What is your favorite room, and why?
I think my favorite room is definitely the kitchen. It's so true when they say it's the "Heart of the Home". Aside from Interior Design , cooking is a passion of mine, so the kitchen is the place I am 90% of the time. I love using lots of colors and mixing styles, and my Kitchen has almost every favorite color of mine.
I love seeing the soft blues, yellows, Reds and pinks on a daily basis. So my wallpaper was the inspiration for that room. The other parts of my home are also filled with color, but that's the place I bring them all together. I like to incorporate gingham's, plaids and vintage aprons in there to help mix it up. It's also probably the room with the most vintage pieces, so that makes me feel a sense of nostalgia on a daily basis too.
I love the island I made from a desk I had as a child, it's a great conversation piece because of that. Then I collect vintage cookbooks, signs, and accessories to help give it that feel. My stove is also a vintage stainless steel, and cooking on it just makes me happy.
I think my hutch is also a focal point and changing it often with vintage bowls and books and collectibles gives it a new look every season, so that really appeals to me. It was Vintage 1940 and it just has a feel to it that warms up the space and gives it the Cottage cozy look I love.
Where do you find inspiration for decorating your home?
Oh boy, maybe the question I can ask back is , "where do I not find inspiration"? I find it everywhere. Through books, blogs, magazines, home tours and home shows too. I try and get into NYC a couple times a year and go to all the market shows, I love seeing how new things can be incorporated into a space and give it that finished look. I also get inspired by traveling to different homes and areas and seeing the landscapes around me. We have such beautiful Farm land on LI and I remember coming home one day from one, and wanting the entire house transformed into a barn like setting :) so every thing inspires me :)
How do vintage things play a role in your room/home?
I have some Vintage in every room, whether it be furniture, collectibles, linens, or Vintage hand-me-downs from my Mother. I think every room has at least 10 things in it from the 1920s, 30's, 40s and 50s. Those eras warm my heart. I collect anything I can get my hands on for the kitchen, like bowls, cookbooks, aprons, plates, signs, cookware etc. And for the bath and bedroom, vintage linens and collectibles can be found in each room. I try and keep things simple though, although I like to use color and enjoy collecting items, I like rooms not to be "cluttered" with too much,so I try and keep all the collectibles "IN" something. Like the Hutch, a bookcase, or in frames too.
I have a vintage apron from 1930 that I love and so I framed it with some cookbook pages to keep it safe and dust free and visible every day :)
Any advice on creating your look?
"My look" is really a combination of styles. But it can be coveted by one word "Cottage". Having grown up with horses and having a barn on my property, I am always moved by all things "farm chic" and Vintage. I tend to blend in lots of color,deep tones mixed with pastels is pretty much what my "look" is. I like a little shabby chic, but with 3 kids and 2 dogs, white is not for me :) unless it's in china ware or curtains
I love to use lots of pattern. I was inspired as a teenager to get into Design by Ralph Lauren, I loved his mix of pastels with deep tones and then mixing checks with floral's etc. I think my favorite thing about that is, I can never really get tired of a certain "look" because I've tried to incorporate many looks all together in one space.
To me, "Cottage Vintage" is basically, Antiques refurbished, some chippy pieces here and there, soft floral fluffy pillows, crystal lighting mixed with bronze, pastel pieces and dark pieces mixed together, and you add lots of different fabrics and then accessories that give you a nostalgic feeling and wa-lah :) you have it :)
Cynthia is also the proprietress of Cynthia's Cottage Design where she offers lovely handpicked items for adorning your home.
Thank you again Cynthia for inviting us in your home.
