My Houzz: Classic Style With a Colorful DIY Twist in New England
Meaningful furnishings and handy projects, including a clever wall of knobs, feature in this engaged couple’s Massachusetts home
Engaged couple Faith Towers and Michael Provencher bought an updated 1830 home in Reading, Massachusetts, in July 2015 knowing that it needed serious cosmetic attention. The DIY-savvy couple — Towers is a graphic designer and home decor blogger (and Houzz contributor); Provencher works in wine sales — have spent the past year updating and personalizing each room to add color and charm. They painted almost every room, and installed a new dishwasher and microwave in the kitchen.
“We’ve tried to keep our home’s decor on the classic side but with a contemporary vibe,” Towers says. “We’re not big fans of super-traditional-style design, so it is a delicate balance trying to keep things feeling up to date but also getting them to fit in with the historical feel of the house itself.”
“We’ve tried to keep our home’s decor on the classic side but with a contemporary vibe,” Towers says. “We’re not big fans of super-traditional-style design, so it is a delicate balance trying to keep things feeling up to date but also getting them to fit in with the historical feel of the house itself.”
Some of Towers’ treasures are displayed on this end table. Kevin Scanlan, her uncle, is a glass blower in Brooklyn, New York, and made the glass vase. Towers met designer Thom Filicia at an event and had his book signed. The large ampersand is a nod to Towers’ profession. “Because of my experience as a graphic designer, I have become quite interested in typography and ampersands, specifically. They can be seen all around the house,” Towers says.
Ampersand: HomeGoods
Ampersand: HomeGoods
The reproduction Eames-style chair belonged to Towers’ grandmother, and Towers painted the eye artwork that hangs to the right of a coat closet when she was in high school. “Our living room is filled with a rotating display of artwork and bold patterns,” Towers says. “I would describe my style as ‘eclectic contemporary,’ as it is a bit of a mix of different things. I enjoy contrasts — pairing an ornate piece with a more modern, sleek item or juxtaposing antiques within a contemporary area of the home.” Provencher enjoys finding vintage pieces to add to the mix.
Triangle pillows: Brimfield Flea Market; rug: One Kings Lane
Triangle pillows: Brimfield Flea Market; rug: One Kings Lane
The mudroom needed color, so Towers added storage and vibrant accents by creating what she calls a “knob wall” that’s used to hang hats, jackets and accessories. This DIY project used about 20 wooden knobs painted in a variety of colors (hunter green, navy, sky blue, magenta) that she then nailed into the drywall.
Provencher’s parents, John and Priscilla Provencher, gave the couple the Singer sewing machine table.
Provencher’s parents, John and Priscilla Provencher, gave the couple the Singer sewing machine table.
The front of the house is set up with a center staircase, which was traditional in the 1800s when the house was built. “I’ve always liked the idea of a gallery wall, but I wanted to have a mirror in the entryway, so I decided to create a ‘mirror wall,’” Towers says. She bought the gold-framed mirrors from HomeGoods, Amazon and antiques shops.
One of the main design features Towers and Provencher were drawn to were the original wide-plank pine floors in the dining room. “I also loved the unique accent wall surrounding the fireplace when we first visited. We added the mirror and wall sconces,” Towers says.
The fireplace no longer worked, so the couple installed a bioethanol fireplace instead.
“We bought a round table with an extra leaf on Craigslist for entertaining larger groups of friends and family,” Provencher says. The table, while secondhand, is from Restoration Hardware. Towers made the curtains.
Fireplace insert: Anywhere Fireplace; mirror and sconces: Amazon; ornate chairs: Brimfield Flea Market; other chairs: Craigslist (originally Kyoto line from Design Within Reach)
The fireplace no longer worked, so the couple installed a bioethanol fireplace instead.
“We bought a round table with an extra leaf on Craigslist for entertaining larger groups of friends and family,” Provencher says. The table, while secondhand, is from Restoration Hardware. Towers made the curtains.
Fireplace insert: Anywhere Fireplace; mirror and sconces: Amazon; ornate chairs: Brimfield Flea Market; other chairs: Craigslist (originally Kyoto line from Design Within Reach)
An original pastel drawing by photorealism artist Zaria Forman hangs above the couple’s fully stocked bar cart. “I went to Skidmore College with Zaria, and we’ve kept in touch ever since,” Towers says. The couple have followed Forman’s journey as an artist since she graduated. Provencher sells wine for a distributor, Horizon Beverage Co., so there are wine-related items around the house as well.
Bar cart: Sauder
Bar cart: Sauder
“I made the tassel wine charms myself and bought the iron hand at an antiques store in Provincetown, Massachusetts,” Towers says.
BEFORE: The downstairs bathroom was light green and felt empty.
AFTER: The couple added picture frame molding and repainted the wall in a striking navy blue for contrast.
Towers brought the shell back from an island off the coast of St. Croix. Another favorite ampersand-shaped accent piece is displayed here.
Table: Wayfair; basket: Ikea; map: Ward Maps
Table: Wayfair; basket: Ikea; map: Ward Maps
Towers is partial to a cooler color palette, as seen here with the contrasts of blue and green.
Shower curtain: Danica Studio via Amazon
Shower curtain: Danica Studio via Amazon
“Although the kitchen isn’t huge, it feels big to us after the tiny one we used to have in our condo,” Towers says. Seen above the sink is a DIY combo of art and storage piece. Instead of putting utensils in a countertop container, Towers framed a piece of stained wood, then added nails to display frequently used utensils in an artful way.
Towers also created no-sew valances using a staple gun, thumbtacks and white linen to conceal existing mini blinds for the two windows. The upholstered bench is also one of Towers’ DIY projects.
Belmont white kitchen island: Crate & Barrel
Towers also created no-sew valances using a staple gun, thumbtacks and white linen to conceal existing mini blinds for the two windows. The upholstered bench is also one of Towers’ DIY projects.
Belmont white kitchen island: Crate & Barrel
BEFORE: When the couple moved in, they noticed two awkward nooks in their kitchen, one above their refrigerator and one to the right of it.
AFTER: Provencher built a wine storage area in the space above the refrigerator. “This is where we keep everyday wines; higher-end wines are kept in the basement for temperature control,” Provencher says. Towers added shelves to the formerly wasted space to the right of the refrigerator for more storage.
Storage baskets: Amazon
Storage baskets: Amazon
The fireplace in the kitchen includes two doors made in East Boston, which cover the ovens that were used in the 1800s.
The back living room is also referred to by the couple as their “casual living room,” and it’s where they spend most of their time when they’re at home together. “The goal in this room was to create a comfortable place to relax with friends. It is the only room in the house with high ceilings, as it was an addition, so it felt right to fill it with a large sectional that can fit six or eight people,” Towers says. The sectional is upholstered with Sunbrella fabric, making it durable, dog-friendly and easy to clean.
Sofa: Jordan’s Furniture; lamp: Home Depot; art: Brimfield Flea Market; rug: Wayfair
Sofa: Jordan’s Furniture; lamp: Home Depot; art: Brimfield Flea Market; rug: Wayfair
Opposite the sectional is an accent wall and the TV. “We created the wooden accent wall ourselves using adhesive panels from Timberchic, a unique company which reclaims wood from the bottom of a lake in Maine that’s in a major logging area,” Towers says.
The couple have a fun tradition that they try to keep up with the help of visitors. “We keep a tray of Polaroids on the table, and guests love to thumb through them and take new ones to add to the pile,” Towers says.
Box: West Elm
Box: West Elm
Towers converted a room located off to the side of the back living room to use as her home office and crafting space. She was most excited about this space since the couple previously lived in a one-bedroom condo and, in her words, “I was getting sick of doing all of my projects on the kitchen table.
“I indulged my love for a more feminine pink-and-gold color scheme in here because it is a place where Mike doesn’t spend much time,” Towers says.
Desk: Melltorp, Ikea
“I indulged my love for a more feminine pink-and-gold color scheme in here because it is a place where Mike doesn’t spend much time,” Towers says.
Desk: Melltorp, Ikea
On the back wall, Towers created a wall-to-wall desk out of long wooden planks that are meant to look like shiplap so that she would have ample space to work.
“I wanted to create the look of wallpaper without the cost and time normally associated with it, so I made the triangle ‘wallpaper’ out of polyester metalized film tape,” Towers says.
“I wanted to create the look of wallpaper without the cost and time normally associated with it, so I made the triangle ‘wallpaper’ out of polyester metalized film tape,” Towers says.
Towers uses a bookshelf to organize and store some of her crafting supplies, books and other resources.
A guest bedroom is located on the second floor. “We love hosting family and friends, so we have tried to make this room very comfortable and inviting,” Towers says. “We added a basket labeled ‘Help yourself,’ which is filled with extra toiletries and supplies for guests in case they forget something.”
The trunk belonged to Provencher’s great-great-grandmother, who used it to transport her possessions from Europe when she moved to America. The couple now use it for additional storage.
The trunk belonged to Provencher’s great-great-grandmother, who used it to transport her possessions from Europe when she moved to America. The couple now use it for additional storage.
In one corner is another decorative ampersand accent. “I keep extra blankets in the basket, including a quilt that my mother, Sheila Scanlan-Towers, made for us as a housewarming gift,” Towers says.
Rug: Wayfair; desk: Ikea; basket: HomeGoods
Rug: Wayfair; desk: Ikea; basket: HomeGoods
The upstairs bathroom is smaller than the downstairs one, so the couple added a medicine cabinet and open shelving for additional storage.
The couple’s love of color, including Towers’ signature pink, can be seen in the upstairs master bedroom
Bed frame and headboard: Overstock; rug: RugsUSA; duvet and shams: West Elm; nightstands and bedspread: Target; lamps: HomeGoods
Bed frame and headboard: Overstock; rug: RugsUSA; duvet and shams: West Elm; nightstands and bedspread: Target; lamps: HomeGoods
“Although the low sloping ceilings can be a pain — we’ve both bumped our heads on several occasions — we’ve tried to use the dormer window to our advantage by hanging a little chandelier inside of it,” Towers says.
The valet chair belonged to Provencher’s grandfather and was passed along by his father. “It’s a handy place to hang a shirt or a tie,” Towers says. Built-in closets line the wall opposite the bed.
The glass vase was made by Scanlan.
The glass vase was made by Scanlan.
“We spend quite a bit of time in the backyard, eating and hosting barbecues. I also like to work outside if I’m doing a project that can be mobile,” Towers says. The entire backyard is fenced in so that Charlie can run around and chase chipmunks.
They love the central location of their house. They’re near the center of town and within walking distance of restaurants, shops and the commuter rail that travels to Boston in 25 minutes.
Table and chairs: Bed Bath & Beyond
They love the central location of their house. They’re near the center of town and within walking distance of restaurants, shops and the commuter rail that travels to Boston in 25 minutes.
Table and chairs: Bed Bath & Beyond
Towers and Provencher are pictured in their living room with Charlie. The couple have been dating for eight years and will be getting married in July.
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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
Who lives here: Faith Towers, Michael Provencher and Charlie the puggle
Location: Reading, Massachusetts
Size: 1,700 square feet (158 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Year built: 1830
The formal living room is part of the original 1830 structure. It has a view of the center of Reading, which was settled in 1639 and incorporated in 1644. Towers made the curtains, the dark blue pillow covers and the brown vase. The lilac pastel drawing on the left is an art piece she made when she was young.
The couple’s puggle, Charlie, likes to nap on this neutral-colored sofa. “We adopted him five years ago, when he was 2,” Towers says.
Sofa: Boston Interiors; Lucite chairs: Amazon; end tables: HomeGoods; round coffee table: Sauder; oil painting: John Diehl; floor lamp: Target