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Houzz Tour: Young Family’s Old Farmhouse With Timeless Charm

http://www.decor-ideas.org 07/15/2015 01:13 Decor Ideas

Wanting enough land to grow a vegetable garden, build a skateboard bowl and give their young children plenty of room for running around, Alys and Alex Protzman saw unlimited potential in the 1880 farmhouse they purchased in Pittsboro, North Carolina. For nearly a year, Alys, an interior designer, worked to create a bright and stylish home with a modern sensibility and traditional character.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alys Protzman of Alys Design; her husband, Alex Protzman; and their children, Poppy, 3, and Baldwin, 2
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
Size: 3 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Architect: BuildSense

With two young kids running around the house, Alys says comfort and durability were important factors in weighing design decisions. The living room includes a slipcovered sofa and a soft area rug that’s great for kids playing with toys and rolling on the floor.

“I take the slipcovers off every two to three months and throw them in the washing machine. It’s much easier than stressing out about spills,” Alys says.

Sofa and area rug: Restoration Hardware; console: vintage beer garden table

by Alys Design

After discovering Australian artist Allyson Reynolds online and falling in love with her work, Alys wanted to add a piece of her art to the house because of its mix of modern and rural. “The piece I chose has this great abstract feel, but it’s also a painting of moths, so it has this farm-life quality too,” Alys says.

A former closet next to the fireplace now holds an air return at the bottom, while its top half has been converted into bookshelves.

Gray chairs: Lee Industries; cowhide chair: Shell, Design Within Reach; art over fireplace: Allyson Reynolds

by Alys Design

A wall that used to separate the living room from the kitchen was removed in favor of a more contemporary open style of living. Two 6-foot-wide pocket doors allow for the space to be closed off. “It’s so nice to be able to close those doors when entertaining friends after we’ve put the kids to sleep. They’re very thick doors, and they do a great job preventing noise from traveling up the stairwell,” Alys says.

Wood flooring: Heartwood Pine Floors

Farmhouse by Alys Design

To break up the modern white walls, marble and cabinets in the kitchen, Alys found local heart pine that matched the home’s original heart pine floors to create a veneer for the hood over the range.

The marble used for the island countertop is from Alabama, Alys’ home state. “I ordered the largest slab I could find. It is 2 inches thick and took nearly a dozen men to carry it in,” she says.

Marble countertops: Ivey Lane; cabinet paint: Anew Gray, Sherwin-Williams; pendant lights: Etsy

Traditional Dining Room by Alys Design

Alys says she grew up in a home with a large banquette and always wanted to include one in her own home. She added drawers to the bottom of her banquette, which she uses to store placemats and napkins. Alex, a woodworker, custom designed and crafted the wood top and green base for the table.

Table: custom, Alys Design; leather chairs: Cab, Cassina; banquette fabric: Perennials

Farmhouse Entry by Alys Design

The bricks used for the floor of the mudroom were salvaged onsite. They originally made up the brick sidewalks that meandered throughout the yard.

Alys hung four wire baskets to the white cladded wall, one for each family member. “It’s a great way for everyone to keep track of their mittens during the winter,” she says.

Browse mudrooms that really clean up

Farmhouse Porch by Alys Design

The original small porch was extended to wrap around the back of the house. The outdoor furniture is a mix of new and vintage finds. Hanging on the wall is an antique tobacco drying basket.

Wicker furniture: Loom Collection, Lloyd Flanders; outdoor rug: Crate & Barrel

Traditional Porch by Alys Design

The porch’s beadboard ceiling is painted light blue, which is a traditional color choice for many porches in the South. “I’ve heard all different reasons why they’re painted blue. Some people claim that spiders won’t make webs on your ceiling if you paint them blue, but I’m not sure that’s true,” Alys says.

Table: Archie, Design Legacy; dining chairs: Lloyd Flanders; rocking chairs: Troutman Chair Co.

Learn a legend behind blue porch ceilings

Farmhouse Bathroom by Alys Design

The master bathroom’s long and narrow layout inspired Alys to break up the space by adding a bathtub between the two vanities. White paneled walls, the same as in the mudroom, were included here to connect the downstairs to the upstairs.

Tub: Happy, Duravit; subway tile: Debris, Fireclay Tile

by Alys Design

The white paneling is again used for the alcove wall in the bedroom. The art over the bed was a wedding gift created by an artist in nearby Chapel Hill, and serves as a symbol for “tying the knot.”

The wood headboard was designed and carved by Keith Allen, a North Carolina craftsman and artist. “It’s great to celebrate the local artisans and bring their wonderful works into our home,” Alys says.

Bedding: Furbish Studio; bench: Lee Industries

Discover great headboard alternatives

Contemporary Nursery by Alys Design

Brightly colored stripes are featured in the area rug and curtains in Poppy’s bedroom. An antique white rocking chair is the perfect spot for Alys or Alex to read bedtime stories to Poppy.

Curtains: Anthropologie; area rug: Draper Stripe; DwellStudio; bookshelves: Parsons, West Elm

Contemporary Nursery by Alys Design