My Houzz: Subtle Spookiness in a 1905 New England Apartment
A Boston family of 5 decorates its 2-bedroom home with kid-friendly Halloween decor
Alexandra Crafton
October 28, 2017
Houzz Contributor: Specializing in interior photography and lifestyle journalism, Alexandra loves getting to know the people and stories behind the houses she shoots.
Houzz Contributor: Specializing in interior photography and lifestyle journalism,... More
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Matt and Belize Hamilton with their children, Eve, 7, Dane, 5, and June, 3
Location: Brookline, Massachusetts
Size: 1,100 square feet (102.1 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1905
Downsizing with children can have its share of challenges, but Matt and Belize Hamilton have found some upsides to their 1,100-square-foot rental in Brookline, Massachusetts. The couple moved with their three children from a 1,500-square-foot high-rise apartment into a more affordable two-bedroom, one-bathroom home across from a park. “It was a downsize, but because of the outdoor space, which the previous apartment did not have, it felt like an upsize,” Belize says. “Though we only have one bathroom, which makes for a major inconvenience at times, it’s become our little abode. And because it’s tighter, we really live with only what we need.“
The family of five love to cozy up on their leather sofa together on weekends. “We have movie nights on ‘Family Friday’ and eat popcorn on our comfy couch,” Belize says.
Leather sofa: Maxwell, Restoration Hardware
Who lives here: Matt and Belize Hamilton with their children, Eve, 7, Dane, 5, and June, 3
Location: Brookline, Massachusetts
Size: 1,100 square feet (102.1 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1905
Downsizing with children can have its share of challenges, but Matt and Belize Hamilton have found some upsides to their 1,100-square-foot rental in Brookline, Massachusetts. The couple moved with their three children from a 1,500-square-foot high-rise apartment into a more affordable two-bedroom, one-bathroom home across from a park. “It was a downsize, but because of the outdoor space, which the previous apartment did not have, it felt like an upsize,” Belize says. “Though we only have one bathroom, which makes for a major inconvenience at times, it’s become our little abode. And because it’s tighter, we really live with only what we need.“
The family of five love to cozy up on their leather sofa together on weekends. “We have movie nights on ‘Family Friday’ and eat popcorn on our comfy couch,” Belize says.
Leather sofa: Maxwell, Restoration Hardware
“Our home serves as our haven,” says Belize, pictured here on the porch with Matt and their children; clockwise from top are Eve, Dane and June.
“We call it ‘The Banana’ since it’s yellow and tall,” she says. “It’s where I want my kids to be, to grow up in a clean, safe, and inspiring environment, where they can be themselves. It’s where we bond, learn and teach each other about life too.”
“We call it ‘The Banana’ since it’s yellow and tall,” she says. “It’s where I want my kids to be, to grow up in a clean, safe, and inspiring environment, where they can be themselves. It’s where we bond, learn and teach each other about life too.”
This time of year, Halloween decor can be spotted throughout the home. In the living room, a small pumpkin, a gravestone and an eerie hourglass decorate the top of a credenza. Skeleton cutouts and spiderweb decorations are draped across other furniture. The ghoulish ornaments are subtle enough to be delightfully fun for the kids.
Rocking chair: Amazon; find similar chairs
Rocking chair: Amazon; find similar chairs
Many of the living room’s eclectic pieces, such as the ruby-toned area rug bought on a trip to Istanbul, remind the couple of their experiences together.
“The larger items in our house are from our travels, made by hand by Matt, or from my dad, who has a business in reupholstering furniture,” Belize says.
The gray wingback love seat is a Craigslist find that Belize’s father reupholstered.
“The larger items in our house are from our travels, made by hand by Matt, or from my dad, who has a business in reupholstering furniture,” Belize says.
The gray wingback love seat is a Craigslist find that Belize’s father reupholstered.
The mirror covering a nonworking fireplace behind the midcentury credenza is one of the quirks that came with the rental home, Belize says.
“We tried removing it, but it wouldn’t come off! So it served as a dance mirror for my girls for a little while. However, I had to cover it, because I never knew if I should look at myself or the TV when watching a movie. And my kids could be found staring at themselves in the mirror. It was a bit of a distraction,” she says with a laugh.
“We tried removing it, but it wouldn’t come off! So it served as a dance mirror for my girls for a little while. However, I had to cover it, because I never knew if I should look at myself or the TV when watching a movie. And my kids could be found staring at themselves in the mirror. It was a bit of a distraction,” she says with a laugh.
The children chose the Halloween decor on the mantel, including the skull garland. “Each year once Halloween is over, I tell them to pick one or two things from the store that we will use the following year,” Belize says.
Past choices include this vintage-style telephone that makes ghostly calls and noises when you pick the receiver up off its hook.
“I actually don’t care too much for Halloween decor, but my son is obsessed with anything Halloween. It’s his favorite time of year,” Belize says.
“I actually don’t care too much for Halloween decor, but my son is obsessed with anything Halloween. It’s his favorite time of year,” Belize says.
Shelves Matt built near the entry store shoes, helmets and other indoor-outdoor items, turning what had been an awkward space into a makeshift mudroom. He also added hooks from Ikea for jackets and bags.
“Props to Matt for thinking up a great entry and mudroom solution,” Belize says, adding, “He is able to visualize the usefulness of things — making things work efficiently throughout the house.”
“Props to Matt for thinking up a great entry and mudroom solution,” Belize says, adding, “He is able to visualize the usefulness of things — making things work efficiently throughout the house.”
Just off the hallway lies the “kids’ cave,” as the family calls it.
“This is where my kids can be creative and explore,” Belize says. Toys, backpacks, and art supplies fill this nook.
“This is where my kids can be creative and explore,” Belize says. Toys, backpacks, and art supplies fill this nook.
“I love when my kids quietly create art in the kids’ cave at their desk,” Belize says. Costumes for dress-up play can be found in this creative corner too.
The family shares one bathroom. Belize added a gold mirror that she found at a local antiques shop. Since the bathroom is small, Belize sometimes wishes there was an additional one. “Especially when two or more of us need to use the restroom at the same time,” she says. The time that it’s the craziest is on Sunday mornings when the entire family is getting ready to go to church. During the rest of the week, each family member takes a shift. Matt gets ready for work first, then the older two kids get ready for school, then at last Belize and the youngest child use it. “Matt and I take showers in the morning, and the kids take showers at night,” Belize says.
“I’m a big nester,” she says. “For the first while, my neighbor commented on how every time she came over, my house looked different. We tried a slew of different arrangements throughout the house, much to my husband’s dismay.”
The kids “fill my walls with their art,” she says. This Halloween, shimmery skeletons dot a wall devoted to their original pieces. A faux spider web sits under a bowl of decorative balls on a table the family found in Bali.
The walls were previously yellow and cream. The couple painted them a light gray by mixing equal parts Extra White by Sherwin-Williams and Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore.
The kids “fill my walls with their art,” she says. This Halloween, shimmery skeletons dot a wall devoted to their original pieces. A faux spider web sits under a bowl of decorative balls on a table the family found in Bali.
The walls were previously yellow and cream. The couple painted them a light gray by mixing equal parts Extra White by Sherwin-Williams and Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore.
“The dining room is filled with memories from our travels, and we talk about them over dinner,” Belize says. “We lived in Ireland for six months and took the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas while there, including Norway, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Northern Ireland.” Much of the framed artwork shown here came from these countries. “We find joy in traveling with our kids. We cherish our memories together,” she adds.
On Saturdays, Belize says, they “wake up, either go on a family adventure somewhere downtown or outside of Boston, then come back home. And while the kids play outside at the park, Matt grills up some dinner or fires up some pizza in his oven.” When the weather is nice, the family eats together in the backyard.
Belize has always wanted a large American flag to hang on the front porch. So when she spotted this canvas one at an local antiques shop at a great price, she bought it, even though hanging it outside the front door of the rental home was not possible. For now, it hangs in the dining room.
A door painted cobalt blue accents the kitchen. “The door is warped, and the kids have to kick the door open even when it’s unlocked. This changes depending on the weather,” Belize says. In fact, most of the interior doors were warped or creaky and knobs were loose when they moved in. “We have old heating vents in the wood floor that blow up from the ground, and that is where my kids run when the heat comes on to warm up their bodies in the winter,” she says. The flooring is weathered too, but the couple love that it’s part of what gives the hundred-year-old home character.
The kitchen is Belize’s favorite space. “It is the heart — where I teach my kids how to cook. And it’s where Matt and I practice our passion for food,” she says. Matt added a pegboard to keep all the kitchen utensils and tools neatly organized.
“I teach kids cooking classes in my kitchen with a friend for ages 4 to 12 based off seasonal items, and each class is themed based on a color or a theme,” says Belize, seem here. She recently taught a class where everyone made pumpkin mac and cheese and pumpkin bread, and on another day with the color red as the theme, the menu included bruschetta, a blood orange smoothie and stuffed red peppers.
“I teach kids cooking classes in my kitchen with a friend for ages 4 to 12 based off seasonal items, and each class is themed based on a color or a theme,” says Belize, seem here. She recently taught a class where everyone made pumpkin mac and cheese and pumpkin bread, and on another day with the color red as the theme, the menu included bruschetta, a blood orange smoothie and stuffed red peppers.
The family makes the most of the kitchen space by hanging pots and pans above the countertops, and the washer and dryer are stacked in a nook near the refrigerator.
When they moved in, the couple added a kitchen island by attaching a butcher block countertop to the top of a dresser. “We love to cook, we love good food, and we love to eat. When my kids are at the island coloring while I cook or when they come in to help me cook, my heart is full,” Belize says.
Matt’s specialty is homemade artisan bread, which Belize loves turning into avocado toast.
When they moved in, the couple added a kitchen island by attaching a butcher block countertop to the top of a dresser. “We love to cook, we love good food, and we love to eat. When my kids are at the island coloring while I cook or when they come in to help me cook, my heart is full,” Belize says.
Matt’s specialty is homemade artisan bread, which Belize loves turning into avocado toast.
Belize created a work area with a computer in the kitchen.
For the master bedroom, Matt made the headboard in a wood shop area in their unit’s basement. The bedroom has a minimalist, calming design. “Our room is our escape from the tight space and high noise level,” Belize says; it’s especially useful with three young children in the house.
The three children share a bunk bed with a trundle in their room, which is decorated with children’s books and Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls.
Making a two-bedroom rental work with three kids was tricky. “We wanted the open feel, as much as was realistic, without extensive renovating. We also wanted everyone to have their own space, and for the kids to have a kids’ area,” Belize says. “We got really good at hanging essentials on the walls in a creative and tasteful way and in finding joy with only what we needed.”
The dreamcatchers seen here were a gift from Belize’s mom. “Dane gets nightmares, so my mother made these dreamcatchers and gave them to each of our kids to serve as a comfort,” Belize says.
Bunk bed: Svärta, Ikea; dressers: via Craigslist
The dreamcatchers seen here were a gift from Belize’s mom. “Dane gets nightmares, so my mother made these dreamcatchers and gave them to each of our kids to serve as a comfort,” Belize says.
Bunk bed: Svärta, Ikea; dressers: via Craigslist
Matt added hanging racks and shelves to help make the most of the kids’ shared closet.
See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
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I absolutely love that they appreciate their living space! Fitting 5 people into 1100 square feet can is very challenging, but they have made the most of the space! The little vignettes, the bright color on the door, and clever storage nooks all give this home a lot of personality! It is mind boggling to see many of the homes featured having 4000 plus square feet and only 2 or 3 people "living" in it.
Nice story. Lovely family.
A woman after my heart with her cooking classes!