Photographs by Lyndsay Hannah Images
Alison Piepmeyer lives in Brooklyn together with her husband, Zach, and two kids, Linus and Georgie. They purchased their Nineteenth-century home “in tough form,” in 2022, and have spent the final 4 years fixing it up and filling it with knickknacks collected over their 15 years of marriage. “I bear in mind watching Love Truly as a younger married couple — a film I don’t suggest,” she laughs. “However one factor that caught with me was that one of many character’s homes had artwork up and down each single wall. I bear in mind considering how cool that was.” Have a look round…
ENTRYWAY
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore. Wallpaper: Home of Hackney. Mirror: Goal. Umbrella stand: Classic, related.
On a cross-country dream: I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and we’ve lived throughout California, however I all the time had a dream of shifting east. I’ll look again at my childhood journals, and it’ll be like, ‘I’m gonna go to New York and be a FASHION designer!’ Ha! Then, six years in the past, I received a job provide right here. My husband I lived in San Francisco on the time, so it was a giant resolution, however we determined to go for it. And it was the very best resolution we ever made.
Hat: Inside Joke. Hooks: West Elm, related.
On discovering house: We did tons of analysis earlier than shifting, then checked out a bunch of neighborhoods. We seemed on the Higher West Aspect (You’ve Acquired Mail is my favourite film). We seemed throughout Brooklyn and finally found Boerum Hill, which is that this small neighborhood tucked between Cobble Hill and Park Slope. It’s very cute however not ‘excellent,’ and it felt like we simply match.
LIVING ROOM
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore. Wall sconces: Rejuvenation. String lights: Brightown. Sofa: Classic, reupholstered in Sunbrella outside cloth (“Very kid-friendly!”). Striped chair: Classic, reupholstered in Sunbrella. Pharmacy lamp: Classic, related.
On discovering the home: This home, constructed within the 1850s, was one other massive leap. It had been in the marketplace for some time as a result of it was in such tough form. My husband was terrified, however I had a imaginative and prescient, and he trusted me.
On a work-in-progress: As soon as we moved in, it took about 4 years to get the home to the place it’s now — we needed to abate lead paint, repair crumbling bricks, clear out piles of lifeless bugs — and there’s nonetheless a variety of work to do. We consider the home as a long-term venture that we’ll simply hold engaged on every time there’s money and time to take action!
Ceiling fixture: Schoolhouse, related. Curtains: Pottery Barn. Rug: Customized, from AfriKesh on Etsy. Throw pillow: Lulu and Georgia. Espresso desk: Etsy. White chair: Goal. Checked throw: Amazon.
On a beloved, impractical sofa: I discovered the fainting sofa on a used-furniture web site, and had it redone in blue velvet. Our youngsters are obsessive about that sofa and all the time wind up bouncing on it or sitting there whereas drawing with markers. It’s additionally very fashionable with friends, despite the fact that it’s small. At any time when we have now events, a pile of individuals all the time congregate there, type of sitting on one another. It’s only a very cozy spot!
On guide piles: We’re a giant guide household, and we attempt to do issues that encourage our youngsters to learn as a lot as doable. We’ve no restrictions on studying, and I like having completely different sorts of books piled round the home that they’ve entry to. And I’ve seen, simply having so many books round implies that in the event that they’re bored or in search of one thing to do, perhaps they’ll decide one up and flip via it.
TV stand: Goal.
On historical past: There are a variety of imperfections and components that may want updating later. Typically I’ll go to mates’ locations, and I’ll be like, ‘Ah, it’s so good and trendy!’ My home is layered with 150 years of individuals doing their very own updates, like a toilet pipe that comes straight via our lobby. However in some methods, I like that. It makes me really feel linked to the opposite households who’ve lived right here.
Needlepoint pillow: Furbish.
On a rough-and-tumble couch: The couch and chair are classic, however I had them reupholstered with outside cloth, so now the youngsters can draw, throw up, or pour one thing on them, and they’re going to nonetheless maintain up! I can rub any stain out with a Magic Eraser.
DINING ROOM
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore. Eating desk: ABC Dwelling, related. Chairs: Classic, related. Cupboard: West Elm, related.
On going darkish: Some individuals get freaked out by the concept of black paint, however — as my husband and I usually joke — it hides a variety of sins. In an outdated home, it helps obscure all of the little dents and peculiar cords painted into the wall. Rising up, my mother was all the time repainting rooms in numerous colours, so I’m not petrified of dramatic paint colours.
On compromise: We attempt to eat on the desk, however my children are nonetheless so little that they’re leaping and dancing across the room more often than not anyway. I’d say we’re half-and-half — half eat-at-the-table, half I’ll-bring-you-a-plate-wherever-because-I-don’t-have-the-energy-to-force-you-to-sit-there.
KITCHEN
Rug: Etsy.
On squeezing in: Zach and I did the kitchen ourselves, so don’t look too intently! It’s a type of issues that’s superb for now, however finally will want extra work. It’s fairly small, so you’ll be able to’t actually have multiple individual in there at a time. We make it work by splitting the cooking duties 50-50. The children would love to assist, however at this level, they’re extra of a hindrance!
On framed photographs of mates: I like placing up photographs of family and friends so my children see all of the people who find themselves essential to them. Joanna and Georgie have a particular relationship, so I hung this photograph of them on the seashore.
BATHROOM
Wall tile: Clé. Bathe curtain: Amazon. Stool: Amazon.
On a shared rest room: That is our solely rest room, and it’s on the second flooring, so mates simply head up there after they’re over. It’s the one room we renovated, apart from the kitchen, so I’m glad we made it enjoyable. Inexperienced is my favourite shade, and this tile makes me so blissful once I stroll in. Up to now, we haven’t discovered that anybody’s preventing over the toilet — Zach and I simply bathe after the youngsters are bathed and in mattress. The one time it’s an issue is when everybody has to pee on the similar time.
Portray: Etsy.
On a parenting model: My husband is obsessive about music. He has a Disney playlist to assist our youngsters get away from bed within the morning, and a relaxing playlist that he places on at night time. Throughout bathtub time, he’ll use just a little speaker to play their favourite songs and hold them entertained. It’s not a parenting technique that may’ve occurred to me, however it actually works for him!
KIDS’ BEDROOM
Mattress: Ikea. Rug: Ruggable. Ceiling mild shade: HAY. Curtains: Havenly. Cover: Ferm Residing. Mattress curtain: DKNY.
On sharing: My children are eight and 4, and so they’ve all the time shared a room. They prefer it! They assist make adorning choices, like the place the books go and what artwork we must always cling. Georgie, my four-year-old, selected the curtain for her decrease bunk — we name it her bear cave. I’ve additionally discovered that children are DELIGHTED by character bedding, like Linus’s Minecraft sheets. He loves them.
Cover cowl: HAY.
On bedtime books: Linus, my son, is eight, and he can learn fairly effectively. Bedtime is at 8 p.m., however he’s allowed to remain up in mattress and skim so long as he needs (he often nods off by 9 p.m.). I’ll all the time discover the funniest books in his mattress that he’s collected from round the home. It’ll be like, a David Shrigley artwork guide and a cookbook. It’s so cute!
On children’ artwork: I discover a variety of kid-friendly artwork on Etsy. And if we love a sure kids’s guide, I’ll search for the illustrator, who will usually promote prints. We’ve a giant print of Final Cease on Market Avenue. I additionally love our washable rug — we simply throw it into the bigger machines on the laundromat down the street.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Mirror: Zara Dwelling, related. Sconces: Etsy. Bedding: Piglet in Mattress.
On priorities: Our bed room may be very small, however we nonetheless received a king mattress. My husband and I are very completely different sleepers — Zach will get tremendous scorching, and if I’m near him I wish to cuddle — so sleep is a LOT higher if we every have sufficient house to ourselves. The trade-off is we have now a mattress that takes up the entire room.
Rug: Amazon.
On overhead storage: One factor we missed after we purchased the home is the truth that it had no storage. We added some wardrobes and cupboards ourselves, however this room was tough as a result of it’s so small. One night time I went to an occasion at somebody’s home and noticed she’d constructed a unit like this over her mattress — which hadn’t even occurred to me! I’d by no means seen something prefer it. I liked it a lot I designed one for our room and located an area woodworker, who made it. It’s wonderful how a lot stuff matches in there.
OFFICE
Curtains: Ikea, related. Desk: Blu Dot, related.
On litter: My husband generally makes use of the workplace, however technically it’s mine — which is why there’s stuff in all places. I truthfully identical to the aesthetic of a cluttered workplace, stuffed with artwork provides and ribbons and glue sticks. The extra litter the higher!
Peg board: Kreisdesign.
On mess vs. memento: One factor I like about my home is that I can stroll via it, and sure, there’s a number of stuff — however the whole lot holds a reminiscence. They’re issues that carry me again to completely different instances in my life and marriage: a trinket we purchased on the flea market in Paris, or ‘Oh yeah, we lived in San Francisco after we discovered that.’
Wall planner: Etsy.
On nostalgia: Some individuals would say it’s messy to have all these items, however to me, all of it ties again to our time collectively.
Thanks a lot, Alison! We love your cozy house!
P.S. Many extra house excursions, together with an empty-nester’s condo in Copenhagen and a very colourful Connecticut home. Additionally, Alison’s week of outfits, and Alison’s Huge Salad concern together with her wallpaper before-and-after photographs (reward hyperlink).
(Photographs by Lyndsay Hannah Images for Cup of Jo.)
