21 Fun Decorating Details to Steal From a Colorful Connecticut Home

When Abigail Braden’s husband, Matthew Swain, suggested they move from their cool townhouse in Brooklyn, New York, to the burbs, it took a lot to sell her on the idea. Visits to 40 different homes didn’t sway her — too traditional, too new, too boring. Then came number 41, “a typical split-level with a two-story barn attached by a long windowed hallway — I loved the weirdness of it,” says Abigail of the 1970s property in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The couple were hardly dismayed by the bland interior; they were psyched to put their stamp on it. Between Abigail’s eye for style (she’s a designer) and Matthew’s handiness (he owns a construction equipment rental company), they stirred it up with funky wallpaper, art, lighting, furniture and a bunch of seriously impressive DIYs. There’s so much interesting stuff, the charm never ends. Here, an adorable built-in makes Emilia, 8, and William, 10, game to put stuff away. The canvas bins are by Pehr.

1) To refresh the room, Abigail nail-gunned 6-inch-wide MDF boards to the walls. They’re painted Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore.

2) A white beam wasn’t exactly doing the 14-foot ceiling any favors, so homeowner Abigail stripped it and stained it walnut. Now it’s got impact.

3) Unexpected objects energize wall shelves, like a vintage typewriter and a pink pedestal bowl (Raawii makes a similar one).

4) Painterly shades and raspberry cords in the glass bases of lamps by Anna Jacobs have twice
the pizzazz.

5) Who says gallery walls have to be perfectly aligned? These black-and-white family photos are awesomely asymmetrical.

6) A simple custom Parsons table gets a chic upgrade with a graphic rug by Nordic Knots.

7) The sconces are only for show — Abigail wanted to fill empty space and add a hit of blue. She just screwed them in.

8) Pairing a scenic painting and a portrait adds character, especially when the art was made by your grandma.

9) Whitewashed brick: not just for exteriors. Abigail cut it with a wet saw and applied a mix of paint and water.

10) Globe pendants may be classic, but a trio with a gold ombré effect from West Elm make a total statement.

11) Ooh, sneaky storage! Cabinets on every side of the custom island hold cookbooks, outdoor dishware and cleaning supplies. (Island cabinet color: Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore)

12) For a built-in look, a handmade bookcase tops an Ikea Ivar cabinet. Like the trim, they're painted Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore.

13) A pinboard hung on a patterned wall is extra inspo-y. The peel-and-stick bird wallpaper, by Genevieve Gorder for Tempaper, also surrounds the window.

14) Two tabletops (one bolted to the wall using brackets, the other on casters) form a desk that can be extended to spread out work.

15) Oh, hi, rainbow rug! From Crate & Kids, it happily continues the stripes in the bedding and pendant.

16) Jumbo Lego bricks/storage containers (from Amazon) create the cutest seat.

17) Nice touch: window screens with slim gold frames in the main bedroom, which came with the place. Abigail got knobs for the bench drawers in the same finish.

18) Art printed on canvas is like a painting ... for less. This beauty is from One Kings Lane.

19) No two pillows are the same, and that’s good; a mix of sizes, shapes and patterns has a designer-y effect.