A Designers DIY House
Rcent NYC-CT transplant, Interior Designer Amy Courtney, gave us a peak at how her own home renovation is shaping up. Her first home purchase in Fairfield, Connecticut presented an opportunity for her to flex her creative muscles, transforming a traditional Tudor-style colonial into a beachy but timeless home for her young, growing family, on a budget. We know everyone loves a good splurge and save strategy, and Amy executes hers beautifully.
Minor construction included opening up the space between the living and dining rooms (which of course, required a header), and sheet-rocking over the “popcorn” ceiling on the first floor.
The new living room is classically decorated with grasscloth by York adding texture to the walls. The sconces are from Shades of Light. The rug is from Redi-Cut Westport. Over the radiator, the signed lithograph by British artist Gerald Laing completes the room. Amy saved on a coffee table from Target and artwork over the mantle from West Elm.
In the dining room, Anthropologie wallpaper makes a statement without overwhelming. An antique chest is topped with a modern vignette of vases and special items. And the dining table - which took 14 months to arrive - was worth the wait. It is custom made by Oroa, where the side chairs were sourced as well. The cream end chairs are from CB2.
The stairs have their own story. Rather than buy yards of expensive runner from a carpet manufacturer to cover the stairs and both landings, Amy bought three 100% jute 3’x8’ runners for a total of about $500, and, with the help of her father, glued them together and nailed them down for a beachy look, on a budget. The seams actually add to the visual interest. Love this #hack! She ship-lapped the walls and painted them White Dove by Benjamin Moore.
A quick powder room refresh involved some DIY wainscotting - essentially laying flat stock trim directly over the sheetrock and painting it all white. She splurged on wallpaper from House of Hackney.
Upstairs in her daughter’s room, layered rugs found at Mongers Market add to the sweet, Boho vibes.
Outside, Amy gave the home an easy face-lift with a coat of Benjamin Moore Steam, the perfect white when you want your home to look crisp but not be blinding. For the porch, she flexed her DIY skills again, adding another ready-made runner from Burke Decor and painting the door and the storm door in a soft terra-cotta called Sierra Ridge. And the piece de resistance is the Milton & King wallpaper in the foyer which ties in perfectly with the door color. Hear more about this #porchproject from Amy in this short video.
Amy is a full-service interior designer. She grew up with an Interior Designer mom and carpenter dad surrounded by art, design and full home renovations. She has a degree in Interior Design and has worked in the biz for over a decade, with her projects featured in publications like Elle Decor, Lonny and House Beautiful. Find her on Instagram @amycourtneydesign or on her site www.amycourtneydesign.com
Amy’s outfit is from H&M. Her shoes are by Dolce Vita. And her necklace is vintage #Bakelite. Great getting to know you, Amy!
Photographed by: Tomira Wilcox @tomirawilcoxphoto
