My Houzz: Classic Style and Colors in a Vermont Family Home
Beadboard wainscoting, historically inspired paint colors and an open layout define a family’s modern farmhouse-style home
Faith Towers
June 11, 2016
Houzz Contributor. Faith Towers is a designer, writer and crafter with a passion for all things creative. She received her art degree from Skidmore College, and her work has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo. She writes her blog called Design Fixation and also spends her days designing wedding invitations and stationery.
Houzz Contributor. Faith Towers is a designer, writer and crafter with a passion... More
When searching for a home for their growing family, Michelle and Antoine Williams focused on finding one in a safe neighborhood, with plenty of natural light and in close proximity to walking paths and bike routes. They found a neighborhood they loved in Shelburne, Vermont, and decided to build a home from scratch to give them the architectural flexibility they wanted.
Michelle, a photographer, and Antoine, a financial planner and analyst, worked closely with architect and friend Samantha Dunn to create an open, inviting space that prioritized the family’s needs, with function driving the design. The result is an elegant home that combines classic style with modern-inspired farmhouse style.
Michelle, a photographer, and Antoine, a financial planner and analyst, worked closely with architect and friend Samantha Dunn to create an open, inviting space that prioritized the family’s needs, with function driving the design. The result is an elegant home that combines classic style with modern-inspired farmhouse style.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Antoine and Michelle Williams and their sons, Matias, 10, and Ezra, 8
Location: Shelburne, Vermont
Size: 3,300 square feet (306.5 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 2013
Who lives here: Antoine and Michelle Williams and their sons, Matias, 10, and Ezra, 8
Location: Shelburne, Vermont
Size: 3,300 square feet (306.5 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 2013
Michelle debated whether to choose a pair of sofas or a sofa teamed with two chairs. She also struggled with choosing the window treatments in the living room. A friend’s interior designer recommended adding drapes to the east and west windows only, and leaving the two windows on either side of the fireplace bare.
Sofas and coffee table: Town & Country; curtains: West Elm; end tables: Pottery Barn
Sofas and coffee table: Town & Country; curtains: West Elm; end tables: Pottery Barn
“When we travel, we try to bring back a token of each place to remind us of our time spent there,” Michelle says. A ceramic serving tray is one of her favorite souvenirs to pick up, because it combines two of her passions — art and food.
The couple wanted to have a designated place for their sons to work on arts and crafts, so they created this cozy workspace right off the living room.
Wall paint: Manchester Tan, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Manchester Tan, Benjamin Moore
The couple wanted their home to have an open, welcoming feel so visitors would feel comfortable and at home right away. The open-concept layout of the kitchen and dining room has made the area a natural gathering place for guests when they come for dinner. “We have so many blessings, and it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to share what we have with the people we love,” Michelle says.
The dining table has two extensions and can accommodate up to 14 people, allowing the couple to host large dinner parties for friends and family. “One of my greatest joys in life is cooking for the people I love,” Michelle says.
Chandelier and dining table: Pottery Barn
Chandelier and dining table: Pottery Barn
The couple ended up going about 16 percent over their overall budget for building, partly because their contract didn’t clearly state what was and was not included in the build. “A clear, detailed contract is very important in keeping within a budget when you build or renovate,” Michelle says. “The kitchen is the most expensive space in a build. I would advise anyone who is going to build a house to price out their kitchen before signing a contract.”
Michelle appreciates the design choice to have the lower cabinets contain more drawers than is usual. For her, it makes them feel much more reminiscent of a built-in dresser than traditional cabinetry.
The couple also tucked away a convection microwave underneath the island countertop to give the space a more streamlined look.
Cabinets: Signature Cabinetry; range: Dacor
The couple also tucked away a convection microwave underneath the island countertop to give the space a more streamlined look.
Cabinets: Signature Cabinetry; range: Dacor
Michelle’s design aesthetic is constantly evolving, but one thing that has never changed is her attraction to historical paint colors, such as Benjamin Moore’s Hawthorne Yellow, which covers the upper half of the mudroom walls. The feel of the company’s historical paint collection reflects the family’s classic style.
Wall paint by Benjamin Moore: Hawthorne Yellow (top) and White Dove (bottom); pendants: Pottery Barn
Wall paint by Benjamin Moore: Hawthorne Yellow (top) and White Dove (bottom); pendants: Pottery Barn
The mudroom offers a great deal of storage, allowing the kids to easily hang up their jackets and toss their gear in the large floor baskets.
Flooring: Vermont slate
Flooring: Vermont slate
A small powder room sits off the mudroom, one of two bathrooms on the first floor. Michelle fell in love with the birch-tree patterned wallpaper from Cole & Son, but at $200 a roll, it promised to be a bit of an investment for a large room. So she decided to wallpaper just the upper half of the small powder room to save money while maximizing the impact.
Woods wallpaper: Cole & Son; mirror: Bennington Potters
Woods wallpaper: Cole & Son; mirror: Bennington Potters
The couple’s older son, Matias, has a bold blue and red bedroom with pale blue accents.
Wall paint: Drawing Room Blue, Farrow & Ball; rug: Pottery Barn Kids
Wall paint: Drawing Room Blue, Farrow & Ball; rug: Pottery Barn Kids
The madras quilt and drapes mix well with the blue walls and colorful map of the United States.
Madras quilted bedding and Madras blackout panel: Pottery Barn Kids
Madras quilted bedding and Madras blackout panel: Pottery Barn Kids
Matias is a sports lover, and his passion shows in some of the accessories in his room.
The boys’ bathroom is situated between their bedrooms, with plenty of space for them to brush their teeth together.
The bathroom walls are painted a pale blue, and a handful of black-and-white family photos decorate the walls.
Wall paint: Yarmouth Blue, Benjamin Moore; mirrors: Restoration Hardware; shower curtain (seen in mirror): Land of Nod
Wall paint: Yarmouth Blue, Benjamin Moore; mirrors: Restoration Hardware; shower curtain (seen in mirror): Land of Nod
Michelle and Antoine’s younger son, Ezra, is a lover of the arts. His bedroom is filled with artwork, musical instruments and books. Playful accessories reflect his fun-loving personality.
Bedding: Serena & Lily
Bedding: Serena & Lily
Eight-year-old Ezra has recently started taking piano lessons, and is often found here practicing at his keyboard.
Wall paint: Coventry Gray, Benjamin Moore; alphabet flashcards: Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop
Wall paint: Coventry Gray, Benjamin Moore; alphabet flashcards: Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop
The master bedroom has a calm vibe, thanks to the high ceilings, white color scheme and wood accents.
“I love the open, airy feel of the cathedral tongue-and-groove ceiling in our master bedroom,” Michelle says. It lends a clean finish to the space, while the Douglas fir beams ground the room a bit.
Wall paint: Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball; rug: Serena & Lily
“I love the open, airy feel of the cathedral tongue-and-groove ceiling in our master bedroom,” Michelle says. It lends a clean finish to the space, while the Douglas fir beams ground the room a bit.
Wall paint: Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball; rug: Serena & Lily
The matching cherry furniture ties the space together, giving it a pastoral feel that’s perfect for the home’s location in the Vermont countryside.
Cherry furniture: Lyndon Furniture
Cherry furniture: Lyndon Furniture
The vanity in the master bathroom was custom-made and painted in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove to match the trim in the house. The marble floors are heated, providing a lovely reprieve from the chill of cold Vermont winter mornings.
The couple love their master bath, a spacious room with a relaxing claw-foot tub and a chandelier. “It’s very French to have a chandelier in the bathroom, a little piece of my heritage,” Michelle says.
Art: Sabra Field
Art: Sabra Field
In addition to the claw-foot tub, the master bath has an enclosed walk-in shower.
Wall paint: Wyeth Blue, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Wyeth Blue, Benjamin Moore
The guest room is on the first floor off the kitchen and mudroom, a decision that Michelle and Antoine made to accommodate guests who might have trouble climbing the stairs to the second floor. The space feels relaxed, thanks to the neutral wall color and light blue bedding.
Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
The unique mirror in the guest bathroom was constructed from vintage tin ceiling tiles salvaged from old houses in Vermont.
Mirror: Bennington Potters; sconces: Restoration Hardware
Mirror: Bennington Potters; sconces: Restoration Hardware
The couple are often complimented on their choice of material for the front door and garage doors. The warm tones of Douglas fir give the front of the house an inviting feel, but, Michelle says, the doors are “a labor of love. Each year I refinish them with a coat of natural Cabot wood stain. It has to be done yearly in this climate!”
The home’s location on a cul-de-sac provides a safe place for the children to play with their friends. The neighborhood kids often run in and out of the house to grab snacks or toys. An ice cream truck even visits the neighborhood every Friday in the summer, and the couple love to watch their kids run outside to place their ice cream order to the melody of “It’s a Small World.”
The home’s location on a cul-de-sac provides a safe place for the children to play with their friends. The neighborhood kids often run in and out of the house to grab snacks or toys. An ice cream truck even visits the neighborhood every Friday in the summer, and the couple love to watch their kids run outside to place their ice cream order to the melody of “It’s a Small World.”
When the weather is warms, Michelle and Antoine love to entertain outdoors. They enjoy sharing a glass of rosé with their friends on their recently added stone patio. They hope to add an in-ground pool.
While the process of designing and building a new home was not without its difficulties, the couple would not trade the house for anything. “We have a beautiful home in a great neighborhood, and we look forward to creating many memories here,” says Michelle, pictured here with Antoine.
See more photos of this home
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See more photos of this home
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.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts |Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
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Thank you! The hardwood is Vermont yellow birch.
Thank you all for the beautiful comments and supportive words. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this house and this article truly made me feel like the hard work was worth it! Thanks for taking the time to review it, happy to answer any questions that would be helpful to you.
Beautiful home!!!! Thank you for sharing!