My Houzz: When Memories of Home Are of Paint and Linseed Oil
Artist Marie Van Elder has always made her home integral to her work. She uses it as a studio, workshop and gallery. The walls are filled with work by her and by her artist friends, and the largest room in the house is her studio space. The rooms have been rearranged as the family has evolved, but the art has always been part of every room. “In a way the art has been part of the house as much as the house has been part of the art,” she says.
Van Elder’s daughters grew up around her art and “would come home from school and go running to see what I did that day,” she says. And they would sometimes work beside her on their own projects. Although Van Elder uses one room primarily as her studio, she says, “Frankly the whole house has been used for art: the kitchen counters, the patio, the garage for art classes for kids, the attic for storage and all the walls for exhibition space. My daughters will tell you that the smell of linseed oil is the smell of home.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Marie Van Elder and her dog, Gazou
Location: Marin County, California
Size: 2,300 square feet (214 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Year built: 1922
That’s interesting: Van Elder moved the main entry door from the front of the house to the side. “I didn’t want people walking straight into my living room,” she says.
The largest room in the house is used for Van Elder’s studio. The vaulted ceilings are original to this Mediterranean-style house, as is the light fixture.
Van Elder, seen here, kept the original curved arches and pillars intact, and everything is painted white to allow the light to bounce around the rooms. The garden walls are also painted white to bounce as much light around as possible.
Van Elder keeps everything organized in the living room–turned–studio by using boxes and old crates. The windows look out to the garden, which surrounds the house on three sides.
Along with using a few easels, the artist also likes to work on a flat surface, depending on the project. This large worktable is ideal for that.
Although her daughters are off at college, the house, Van Elder says, “does not feel as empty to me, especially since there are a lot of paintings of the girls displayed.”
Sofa, ottoman: Summer House; paintings: Marie Van Elder
Since the original living room has become the studio, Van Elder has put the smaller rooms to use as hangouts
Sectional sofa: Tillary, West Elm; pillows: Anthropologie; painting: Leo Bersamina; leather chair: Summer House
This small room off the kitchen has a daybed, which has turned it into a relaxing retreat.
Pillows, blankets: The Goods; Window Daybed in Chocolate: West Elm
The dining room table is used for every meal. The mixed chairs were found at various garage sales.
Table: Summer House
A small kitchen, bedroom and laundry room used to sit at the back of the house. A redesign opened up all three rooms into one large and inviting kitchen. The layout is unusual, but it allows for plenty of working space.
Kitchen remodel: Tamalpais Construction
The floor of the kitchen is painted in dark gray oil paint by Benjamin Moore.
Runner: Serena & Lily
The new main entrance on the side of the house opens into a small hall that leads to the central staircase.
Dog painting and blue painting: Christopher Brown; girl painting: Marie Van Elder
More of Van Elder’s art hangs at the top of the staircase.
The master bedroom was once Van Elder’s art studio, but she soon grew out of the space. The crocheted pillows and blankets were done by a family member.
Lamps: CB2; bed: antique from Indonesia
The attic was converted into a bedroom for her daughters. Van Elder took advantage of the unusual shape of the room by putting the bed in the alcove.
Bedspread, pillows: Anthropologie
A recessed bed also sits above the living room.
A painting in the girls’ bathroom depicts an imagined street corner using their names. The same lime green is repeated on one other wall. It’s a surprising burst of color that works well in this space.
Van Elder (shown) is working on small pieces that will be part of an installation about natural disasters, seen hanging above her desk.
Desk: antique from Belgium
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.
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