years ago · Like
amypfredland Anyone know where I could score those wire curtain "rods" and clips that were used to hang the curtains above the desk, and also above the dining table? Thanks!
2 years ago · Like
Kathryn Peltier Design @amypredland: Ikea carries the curtain wires and clips. They are very inexpensive.
2 years ago · Like
Mona Wonderful home. Thank you.
2 years ago · Like
schtuff Beautiful home. What an eye and delicate touch she has!
2 years ago · Like
Ideabook updated on March 11, 2011.
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