My Houzz: An Antique Cape Cod House Explodes With Color
Creativity and color burst from every corner in this unique 18th-century Massachusetts home for an artist and her family
Houzz Contributor. Professional photographer and stylist specializing in food, products, still life and interiors. Contributing home tour photographer and writer for Houzz.
Houzz Contributor. Professional photographer and stylist specializing in... More »
This 1751 home was a blank canvas for Kristin and Mark Nicholas. It was originally painted in simple whites and pastels, and Kristin has spent the past 14 years layering on brushstrokes in vivid colors. A working artist known for her knit, crochet and stitchery designs, Kristin has made their home a true reflection of her talent and spirit. "There isn’t a room left that's how we found it," she says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kristin and Mark Nicholas and their daughter, Julia
Location: Franklin County, Massachusetts
Size: 3,500 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That's interesting: The couple tends to more than 300 sheep.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kristin and Mark Nicholas and their daughter, Julia
Location: Franklin County, Massachusetts
Size: 3,500 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That's interesting: The couple tends to more than 300 sheep.
by Rikki Snyder
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Kristin color washed and dragged the walls in the main living area in a mottled chartreuse and gold. The vintage desk is home to old photographs, a blue antique typewriter that belonged to her father and other meaningful pieces.
by Rikki Snyder
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A 1920s sideboard once belonging to Kristin's great-aunt got new life with a bright coat of red. Kristin does oil and gouache painting, paints pottery, is a published illustrator and author, and has now taken up mosaics.
See more of Kristin's art
Sideboard paint: Satin Impervo, Benjamin Moore
See more of Kristin's art
Sideboard paint: Satin Impervo, Benjamin Moore
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| In the living room library, Kristin created her own wallpaper by cutting shapes out of FedEx boxes, layering the shapes on top of each other and hand painting each shape. |
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A large wooden chest makes a perfect ottoman for this reading nook.
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Kristin painted the stairwell in the living room with a blue flower pattern.
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Another hand-painted treatment adorns the wall opposite the library couch.
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The couple kept the original wood surround in the library. The mantel is home to family photos and other meaningful pieces.
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Additional black and white photographs of Kristin's and Mark's families are found throughout the dining room as great reminders of their farming history.
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One of Kristin's free-form murals adorns the dining room walls. Its chickens, birds, flowers, leaves, guinea hens and peacocks offer a tribute to the animal-friendly home. Below the chair rail, a plaid pattern designed with painter's tape contrasts the playful forms above.
"Most of the year, the dining room serves as a shipping and storeroom for our various businesses, but once a year at Thanksgiving it serves as a great basis for a family celebration," Kristin says.
"Most of the year, the dining room serves as a shipping and storeroom for our various businesses, but once a year at Thanksgiving it serves as a great basis for a family celebration," Kristin says.
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"I love my set of 1920s Jacobean revival dining room furniture that came from my great-aunt Jennie in New Jersey. It was an ugly oak-color wood when I moved it here, but I washed it with a thin layer of black oil paint," Kristin says. "It isn’t exactly current fashion, but neither are we. It is chunky and sturdy and fits our home’s decoration perfectly."
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| A long hallway between the living room and the kitchen holds a plush window seat sandwiched between two built-in bookshelves. It's the perfect spot for resting and reading without being too excluded from the rest of the home. A blue and white patterned blanket and some of Kristin's hand-crafted pillows adorn the cushioned seat. Her original artwork hangs under the wall lamps. |
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A large stool sits in a closet across the hall, decorated with a collection of framed photos and drawings.
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This Hoosier cabinet from Kristin's German immigrant grandmother, Frieda, was made by G.I. Sellers in Indiana in the early 1920s. Kristin painted it bright orange and hung a piece of antique folk embroidery in place of a broken rolltop cover.
"It was in her American kitchen her entire adult life and has a flour bin with a sifter," Kristin says. "I keep all my baking supplies in it and love that connection with my grandmother."
"It was in her American kitchen her entire adult life and has a flour bin with a sifter," Kristin says. "I keep all my baking supplies in it and love that connection with my grandmother."
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The couple gutted three rooms on the first floor and transformed them into one large kitchen. The original kitchen was in the basement.
An old wooden table matches the original rustic wood floors, where Phoebe the dog makes herself comfortable. A black iron electrified oil lamp sourced from an antiques store hangs over the table. The corner cabinet houses Kristin's hand-painted ceramics.
An old wooden table matches the original rustic wood floors, where Phoebe the dog makes herself comfortable. A black iron electrified oil lamp sourced from an antiques store hangs over the table. The corner cabinet houses Kristin's hand-painted ceramics.
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The kitchen is designed to mimic a British-style country kitchen, with local Ashfield schist stone countertops and milk-painted cabinetry. A slotted drainboard is carved into the stone.
A maple counter made by one of Kristin's friends tops the island. "The lights are all old," she says. "Over the island is a wacky iron lamp with an opalescent glass shade that I carried home from England shortly after we bought our house. The walls are filled with pottery — some old, some new, some I made myself. It is the nerve center of the house. I cook a lot and develop recipes for our sheep-farm website. Our kitchen functions really well as a space for our family and farm."
Cabinetry: Crown Point; countertops: Galaxy stone, Ashfield
A maple counter made by one of Kristin's friends tops the island. "The lights are all old," she says. "Over the island is a wacky iron lamp with an opalescent glass shade that I carried home from England shortly after we bought our house. The walls are filled with pottery — some old, some new, some I made myself. It is the nerve center of the house. I cook a lot and develop recipes for our sheep-farm website. Our kitchen functions really well as a space for our family and farm."
Cabinetry: Crown Point; countertops: Galaxy stone, Ashfield
by Rikki Snyder
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Kristin made the lampshades and bases as well as some of the pottery in the house. "I’ve painted a lot of the lampshades in the house and had the lamp bases assembled out of antique lamp parts that I collected from flea markets over the years. I love how the light shines through the shades — they look a lot like stained glass," she says.
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Two years ago the couple built an upstairs addition, which now serves as an informal dining room and seating area. The high ceilings and painted wood walls make for a bright, airy and inviting space.
Paper lanterns hang from a wood beam in front of a gallery wall filled with original artwork by Kristin and daughter Julia. A collection of painted chairs is gathered around the table.
Paper lanterns hang from a wood beam in front of a gallery wall filled with original artwork by Kristin and daughter Julia. A collection of painted chairs is gathered around the table.
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| A colorful seating area with wicker furniture sits across from the dining area, adding to the indoor-porch feel of this space. Plenty of windows make the space seem even larger than it is. More of Kristin's handmade lamps and colorful pillows keeps the upstairs area bright and inviting. The family loves this addition to their home and spends a lot of time relaxing here. |
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One of the family kittens, Delilah, plays with the linen on one of Kristin's chairs.
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Kristin works and teaches knitting and stitching in her downstairs studio. White walls make way for the colorful tiled floor and chairs.
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A pink-orange wall is an appropriate backdrop for another piece of Kristin's art. Original wooden beams balance the saturated color.
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This upstairs bathroom is one of two bathrooms the couple renovated when they moved in. A claw-foot tub sits on a wooden platform surrounded by beadboard, bright yellow walls and individual decorative tiles.
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| Kristin and Mark knew this house was the one for them as soon as they saw it. "Mark called me at work and I insisted on seeing the place first, so we drove up to the house the next day, and before I got out of the truck, I said, 'OK, we can buy it.'" On the exterior, the couple replaced the dilapidated cedar roof, an outdated 1970s gambrel dormer addition, and added a mudroom. "Our area is steeped in history, but unfortunately there is not much known about our house," says Kristin. "All our deeds state the year built as 1751. It was no doubt built as a farmhouse by one of the founders of our little town. Supposedly the stagecoach used to pass our house!" |
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A grape arbor provides fruit and natural shade over the stone patio in back. The rock walkway wraps around to the front of the house, passing by a second, smaller patio area.
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| The couple added this section of the house two years ago. |
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| The backyard is home to a large garden and a fenced-in area for the sheep. See more photos of this house Houzz call: Do you live in a creative, colorful home? Share it with us! |
Ideabook published on Sept. 12, 2012.
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no beige here!
I colored my wall with orange color, it was looking beautiful during the day, but during the night the reddish reflection really made us feel very uncomfortable, so I had to change the color, with a heavy heart. I really loved the orange color.
I have seen rooms painted from ceiling to all the walls painted brightest orange and they looked alright in the pictures, but living with that color during the night is something i wonder how they can tolerate it.
Anything and everything goes together so beautifully.
Nice to see some folks can really think outside the box when it comes to interior design.
I have been deciding on wall colors for a house we're moving into in another month and decided to "try" to go more subdued. However I know I won't go nuetral dominant. i'm aiming for restful in some spots but color will be the rule.
The photo of the sideboard could be made into a print with the balance of complementary colors, along with the weight being balanced by the artwork of the pig. Oh geez, and the art in the dining room is spectacular. There's not a designer wallpaper that can outdo this work. The balance is beautiful. As for the negative comments, to each their own. But you really do have to have an appreciation of color/art and the way they work together to get this house. It isn't, per se, a "designed house" but more of an art piece with sections that are incredibly well done. Hats off to Kristin Nichols.
WILD COLORED WALLS - HAH - "YOU" ARE FEARLESS AND I LOVE IT. LAYTE
I happen to love the lively red-painted sideboard: it looks a whole lot snazzier than the original drab oaks and walnuts.
The owner's colours are a refreshing change from the current fad for walls painted in either feeble whites and beiges, or depressing blacks.
And a big thank you to everyone who really appreciates the artistry that Kristin put into her home, even if it's not your personal preference! Her talent is beyond amazing!
I was able to go into her ideabook and there is a lovely page with marmoleum flooring in different colored squares....but I don't know what the visual listings are???
Chaotic, intense, jarring colors and patterns which have absolutely no relationship to one another, in virtually every visual direction, just don't cut it. In fact, certain intense color combinations have been proven to induce anger, fear, and nightmares. That is the reason institutions, hospitals, and prisons stick to pastels. To anyone trained in art, color and design, it is patently clear that plenty of those jarring combinations exist in this particular house. It is certain that there are volatile emotions rampart here, and it would be prudent to have concern for anyone living in this environment. As for all the people who say they "Love" this place, that says a great deal about the state of their minds, doesn't it?
I agree with the first half of judithmunns comment. This home is not for me. In some (but not all) areas I would feel like I was in a nut house, if I lived there....however I admire that she is able to step out of the box and be so bold. If it makes them happy, have at it.
Judithmunns, I think you are taking a big leap to assess the psychological makeup of the people that live here..... to each their own =)
It's ironic that such a happy, fun-looking house should evoke such incredibly negative comments from some. Why do people take it so personally when total strangers choose to decorate their homes to suit themselves?
What I personally don't like is chaos in any form....by pattern, by color combination, or by an excess of 'stuff'. But that's just me. I didn't wish to be this way, I didn't work to become this way, it's just what I find makes me happy. I am a professional organizer for a living and I see over and over the paralysis, and mental chaos, that a cluttered environment creates for SOME PEOPLE. I also see people who live in chaos without feeling anxiety...and for those people I say it is only a problem if it is affecting you in a negative way. I can respect either type of person, and that relates to this site as well.
I don't think the people who support color are manic...anymore than I think the beige people are boring. I think it comes down to the emotion that our environment evokes in each of us.....there is no right or wrong...just different.
I don't believe there is anything wrong with having a good debate about this home, but I think we should express our opinions in a way that celebrates our differences. I'm fascinated, rather than offended, by how others feel. If we were all the same the world would be boring.
but the finger paint effect on the white tub makes me crazy.....I just want to grab a sponge and wipe it clean.
- Albert Eintein
Carpe diem,carpe articulus and oblatum occasionem tene are suggestions we've all been urged to do at some time in our lives and Kristin has done all!
I found that some images were very appealing, particularly those that had a little more white space, or neutrals, to frame the intense colors (kitchen, hallway with window seat, new addition), while others I needed to pass over quickly because they made me feel uncomfortable (bedroom, living room library).
It is truly amazing how our brains are all wired so differently. Just as an aside, I wonder if most of the folks who love the many patterns and bright colors are high energy people, while the ones who need a little more neutrality (like myself) tend to be more laid back. It might make an interesting psych study :).
Nonetheless, the homeowner is obviously a talented artist and was very generous in choosing to share her home.
I certainly agree that the owners of this house are daring for their color choices,. However, most of us choose to feature color and pattern as focal points instead of flooding our surroundings with a riot of color and pattern, and using quiet spaces as focal points. (I think I saw a couple.) I felt it was important that people understand that not everyone agrees with the idea that this particular house would be a fun place in which to live -- and why.
And, with that explanation -- and yes, my apology to anyone who was offended by my earlier remarks -- I, too, am bowing out of any further discussion.
For me, the faux-Tuscan McMansion, the relentless 'nautical' theme or the tailored greige padded cell are far more offensive and impersonal trends which will never look great because they have no soul. 'Taste' in the Victorian age meant displaying your stuff; now it means concealing it. Fair enough.
But à chacun son goût, eh?
oh, and as to you "Realtors" types out there concerned about "RE-sale" values... ah, the House is over **250** YEARS old and They run a SHEEP FARM! They *ain't* going ANYwhere and with HUNDREDS of *SHEEP* around, "WALL-COLOR" should be the LEAST thing to be concerned about when considering "VALUES"..?!!! -- Get REAL, PEOPLE! Sooo NOT a "DEAL-BREAKER"!!
So, all or most artists in love with color are what?
I love her house which is similar to mine. Don't send in the clowns.
Kudos to the family! Live for today, enjoy YOUR home, follow your bliss, isn't your home supposed to be YOUR castle? What is the point of living in a white box if it doesn't float your boat? Deal with the resale issue when and if the time comes. Life is too short to live in the "fear of resale" mentality unless you clearly are in the home with the intent of flipping it or selling it within a short time...just my humble opinion.
I prefer things a little more neutral but, like others who have commented, found myself loving the use of colour in this home; the creativity and the way it has been put together is wonderful to see. It made me smile. Thank you.
Kristan, you have a huge client base just waiting, from what we see here. It is an expression of your "Genes" is my guess.....
OK Houz...bring on the next one that gets this many comments....
We also must realize that because the homeowners are in touch with the outdoors with the farm, they are not always surrounded by stimulation of the pure hues. They get peace of mind by working outside and hearing, touching, smelling /refreshing outdoor things.
Also,whole cultures are known by color palettes. In general, the Europeans like cackies and subdued nuetral and hispanics like complements and bright purer hues.
I looked again and again, about the house with all the comments, and have gone outside the box to say...love lives there. Did you have someone come in before the photo shoots to kind of get it ready? As a Stager, I see alot of preparation in these photos.... High Five Kristan. Just one last question... The lavendar and white striped chair looks really dirty, especially on the arms, and this home is a dusting/cleaning nightmare..How do you handle that part of life?
You don't often see this many comments on a variation-on-the-theme-of-white-and-beige home.
Or such passion!
The spaces I enjoyed most in the Nicholas house -- the kitchen, the bathroom, the window seat, and the lovely grape arbour -- reminded me of the joyous use of color in Monet's home at Giverny. For those who haven't seen Monet's home, I recommend a look at his use of color in the yellow dining room and blue and white kitchen.
Thanks for sharing these images -- really enjoyed the view.
I grew up on a farm, and since I know the hard work involved in such close proximity to nature, I can only assume this joy is genuine and that when she walks through her doors she finds her whole being relaxing into a smile! Not everyone has to like her style, and though I might use color differently, I am personally charmed by her use of it...and as an artist, I'm in awe (and not a little envious) of her talent. Thank you, Ms. Nicholas, for gracing the world by sharing it!
And by the way...some of the once beautiful 200/+year old antiques in my beloved Grandmother's home...which have succumbed to weathering and neglect...could benefit from some color. Not every antique, no matter the quality or craftsmanship originally involved, has survived in a form that makes it desirable or even possible to preserve it in its original state.
Whats going on?
Get some calm suding colour and start painting.This place is too much.
Why don't you start art and get canvenses and pait on those?!
There is nothing wrong with colours but You have gone over bord!
You need to call a House DR ;) and the funny thing is that there is no colour in your big garden!
There is such thing as colour trepehy and i have nothing aginst colours !NO.
Infact i once painted one room each wall in diffrent colour and it was a guss bedroom.So i did get feed backs all the time.
Before putting theses colours together i had to read on what colour plays and works with what part of our emotions.But i did make sure that there were not too many items in the room.Like things on the wall ,on the floor ...........................!
I mean look at the way Mexicans ues colours....................!
Wish you happy life in your home!
Liked the joke about the DOG LOL!
We really could do without the insulting comments on houzz.
To all you who have commented negatively about this house. Let me say this. Do you know who Rufus Porter is or Moses Eaton? If not look them up. Two very important wall artist in New England History. People back in the 1800's thought then they were Eclectic. Kristin Nicholas, is not just anyone. If you the "know it all's" had looked her up, you would have found out that she herself is not only an artist, but has been on TV, One you will know, " Martha Stewart", others (PBS) with up coming shows to be on, also a Famous knitter, with several books published, several paintings sold (I own one). With that said I would love to own her home, But I bet we could not afford it, The art work alone would be worth more than the house....Her house has been featured in the Boston Globe, Country Living Magazine....So Please....If you know so much about Art, are you making a living doing what you love to do?..SHE IS... And I am.... Art comes in many forms.....So wake up you jealous people, stop being whiners, put some color in your life....Go to a store and buy yourself a bright colored pillow and throw it on your sofa.....I DARE YOU...do it! Just maybe that dark cloud following you will be lifted and the sun can shine in !!!!!!!
When did we start caring more about what the walls look like instead of what the walls contain? This home contains some amazing people, and a whole lotta love. Funny too how it is the beige lovers who have the intense reactions to the colours used and the ones who love it or it makes happy, have posted such kind and happy remarks.
Thank you for sharing your home and inspiring others to live joyously Kristen and Mark!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50185661@N03/8072334305/in/photostream
Chris
I get the same comments to about painting family antiques, but, oh, well, my cousins don't have to paint the ones they inherited!
I don't have anything against neutral color & minimalist decor, but I wouldn't want to live in that surrounding.
I am an artist, a farmer, color consultant, & other "hats" fit too. Life is too short to fear living it your way. Home is a haven, should never have been touted as a financial investment. the real investment in a house is time, energy, & love making it a hub of living!
Would love to find her Blog . Do you have a link for it.
I also agree on resale. We flipped houses for 25 years.This is the first time we have had a house I do not care about resale and I am making it mine. The house and everything in it goes to Best Friends Animal Rescue in Utah. Let them deal with it. And I do not think people will paint over my glass but it is totally their choice if they feel the need to. Every one that comes in here say they love it. We are the ones that live here not Mr.. & Mrs Resale.
Thinking I will be painting some more furniture if I do not mosaic it first.. LOL
Chris
Yes, anything here is in danger of either paint or being mosaiced too!
Thanks Again Chris
Of the few pics of your work I peeked at so far, I love the deer! It could almost be a goat!
sorry to send so personal a reply via Houzz.
I used to have goats cows horses mules. I understand the trimming thing. My hands are aching just from a few minutes slicing glass.I ruined them milking for years. :^(
Nap time.
chris
eharley - don't be rude.
I am Kristin, the homeowner of this colorful home. It is located in Franklin County, Massachusetts which is in western Mass - not Cape Cod. It is a "cape style" home built in 1751. I thank everyone for their comments - both complimentary and those thinking I am a bit of a nut job. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
For those of you who were worried about my sanity, thanks for your concerns. I am about the most normal, stable person you could ever meet. I do have a passion for color and decoration as many textile lovers also do. Our life may be a bit non-traditional, living on a sheep farm and selling our lamb at farmers markets but once again, everyone is entitled to their own choice in professions.
For those of you worried about the resale of our farmhouse, my family and I do not plan on ever moving from our house. I have never decorated worrying about resale. My feeling is whoever buys a home changes it to make it their own. I live in a home and make it happy and joyous.
Thanks to many of you, our home was # 6 in popularity in all of 2012 on this Houzz website.
I have some big news for all of you. If you were in love with my dining room mural, you can have it in your own home. I have partnered with Casart Wall Coverings and painted a mural called Garden of Family Farm Life. You can now purchase my mural as removable wallpaper for your own home. It is available with 10 different background colors. If you want your own background color, Casart can customize the mural with your own choice of background colors.
Here is the link to their website:
http://www.casartcoverings.com/kristinnicholas.html
Have a colorful day everyone!
I like to dream, yes, yes
Right between the sound machine
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near
To the stars away from here
Well, you don't know what
We can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well, you don't know what
We can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away
Although I'm not as fearless as you in decorating my home, my friends still think I'm out there when it comes to my use of color! I just purchased these wonderful prints of local Maryland icons from artist Joe Barsin (barsinart.com) which were a perfect addition to my quite red kitchen walls. Congrats to you, Rikki, and Casart Coverings for making such a "splash" on Houzz. And thank you Houzz for providing us with such a valuable and enjoyable resource.