Just last week I Googled "
Keri Russell" and "home". And Nada.
Keri Russell's one of my favourite actresses, owing a emphatitic feel to her biggest role,
Felicity. Now I'm showing my age! :) I also liked her in
August Rush and
Waitress...
But today. I saw her beautiful Brownstone home featured in
Elle Decor, via the
citysage. Serendipitous? I'm going out to buy
Elle Decor June 2011 tomorrow! :)
I was pleasantly surprised to see that it reflected Russell's quiet, edgy character. Keri's dress sense is casual smart and her home is pretty much the same. Owing to the genius handywork of husband
Shane Deary.
Craftsman and wood-genius Deary's outfitted their new home with very rustic, edgy furniture to complement the crisp walls and beautiful moldings of their 1860s Brooklyn Brownstone. Keri decided on the layout, the look, the soft furnishings... and it looks like her every decision was thoughtful to both their feminine and masculine whole.
The less-is-more Keri didn't crowd her home with trinkets and colours, but kept it simple with elegant furniture contrasted with very rustic pieces from Shane's trips into dumpsters and demolition yards. Even the piano above has been kept from looking too elegant.
The whole Brownstone has been a journey of renovation, since it was bought as do-it-upper; as says Deary, “but why buy someone else’s renovation if you’re going to redo it anyway?” I've said often enough, what I'd do for my husband to be handy-Superman!
Walls were removed, floors were pulled apart, restored and then nailed back.
I love their bedside tables, or rather, bedside blocks of wood! Deary found blocks of reclaimed pine flooring which now hold serves as a night table. Chandelier was a save from a previous renovation job (Shane Deary's a contractor and renovation carpenter).
The large ficus in their living room offers a punch of green and the planter box is made from pieces from an old desk! Deary turned pieces of discarded pine into the handsome porthole mirror that hangs over the living room mantel.
One of the things that I really loved was the bright greens throughout the home. When we can afford to buy again, I'll be getting some large indoor plants. At the moment, my African violets love their new spot (happens to be one of the only spots with plenty of morning sun and shade).
A simple lightbulb illuminates the island bench. No fancy industrial or Swarovski shade... nothing to hide husband Deary's work.
I love their sharp kitchen. Very reminiscent of
Gwyneth Paltrow's back and white kitchen but with a rougher, less-refined-but-as-chic edge. (And much smaller.) Of course, Shane built his kitchen. And of course, it's reclaimed: from a demolished post-and-beam house.
I took a closer look at their kitchen. While it's not huge in any sense (the next picture shows the island bench again, so that's the limit of their kitchen), it's amazingly outfitted for most things. Even cookbooks and wine. I found their cabinets on the top rather narrow in its widths... but I'd bet less-is-more Russell does not collect china like I do! :) Her kitchen even has a cute built in bread bin above the countertop!
Check out the super rustic shelving above the wine holder to the right of the image! Below you can see more of that shelving and note that it runs along the ceiling too! Nice. Dunno about dusting though.
The elegantly edgy dining table had very un-elegant beginnings: out from a dumpster. It actually sits rather happily with the vintage Bertoia wire chairs.
I love that the Keri Russell's dressing room isn't... glamour-diva. It is really modest, very chic and showcases her outrageously high heels. Living out of suitcases, Russell now hangs her clothes on plumbing pipes Deary's fashioned.
The bathroom's walls were removed and opaque breezy fabric offer a modicum of privacy. The result is unbelievably bright and airy. It showcases the gorgeous clawfoot bath.
Regretfully, no shots of son River's room! Why not, Keri?
Images of Keri's home from Elle Decor
Do you hold any superstitions? I don't mean picking up pennies and avoiding black cats, this is a design blog after all! While going through some photos I took in the Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this year, I noticed that these wall lights had the candle wicks left unburnt. I've always been taught that tapers should be charred before being left in a candlestick; not sure why, but I've always followed this rule. I know it comes from some unknown superstition but I can't seem to find what would happen if I didn't burn them! Do you follow this practice?
