Tag: house tours

Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography

“We’re a hosting house,” says bestselling poet Kate Baer. “Our family culture is, ‘Let’s have people over!’” She lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband, four kids, three cats, and dog named Maybe (as in “maybe we’ll get a dog”). Here, Kate reflects on marriage, parenting, and writing, and shares the toy her kids are still fighting over…

LIBRARY

Wall paint color: Benjamin Moore. Ceiling fixture: Home Depot. Rug: West Elm via Facebook Marketplace (“12 years ago!”), similar. Entry table: Facebook Marketplace.

On finding a dream home: My friend’s mom lived in this house for many years and actually raised her own four children here. I never thought it would be my house! But in 2021, we bought it from the family and have been slowly making it our own.

Bookcase paint color: Benjamin Moore. Table, chairs and rug: hand-me-downs from relatives.

On recently loved books: I was bowled over by The Correspondent, a warm, exquisite novel by Virginia Evans. Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino was absolutely stunning. And I inhaled Heart the Lover so quickly, it went up my nose and out my eyeballs.

Flower photo: Jamie Beck. Sofa: Poly & Bark. Stool: Home Goods, similar.

On a beloved piece of art: The Jamie Beck photograph on the left is my most prized art piece. She sent it to me because she said it reminded her of my first book cover.

On board games: There are tons of memes about how people don’t want to play games, but I actually think they do. You don’t have to play games the whole time you’re hanging out! Spoons is so much fun for adults, while kids are watching a movie. Other popular games in our household include Fishbowl, Mafia, and Codenames.

LIVING ROOM

Paint: Benjamin Moore. Sofa: Interiors Home, similar.

On a very glam piano: The piano came with the house. It belonged to my friend’s grandmother, Lucille, so we call the piano Lucille in her honor. I feel like Elton John when I sit down to play. Some of my kids take lessons, and it’s my dream for all of them to be able to play at least one song.

Print: Etsy. Chair: Interiors Home, similar.

On sneaking in plants: I have a hard time picking decor, so I just put plants everywhere. They bring so much life and beauty to a space. I slyly collect them and hope that my husband, Austin, won’t kill me because he’s the one who cares for them all.

On the best spot in the house: The kids gravitate to this chair to do their homework. I love reading here in the evening. Everyone fights over that chair, but it’s mine.

KITCHEN

Table: made by Austin, Kate’s husband. Chairs: “My parents got them off the side of the road for $40 ten years ago.”

On the joy of hosting: Gathering people together and fostering community is something I work really hard at. We’ve hosted fall fests, as well as movie nights in the basement. We invite people over every Fourth of July and every New Year’s Eve. There’s a misconception that you need a perfect home to host. But I was doing this when our family of six lived in 1,200 square feet. When I’m invited somewhere, I could not care less about what the kitchen backsplash looks like or what we eat for dinner. Being welcomed into someone else’s home is such a gift.

On swinging stools: They’re squeaky as hell because they’re like 30 years old, but it’s so easy to sweep under them. More people need stools like these.

On country living: After dinner, my husband and I try to leave our phones behind and walk our dog in our neighbors’ fields. On warm days, we’ll drag chairs to the front yard hill and look across the valley. Even if we sit in silence, it’s just nice to be together.

On special souvenirs: We take an annual family vacation to Florida, where we all love hunting for shark teeth. I got a big shadow box and my husband glued them in. He also put one sneaky shell in there. We tell any kids who come over, ‘There’s one thing in there that’s not a shark tooth.’ It takes forever to find.

On playlists: Every night, I play the same dinner playlist. It’s French café vibes, very low key. The music tells everyone that it’s time to come to the table. I have a Saturday morning playlist that I turn on when we’re getting our chores done so we can enjoy the rest of the weekend. I have a writing playlist and a playlist to pump myself up before going out on the town. Every routine gets a playlist — they’re such a nice way to signal where we are in our day.

STAIRS

On a controversial print: My friend’s mom, the former owner, picked out the leopard print runner. Everyone called her crazy and said she’d regret it, but she never did. We’ve changed a lot of things since we bought the house, so this carpet is a nice reminder of who lived here before us.

On the family cats: One day, a cat showed up on our property. My youngest, the first grader, named him Hot Dog. We got George and Kimberly a year ago. My soul-cat had passed away, and we were looking to add some new friends into our lives.

PRIMARY BEDROOM

Bed and bedside tables: Warbler Woodworks.

On an oasis: I always wanted a bedroom that felt like sleeping on a cloud, and I feel such deep peace when I’m in this room. We kept it very minimal and mostly white, which feels very different from the rest of the house.

Chair: Facebook Marketplace.

On a sweet holdover: When I was younger, I started dating this guy. It felt very casual, so I put him in my phone as Boyfriend. Then, on our wedding day, one of my friends grabbed my phone to change it to Husband, and I said, ‘Oh, please don’t do that!’ There’s something about Boyfriend. It just feels a little bit sexier and cuter. I’ll never change it.

OFFICE (BEDROOM CLOSET)

On squeezing in work: I dropped out of my MFA program when I got pregnant. My husband was in med school, and realistically, we couldn’t pursue both at the same time. Since only one of those paths definitively makes money, it was very easy to decide which one to prioritize when we were talking about finances and having a family. Still, I wrote when I could.

On self-motivation: I say this to young writers all the time: “No one else cares if you write a book or not. You have to care. No one’s going to make you sit down and write. It’s up to you to do that.”

On a room of one’s own: In our last home, every inch of the house was taken, so there was no room for me to have an office or even a desk in a corner. So, I wrote my first book and a lot of the second one at a nearby Panera Bread. The staff there was so kind to me. When the pandemic happened, I wrote in their parking lot, stealing WiFi and turning the car’s heater on and off.

BATHROOM

On parenting four kids: I’ve found that having four kids does two things: It makes you extremely organized and also extremely laid back. Because there are so many of them, you have to let things go, but then you also have to focus on what is most important. So, the house isn’t picked up, but everyone had dinner.

On toys: I don’t really buy toys, and I haven’t for a long time. And yet, they’re everywhere. I don’t know where they’re coming from. I don’t know how they get into the house.

BASEMENT

On a knockout gift: My daughter got aerial silks last Christmas, and my kids fight over them more than anything else. My daughter does tricks, while the boys just swing and crash into each other. The kits are easy to find online, but the tricky part is anchoring it to the ceiling. It needs to be very secure.

On ageless toys: My youngest is in first grade, and my oldest is in ninth. There aren’t many things that all the kids want to do together, but Legos are definitely a unifier. I try to have times where the while family comes together, at least once or twice a week. That could be a sit-down dinner, a round of cards, or talking while putting Legos together.

Thank you so much, Kate! And congrats on How About Now.

P.S. Kate’s beauty uniform, a funny evening with Kate and Joanna, and Kate’s rules for her forties over on Big Salad.

(Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography for Cup of Jo.)

23 COMMENTS

Photos by Leela Cyd.

Tina Tuason and her husband, Jeffrey, have always had a playful sense of style. “We love graphic artwork and toys,” she says. Three years ago, they bought Jeffrey’s childhood home, in Lakewood, California, from his parents — and got to work designing the colorful home of their dreams. Here, Tina gives us a tour…

LIVING ROOM

Sofa: Hay. Throw pillow: Verloop, similar. Rug: Ikea. Coffee table: Ikea. Lounge chair: Valyou. Blanket on chair: Slowdown Studio, similar. Rocker: Downtown Modernism, similar. Side table: Heller. Red stool: MoMA Design Store. Table lamp: MoMA Design Store.

On a multicolor sofa: This couch comes in a few color combinations. I’d planned on getting the beige one, because I figured a neutral couch would be easier to play around with — but it was sold out. My husband who suggested the blue and green, and I was like, ‘Don’t you think it’s too much?’ But when we brought it home, I fell in love.

TV stand: Pedestal. Floor shelves: Ikea, similar. Lamp: MoMa Design Store.

On an informal formal living room: We actually have two living rooms, and this is the one we use when friends and family come over. This room is the first thing you see when you walk in the house, so I wanted it to have a welcoming, relaxing vibe.

On a moveable TV: Our rolling TV stand is a game-changer. When my nephews come over, we can make a special spot for them to watch TV. If we want it out of the way, we just roll it into the garage!

Mirror: Ikea (“I painted it blue”). Console table: Ikea. Lamp: Ikea. Candleholder: Ikea. Candles: Hay, similar. Calendar: Karst Goods, similar.

On hiding the shoes: Our entryway was the trickiest spot. I needed a place to keep my shoes, but I wanted this space to feel more inviting than a storage area. I finally found this console table from Ikea — which isn’t actually meant to be a shoe cabinet, but it works!

OFFICE

Desk chair: Ikea, similar. Print: Tate Modern Museum. Wall organizer: Aescraft. Lamp: Buddy.

On division of labor: My husband and I renovated the house together, with me doing all the design work and him doing the labor. He’s handy and I’m a neat freak. So, as he was working, I’d be cleaning up along the way, and we didn’t have to deal with piles of trash at the end. We’re a good combo!

Bench: Heller. Throw pillow: Verloop, similar. Golf set: Amazon. Stool: Aescraft. Framed print: Tate Modern Museum.

On work and play: Oh my gosh, the golf game. Jeffrey works from home two days a week, and he’s a golfer, so when he takes breaks he likes to stand up and putt. At first I thought it looked too cluttered, but then I was like, you know what? Just leave it!

Bookshelf: Ikea. Sconce: Poplight. Smiley vases: Ikea. Cabinets: Ikea. Green vase: Aescraft.

On making a new home out of an old one: This is the first house Jeffrey lived in as a little boy. They moved out when he was seven; then his parents rented it out until we bought it in 2022. They’re old-school, and they had a lot of questions when we first started working on it. Why are you changing this? Why are you doing that? But when it was all done, they walked in and went, ‘Oh, wow, this is cool.’

KITCHEN

Bar stools: vintage, similar. Fruit plate: Gustaf Westman. Pink lamp: Oblique Method. Yellow lamp: Aleo. Countertop shelf: MoMA Design Store. Mug set: Heller.

On balance: The key to decorating with color, I find, is to start with a neutral backdrop. If I want to decorate with, say, multicolored mugs, then I know the shelf they sit on has to be neutral. We gave our whole kitchen a white and beige palette, which made it easy to add bright decor.

On loving IKEA: We wanted a simple look for the kitchen — plain flat cabinets without handles. But it was hard to find that style, and everything we did find was way too expensive. The only thing we could think of was IKEA — and it turned out to be perfect! Yes, it meant lots of assembling, but it was worth it.

Scallion plug-in light: Soft Surprise.

On toys: Folks might look at our house and assume that kids live here — I get it! When we first invited our relatives over, I worried about what our grandmas and aunties would think of the place. Will they like it? Or will they think it’s just a silly toy house? But you know what? They loved it.

DINING ROOM

Hanging light fixture: Ikea. Table: Castlery. Chairs: Castlery, similar. Mirror: Urban Outfitters. Vase: &Klevering.

On strategic mirrors: For the dining area, I thought a big mirror would help open up the room. But I also wanted a mirror that didn’t look like a mirror — something a little different, you know? I actually found this one while browsing Urban Outfitters. It was much smaller than what I’d planned for, but it worked. It gives the whole room sunset vibes.

DEN

Sofa: Ikea. Coffee table: Ikea. Stool: Target. Console: Homary, similar.

On a space to flop: This ‘downstairs’ room is the hang-out zone. When it’s just the two of us, this is where we spend most of our time. The couch is big and cozy, and great to curl up on for movie nights or football games.

Calendar: Tate Modern Museum. Purple cat: Donkey. Stool: Arnold Circus. Pepper plug-in light: Soft Surprise.

On a fun hobby: We have an entire drawer devoted to card games, and we play chess together a lot. When friends come over, we play Monopoly Deal or Bananagrams or Rummikub — that’s a really fun one.

On glowy rooms: I love small portable lamps. We never use our overhead lights, except in the kitchen. With every other room, we just go around turning on every single little lamp.

Green stool: World Market. Tabletop lamp: Hay. Print: LACMA.

On a daunting wall: It took us forever to put up art. This wall was particularly overwhelming because it was so big. Finally we realized, oh, a big wall needs a big print. We found this one at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and we loved it. Once we put that piece up, we were able to build around it with other things.

BEDROOM

Bed: Ikea. Linens: Bed Threads.

On turning down the volume: Our bedroom is not like the rest of the house — and that was a deliberate choice. I wanted our room to feel calm, since it’s a place for rest. The colors are muted, which makes it easier to unwind.

BACKYARD

Sofa: Heller. Chair: Heller. Stools: Heller.

On fun functionality: I love Heller furniture, and we have some in the house. The outdoor set helps create a nice flow from inside to outside. Plus, it’s easy — we didn’t want anything we’d have to cover up or reassemble every time we used it. It looks like a big LEGO set.

On finding your true colors: I’m a makeup artist, so I’m always working with color and thinking about color theory. My playful side has always been there, but moving here — into our own place — that’s what really brought it out in me.

Thank you so much, Tina!

P.S. More house tours, including a Minneapolis home with the cutest dog and a farmhouse built for Black joy.

(Photos by Leela Cyd.)

17 COMMENTS

When I was five, my parents let me pick paint colors for my bedroom. A month later, I had purple walls and a pink ceiling you could see from the street. Color is such a mood booster, don’t you think? Seeking inspiration, I asked Cup of Jo readers to share their bold rooms at home…

“I live in one of the cloudiest cities in the U.S. and knew that color would brighten our kitchen [both photos above]. I decided to paint the walls Arsenic green, the cabinets Bond Street Blue, our freestanding pantry Rangwali pink, and the stairs in a shade of yellow inspired by the Dunraven Arms hotel in Adare, Ireland.” — Averil, Grand Rapids, Michigan

“For our bathroom, I wanted something fun. So, I got a gallon of peach and pink paint, a sample size of green, and a pint of black paint I had left over from something else; and we painted strawberries. My engineer friend mentioned after visiting my house that I’d forgotten the stem on a single strawberry, and it took me days of looking to find it. My favorite ones, of course, are those my son did.” — Britt, Portland, Oregon

“I painted this window in my spare bedroom bright yellow and the walls a softer shade. Even on the greyest English days, I pop my head round the door for an instant happiness injection.” — Jess, Kent, England

“I got divorced a couple years ago, and when my kids aren’t here, I often spend time painting or adding wallpaper or putting in a tile backsplash (because I now own a wet saw?!). I’ve painted a few rooms pink. I know I could have done that when a man lived here, too, but there’s something sweet about doing it during my strong single woman era.” — Chrissie, Salem, Massachusetts

“I mixed two blues to make the perfect color for my living room.” — Shelby, Peoria, Illinois

“I’m a therapist, and I try to make my background neutral enough to not be distracting but interesting enough that my clients have something else to look at beside my face. I was craving a bold space, so I decided to go for the warm, witchy library of my dreams. My millennial clients often comment on the deep plum, saying it was the color of their bedroom in high school. It was also my bedroom color in college, so it’s a nice point of connection.” — Allison, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“My 10-year-old daughter asked for a green bedroom. I was dubious, but we balanced it out with pink, including this tiger wallpaper, and now I love it.” — Christa, Santa Rosa, California

“Before buying this house, I’d always lived in rental apartments with cream or beige walls. ‘Art teacher chic’ was my goal for our new living room. I figured painting is pretty low stakes — you just need time and the cost of paint — so if the color was hideous, we could paint over. My mom definitely gave me a look when she saw the color in the paint can, but she ended up really liking it, too.” — Page, Northville, Michigan

“I let my kids choose the color of their shared room, and they chose very bright blue. I was nervous about it, but all the furniture and artwork pop so much. The room feels happy during the day and cozy at night.” — Jessica, New York City

Thoughts? Do you have any colorful walls at home?

P.S. Colorful house tours in Connecticut, Brooklyn, upstate New York, and Sweden. Plus, these gorgeous NYC bookshelves!

8 COMMENTS

“I always keep an eye out for solid wood pieces when browsing Facebook Marketplace,” says Jessica Manning-Brose, who grew up in Stockholm and Minneapolis, but now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Zach, and their baby, Nina. “They’re typically well made and priced lower than what they’re worth because they belonged to someone’s grandma and aren’t the exact current trend.” Here, Jessica gives us a look inside…

DINING AREA

Pendant: Noguchi. Dining table and chairs: Facebook Marketplace. Seat cushions: H&M Home. High chair: Stokke. Rug: Rush House.

On growing up in Sweden: I was born in Stockholm and lived there until I was six. I remember feeling very held by our community there. It’s a society that’s rooted in family and making sure everybody has what they need, like a playground on every corner. I also remember running through the forest with our friends and picking berries. It’s such a sweet and peaceful place.

On Swedish traditions: I have a sweet tooth and adore Swedish pastries. My favorite is a semla, a cardamom bun that’s cut in half and filled with fresh whipped cream and almond paste. We also have candles lit year round; they make the whole house feel cozy.

LIVING AREA

Daybed: Sundays. Armchairs: Lulu & Georgia. Lamp: Facebook Marketplace. Coffee table: “thrifted at Goodwill for $20!” Rug: Rugs USA.

On clever furniture: This room contains both our dining room and living room, so I wanted to have two areas that flowed well. The daybed signals that each part of the room serves its own purpose.

On rug shopping: I love how a really big rug makes a room feel warm and grounded. I think people often don’t get large enough rugs because they can be super expensive, but the company Rugs USA does partnerships with interior designers and comes out with beautiful collections. If you’re buying second-hand, look for a 100% wool rug. That way, you can just take it to a rug cleaner, and it will last forever.

On learning to thrift: Our family had a pretty fixed budget, so I grew up thrifting for clothes and furniture with my mom. Sometimes it felt embarrassing. All the other kids at school were wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, and I would have styles from Goodwill. But now I’m proud that I’ve developed the muscle to go into a store and seek out unassuming pieces that can work in our lives.

KITCHEN

On family rituals: Zach, Nina, and I cherish our morning walks. When it’s hot in L.A., we’re out the door by 6 a.m. to catch the crisp morning air. At that time, the neighborhood is super quiet, and our daughter loves the stroller, so everyone is content looking at the gardens and waving at a few neighbors with dogs.

On a pantry staple: I like baking with Trader Joe’s bourbon vanilla bean paste. It’s affordable and has little vanilla bean flecks and a great depth of flavor. It also tastes great stirred into coffee.

FAMILY ROOM

Bookshelves: “all three from Facebook Marketplace for $75.” Marble side table: “handmade by my husband’s great-grandfather.” Striped armchairs: Facebook Marketplace.

On growing up in Minnesota: My American parents met while living in Stockholm, but they always planned on moving back to the U.S. We ended up settling in Minneapolis, close to my grandparents. Minneapolis is a decent-sized city with so much access to nature. The lakes are magical, and kids can just be kids. The winters there are brutal (those negative 40 wind chills!), but it’s a great place to grow up.

Sofa with ottoman: Interior Define. Coffee table: Sundays. Throw pillows: Banana Republic Home. Rug: Rugs USA.

On negotiating tips: If you want to bargain with a Facebook Marketplace seller, let them know you can pick up the item right away. They’re often open to accepting a lower price once they realize they won’t have to negotiate with lots of people over a few days.

On a home sweet home: To me, thrifted pieces make a house feel like a home because you know they have stories behind them. They bring a sense of coziness and security, which feels especially nice since we live in a rental and don’t know how long we’ll stay.

NURSERY

Paint: Old White by Farrow & Ball. Glider: Oilo. Crib: Namesake. Rug: Rugs USA.

On a funny thing about babies: Before becoming a mom, I didn’t realize how quickly babies change. Nina has grown so much in this window of time. It feels like Nina’s growing so much day to day. Within the past week she started sitting up by herself for the first time, and is babbling a ton. She has so much to say! It’s wild to look at Zach every morning and be like, ‘I swear she changed overnight.’

Shelves: Amazon. Chair: Charlie Crane.

On pops of color: We wanted her nursery to feel fun and childlike, but also not super ‘baby.’ I painted the walls ‘Old White’ by Farrow & Ball which makes it feel light and pretty, then relied on Nina’s toys to add color and whimsy.

PARENTS’ BEDROOM

Bed: Lulu & Georgia. Duvet: Jenni Kayne. Lamp and side table: Facebook Marketplace.

On easy TV: Zach and I recently decided that we needed to something light for winding down at night. We are getting back into Schitt’s Creek and I forgot how funny it is! My favorite character is Alexis, she’s iconic.

On motherhood surprises: Growing up, I worked as a nanny, so I thought I understood what it was like to be a parent. But the realities of becoming a mom knocked me on my face. It’s very different going to someone’s home, caring for their kids, and then going home to get a good night’s sleep. The sleep loss has been real! On the other hand, being a mom has also been the most wonderful transition — to see the world through fresh eyes has been magical.

Thank you so much, Jessica!

P.S. More home tours, including a very colorful house in Connecticut and a 175-square-foot Brooklyn studio.

(Photos by Leela Cyd for Cup of Jo.)

22 COMMENTS