Houzz Tour: Living in Color
Home is a Happy Canvas for Vermont Stylist Tamar Schechner
Leaving behind the big-city life to fulfill a lifelong dream of living in the country, Tamar and her husband, Ronen, moved their family of five to a village in Vermont's Lake Champlain valley. Tamar graduated from Parsons School of Design in NYC and has worked as a creative director, style editor and photo stylist. After viewing her home, it is quite apparent that her passion for design and styling is still going strong.
When Tam isn't decorating her family's house, she works on a line of fun and colorful accessories for women and children and runs the site Nest Pretty Things, where you can see more photos of her projects and home.
When Tam isn't decorating her family's house, she works on a line of fun and colorful accessories for women and children and runs the site Nest Pretty Things, where you can see more photos of her projects and home.
These green stairs instantly brought a smile to my face. When I asked if they were something she re-painted from time to time, she said, "The green stairs are here to stay. I don't re-paint them frequently, I love the weathered look. When we bought the house, the stairs were covered in cheap carpeting, so we stripped them in preparation for stain, but then decided on the green. We love the bold statement it gives as people enter the house."
Tam has collected books since she was a teen, and her bookshelves are packed full of titles. Magazines get sifted through for articles and images, and the remaining pages get recycled or donated to the local school for use as art projects.
Many of the pillows seen throughout the living room were handmade by Tam or found on Etsy. The white sofa was a Craigslist score, and the green patterned chair is from Homegoods.
The vintage floral linens give this bedroom a welcoming feel.
Tip: Visit your local thrift shop and layer floral patterned pillowcases and bed linens for a quick guest room makeover.
Tip: Visit your local thrift shop and layer floral patterned pillowcases and bed linens for a quick guest room makeover.
"I love lying in bed and looking at this wall — every piece brings back memories," Tam says. "Some of the art pieces were at my grandparents' home, and some were done by my mother who was a wonderful artist. The photo of the two pears is from IKEA and always reminds me of my husband and I. The pink tissue paper heart was made by my niece. I made the frame that holds my earrings from a vintage frame with mesh stretched on it; it's very practical."
"I got very bored with the closet doors and decided to make use of the vintage wallpaper collection I have, so I adhered them to the door in a patchwork pattern using double sided tape," she says. "I use those doors a lot when I photograph my work for my shops. The white chest was originally dark brown, I painted it and changed the knobs."
"When we bought the house the kitchen was very dated and we couldn't afford anything too expensive, so we decided to go to IKEA," she says. "That was 4 years ago and the kitchen is still like new and works beautifully!"
Tam recently purchased the rug at Urban Outfitters for a great price. It came with black lace on two edges, which she opted to remove.
Tam recently purchased the rug at Urban Outfitters for a great price. It came with black lace on two edges, which she opted to remove.
They removed the kitchen's original top cabinets and replaced them with open shelves painted to match the lower cabinets. "We love open spaces and European style country kitchens," she says. "The original blue tiles and the sink stayed, but other than that, the entire kitchen (including the butcher counter tops) was $2,500."
The two are slowly replacing the appliances, starting with a noisy dishwasher. "This year we replaced the fridge with a counter-depth one which really opens up the space," she says. "Next year we will get a new gas range. I don't think everything needs to be done all at once, you do what you can and work around it."
There are many design blogs and websites that show homeowners moving through house projects rather quickly, but this is a refreshing outlook, and I think it can help a lot of people feel more at ease about the progress of their own home.
There are many design blogs and websites that show homeowners moving through house projects rather quickly, but this is a refreshing outlook, and I think it can help a lot of people feel more at ease about the progress of their own home.
The lovely pink door at the bottom of the stairs leads to the garden outside, and the large artwork above the door is by her mother.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful home with the Houzz community, Tam! See her Etsy shop and her site, Nest Pretty Things.
Next: See more home tours
Thank you for sharing your wonderful home with the Houzz community, Tam! See her Etsy shop and her site, Nest Pretty Things.
Next: See more home tours