My Houzz: Cozy Charm for Newlyweds in Seattle
http://decor-ideas.org 10/12/2015 03:33 Decor Ideas
Joe and Marissa Ruppert’s first home together in Seattle reflects a very specific vision. The newlyweds wanted their 1924 Craftsman to be a gathering place for their tightknit community of friends. With the help of these friends and family members, they installed new kitchen floors, built a communal dining table, created a basement music practice area for a local band and carved out a motorcycle workshop space in the garage. Since then, the Rupperts have hosted holidays, bridal showers and brunches, filling the rooms with the laughter and warmth that they enjoy so much.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Joe and Marissa Ruppert and their cat, Dingus
Location: University district of Seattle
Size: 1,580 square feet (146.7 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1924
“Our aesthetic is clean and minimal. We attempt to keep things simple and sometimes bare, and decorate using plants and natural elements along with some very meaningful items,” Marissa says.
The couple built the bench seen here as a DIY project using budget-friendly materials from Home Depot and custom legs from an Etsy vendor. Joe and Marissa have found their biggest design struggle is making sure the space visually feels calm and inviting, with very little clutter in the open and airy rooms. “It’s a fine line between minimal and sterile,” Marissa says.
The sunroom is the couple’s favorite spot for drinking coffee and sharing plans for the day each morning. It’s filled with houseplants, including a hanging succulent and fiddle leaf fig.
Their home is often filled with music as well. In his spare time, Joe plays bass in a band with local musician Bryan John Appleby and several of his closest friends. They practice several times a week in the unfinished basement.
The couple painted the majority of the interior walls white to capture as much afternoon and evening light in the space as possible, which is especially important during the gray Seattle winters.
“We are very intentional about the items we bring into our home, but don’t stick to any single design criteria,” Marissa says. They manage to strike a cohesive balance between old items, such as the antique pennant that hangs above the mantel, and newer ones. “Our furniture is a definite mix of new, handmade, antique stores and Craigslist,” Marissa says.
Some of their favorite collected pieces from their past apartments have made it to their new home, like the vintage flag pictured here.
The couple consider the dining room table to be one of the most meaningful pieces in their home. They built it with the help of their good friend Jesse and added custom legs they found on Etsy. Their close friends gather here almost every weekend and on holidays for family-style meals.
The Rupperts are fond of the coastal town of Astoria, Oregon. Displayed against their black painted wall is a favorite pennant souvenir from the town.
Pennant: Commercial Astoria
“We love all of the natural light our house gets,” Marissa says, “and our cat, Dingus, loves the windows and has a habit of following the sun wherever it goes.”
The couple updated the existing kitchen by giving the cabinets a fresh coat of white paint, installing new floors and swapping in new light fixtures.
A few pieces of their cactus collection sit in an upstairs reading nook that is adjacent to the guest room.
The simple and rustic decor of the guest room contrasts perfectly with the white walls.
The couple built their bathroom shelves using relatively inexpensive wood and stain from Home Depot.
Glacier National Park washcloths: Pendleton
The open shelves were a low-cost DIY project that added stylish storage to the compact bathroom.
Dingus is seen lounging in the master bedroom.
Glacier National Park blanket: Pendleton
Marissa and Joe relax on their porch. They have owned their home for two years and are happy it’s a warm and welcoming hub, with friends dropping by and filling its rooms nearly every day.
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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