This Beautiful Family Home Is Full of Clever Thrifted Finds
“I always keep an eye out for solid wood pieces when browsing Facebook Marketplace,” says Jessica Manning-Brose, who grew up in Stockholm and Minneapolis, but now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Zach, and their baby, Nina. “They’re typically well made and priced lower than what they’re worth because they belonged to someone’s grandma and aren’t the exact current trend.” Here, Jessica gives us a look inside…
DINING AREA
Pendant: Noguchi. Dining table and chairs: Facebook Marketplace. Seat cushions: H&M Home. High chair: Stokke. Rug: Rush House.
On growing up in Sweden: I was born in Stockholm and lived there until I was six. I remember feeling very held by our community there. It’s a society that’s rooted in family and making sure everybody has what they need, like a playground on every corner. I also remember running through the forest with our friends and picking berries. It’s such a sweet and peaceful place.
On Swedish traditions: I have a sweet tooth and adore Swedish pastries. My favorite is a semla, a cardamom bun that’s cut in half and filled with fresh whipped cream and almond paste. We also have candles lit year round; they make the whole house feel cozy.
LIVING AREA
Daybed: Sundays. Armchairs: Lulu & Georgia. Lamp: Facebook Marketplace. Coffee table: “thrifted at Goodwill for $20!” Rug: Rugs USA.
On clever furniture: This room contains both our dining room and living room, so I wanted to have two areas that flowed well. The daybed signals that each part of the room serves its own purpose.
On rug shopping: I love how a really big rug makes a room feel warm and grounded. I think people often don’t get large enough rugs because they can be super expensive, but the company Rugs USA does partnerships with interior designers and comes out with beautiful collections. If you’re buying second-hand, look for a 100% wool rug. That way, you can just take it to a rug cleaner, and it will last forever.
On learning to thrift: Our family had a pretty fixed budget, so I grew up thrifting for clothes and furniture with my mom. Sometimes it felt embarrassing. All the other kids at school were wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, and I would have styles from Goodwill. But now I’m proud that I’ve developed the muscle to go into a store and seek out unassuming pieces that can work in our lives.
KITCHEN
On family rituals: Zach, Nina, and I cherish our morning walks. When it’s hot in L.A., we’re out the door by 6 a.m. to catch the crisp morning air. At that time, the neighborhood is super quiet, and our daughter loves the stroller, so everyone is content looking at the gardens and waving at a few neighbors with dogs.
On a pantry staple: I like baking with Trader Joe’s bourbon vanilla bean paste. It’s affordable and has little vanilla bean flecks and a great depth of flavor. It also tastes great stirred into coffee.
FAMILY ROOM
Bookshelves: “all three from Facebook Marketplace for $75.” Marble side table: “handmade by my husband’s great-grandfather.” Striped armchairs: Facebook Marketplace.
On growing up in Minnesota: My American parents met while living in Stockholm, but they always planned on moving back to the U.S. We ended up settling in Minneapolis, close to my grandparents. Minneapolis is a decent-sized city with so much access to nature. The lakes are magical, and kids can just be kids. The winters there are brutal (those negative 40 wind chills!), but it’s a great place to grow up.
Sofa with ottoman: Interior Define. Coffee table: Sundays. Throw pillows: Banana Republic Home. Rug: Rugs USA.
On negotiating tips: If you want to bargain with a Facebook Marketplace seller, let them know you can pick up the item right away. They’re often open to accepting a lower price once they realize they won’t have to negotiate with lots of people over a few days.
On a home sweet home: To me, thrifted pieces make a house feel like a home because you know they have stories behind them. They bring a sense of coziness and security, which feels especially nice since we live in a rental and don’t know how long we’ll stay.
NURSERY
Paint: Old White by Farrow & Ball. Glider: Oilo. Crib: Namesake. Rug: Rugs USA.
On a funny thing about babies: Before becoming a mom, I didn’t realize how quickly babies change. Nina has grown so much in this window of time. It feels like Nina’s growing so much day to day. Within the past week she started sitting up by herself for the first time, and is babbling a ton. She has so much to say! It’s wild to look at Zach every morning and be like, ‘I swear she changed overnight.’
Shelves: Amazon. Chair: Charlie Crane.
On pops of color: We wanted her nursery to feel fun and childlike, but also not super ‘baby.’ I painted the walls ‘Old White’ by Farrow & Ball which makes it feel light and pretty, then relied on Nina’s toys to add color and whimsy.
PARENTS’ BEDROOM
Bed: Lulu & Georgia. Duvet: Jenni Kayne. Lamp and side table: Facebook Marketplace.
On easy TV: Zach and I recently decided that we needed to something light for winding down at night. We are getting back into Schitt’s Creek and I forgot how funny it is! My favorite character is Alexis, she’s iconic.
On motherhood surprises: Growing up, I worked as a nanny, so I thought I understood what it was like to be a parent. But the realities of becoming a mom knocked me on my face. It’s very different going to someone’s home, caring for their kids, and then going home to get a good night’s sleep. The sleep loss has been real! On the other hand, being a mom has also been the most wonderful transition — to see the world through fresh eyes has been magical.
Thank you so much, Jessica!
P.S. More home tours, including a very colorful house in Connecticut and a 175-square-foot Brooklyn studio.
(Photos by Leela Cyd for Cup of Jo.)
Tags: house tours
Comments
129 commentsSome of the flakiest buyers on Facebook Marketplace are the ones that say they can pick up right away. Sellers can block and/or report them when they don’t follow through. Additionally, if they sound patronizing, like I’m being done a favor, I’ll block them for their thinly veiled insincerity.
I wonder: is there a good Facebook Marketplace sub for those of us who aren’t on there? Any recs?
I’m not on there, so good old Craigslist still works for me occasionally. And of course, going in person to the local thrift/vintage stores. I know it’s not a perfect sub, because one can be done at 2am from your bed, and the other is the opposite of that, but my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a treasure trove. (Their quality can vary geographically, I know.) The other hack, which is kind of cheating? Is telling my friends who are still on Facebook when I’m on the hunt for something specific, and they look on marketplace for me while also sourcing their own stuff. It’s worked out a couple of times, but really nothing beats putting your hands on old things in person with a measuring tape in your purse.
You can make a burner FB account without your picture just for FB marketplace.
I am so drawn to the photo of the whole family together! Jessica, you look like such a badass mom, baby Nina looks so content, and Zach looks completely enamored. It’s a truly lovely portrait.
So goddess-coded. Yes to everything and this is everything.
I have a really random practical question here… how do people have rugs under their dining room table? Like, do you cover it in something while you eat or do you just vacuum every day or do you just not spill or drop stuff?? I love the aesthetic but I’m worried it won’t work for our messy family. I can’t possibly be alone here.
+1 we could never
I use an indoor/outdoor rug in a dark pattern and spot sweep after meals – works well!
We have dogs! They are quick to leap in with spontaneous clean-ups that are nearly contemporaneous to the mess-making.
We use a washable one from Ruggable that fits in our washing machine.
“…a society that’s rooted in family and making sure everybody has what they need…” How wonderful this would be in the US. We need to just go ahead and do it at a local gov level, since it will never happen via fed gov.
A beautiful concept right?
100% agree, especially since that isn’t the purpose of the federal government in the first place.
@ lane, The Constitution’s preamble lays it out clearly: one of the government’s core purposes is to ‘promote the general welfare.’ That’s not new, it’s foundational. As a seventh-grade civics teacher, I’m always glad to answer questions about what our government is actually designed to do when it’s functioning as intended–let me know if you need anything else clarified! xo
Thank you for this insight from am actual expert Karen! We are sadly living in a time when the constitution has become pretty meaningless for many who would prefer authoritarianism to freedom. Your job teaching our kids is more important than ever, thank you.
Bernie’s been working for this for 50 years. Too bad he’s been mostly alone. Still going strong though. There are countries that manage to do this, unlike the US where it seems like government’s goal is to make life as miserable as possible for people.
@PNW Grateful The US really slept on Bernie. What a great (and tireless) human!
dream house!!!
What a warm, lovely home. A bit of a specific question. I noticed they had a projector on the bookcase in the family room. This is our ideal set up too with no actual tv, but I wonder if there is a clever way to position the projector to make this happen (I don’t see one in the pictures). Do people mount them on the ceiling (seems too ugly for a family/living room) or is there another way to do it when you don’t have a bookcase right in front of the screen? Thanks!
Hi! Thanks so much :) Yes, we have a projector and my husband and his friends rigged the screen to the top of the bookcase (not actually my favorite choice but it works so well functionally). For the projector, we actually have it tucked away in the cabinetry below and we just pull it out when we want to watch something and set it up on the coffee table. Works just fine for us and it’s nice to not have it mounted anywhere. We really don’t use it that often so if you used it every day that might be more of a hassle.
We also exclusively use a projector, and like Jessica, we keep it in a cupboard until we need it. To be fair, we also don’t watch a lot of media, so we’re not having to pull it out every day. We also have a screen that we can set up and take down as we like, but lately we’ve just been projecting right on to a blank wall in our living room.
Our projector sits on a floating shelf which is mounted relatively close to the ceiling, discreetly above some framed artwork in our living area. We use the projector’s keystone settings to adjust the screen angles. Guests rarely if ever notice our projector. More often than not, they notice that we don’t have a TV and ask about that.
Love this home! Was also wondering where her sweater vest in the first few pictures is from? Looks so comfortable yet polished!
Hi, thank you so much! The vest is from a brand called Nothing Written but it’s from a few years ago and I don’t think they make this style anymore. Such a stunning smaller brand though so I definitely recommend checking them out :)
Wonderful home., and I enjoyed reading about Jessica’s story and her creative sensibilities – I also love wood pieces, wood seems so solid, calming, and warm and interesting in a room. Random question: Is it possible to learn where Jessica got her white, sleeveless sweater in the first photo? I really like that too!
Thanks so much! It’s from a few year ago from a brand called Nothing Written. Not sure you can find this style anymore but they have lots of beautiful pieces you might enjoy :)
This is so very lovely. I LOVE all the thrifted wooden furniture! The home tours are my favourite articles on Cup of Jo. :-)
Agree! I love the house tours. I always enjoy houses with thrifted furniture – they are always the prettiest.
Same! Love the home tours!
Hands down favourite house tour. Such beautiful restraint, and a superb gift for furniture/art placement.
Thank you so very much! I’m so flattered :)
I love the warmth coming from this house and this family!
Thrifted pieces add so much to a room and, as Jessica says, they are usually sturdy and well made. I have swapped out almost all Ikea over the years and now there is a story for each piece of furniture: “we snatched my grandparents’ antique wardrobe out from under a greedy uncle’s nose but it weighs a ton and we almost failed to carry it to our place” or “I impulse-bought two of these desks at a flea market at work for € 15,- and had to call my husband to drop whatever he was doing to help me bring them home even though he did not need nor want a desk. divorce was imminent but was averted.” or “my friend gave me this kitchen chair and when I turned it over I saw it had been branded during WW2 with an eagle holding a swastika because it came probably from an army barrack and now I own this Nazi chair which I can’t get rid of because it is illegal to sell Nazi devotionalia where I live and I also would not want Nazi collectors to have it .”
You should burn the Nazi chair.
Just sand off the brand or paint over it.
I am so curious as to how you clean the pieces you thrift? I do thrift a lot, as well, mostly wooden furniture, but I wouldn’t love to get couches or polstered chairs from Facebook Marketplace. How do you make sure they feel clean and personal if you know there is so much history also in the fabric that might be… gross? I did once get a very cheap couch which I liked, but once I started dating someone (and the couch was exactly for that purpose in my little room ;-)) my new boyfriend got really bad allergies and we realized that the couch probably belonged to someone with animals before.
Curious about this too. I’m a massive thrifter and have reupholstered the seats of some thrifted dining chairs, but couches I always buy new.
I swear by the kind of portable steam cleaners you can get at walmart…I used to have a “BISSELL Little Green Mini Portable Carpet and Upholstery Deep Cleaner” – which I LOVED but currently have the same type of thing from Hoover. They are always around $100 and I only ever get them on sale. For carpet spills, they are invaluable and you can use them on car upholstery, couch cushions, etc. I can’t live without one and I am single, lol. But clean cushions and carpets are a must for me and I can’t see paying a fortune to have them done professionally every year, not to mention disappointing pro results in the past, so I just do it myself. Very satisfying and much more effective, imo.
i use a foaming carpet/upholstery cleaner with a scrub brush. scrub it and let it area dry.
something like this, although i don’t know if i have used this specific brand: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/cleaning-and-disinfectants/upholstery-cleaner/10210?store=11410&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=20155431095&gbraid=0AAAAADtqLJH4w72Qpp7ECZ4x4-YGxgAtl&gclid=CjwKCAjwiY_GBhBEEiwAFaghvizxd2edHDFvb_2g-iL7d3e0pKLe7spj4UfKz8EdvMNQ8WN3CNqzPhoCXg4QAvD_BwE
Hi! I typically only thrift hard material pieces and rather than items with upholstery or fabric. I do make some exceptions though if I can tell it’s an item that had been well cared for or doesn’t have much use. The pair of brown striped chairs came from an older couple and they were clearly barely ever sat in. I believe they were in a “formal living room” so I knew I scored a great deal. But I always buy my couch new because I just feel more comfortable that way :)
Hi! Would love to know where Jessica sources her curtains and window treatments! They look beautiful and I find these to be similar to rugs—can make a huge difference in a room and can also be sooooo expensive. Hoping she has some good tips!
Would love to know this information too!
I’ve noticed that Quince has a very nice selection of home goods, including curtains and rugs. Prices seem very reasonable, and customer reviews are positive.
The curtains in our family room were another amazing thrift store find! I don’t typically buy soft goods secondhand but I found these in person at the store and they were excellent quality custom curtains in great condition! The curtains in my dining area are actually just an Ikea placeholder that was here when we moved in. I recently swapped them (since this shoot) with custom curtains from Two Pages. Definitely a bit of an investment but much more affordable than other custom options. I also think you can make Ikea curtains look great with some extra work. I love getting pleat hooks to create a custom pinch pleat curtain on a budget!
I thought for a moment that the curtains in the nursery were these from Quince but they’re clearly two different curtains :) Still, the piping is so so great on either. https://www.quince.com/home/piped-edge-cotton-curtain?color=ivory%2Fblack-piping&size=48×84&g_network=g&g_productchannel=online&g_adid=736964758529&g_acctid=978-058-8398&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=aud-641881047013%3Apla-2405091155668&g_ifcreative=&g_adgroupid=181674153491&g_productid=46501409259690&g_merchantid=128669708&g_partition=2405091155668&g_campaignid=22310778374&g_ifproduct=product&g_campaign=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=&utm_term=46501409259690&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22310778374&gbraid=0AAAAAC4ZeNa-TONiqBXJ1T5jWinQRpC5q&gclid=CjwKCAjwiY_GBhBEEiwAFaghvnF2-oQ3IODeYjcb1nkTmBzOv_-f5F1UtbPFa2fHHimMPSfCYU5J1RoCDKwQAvD_BwE
If I could have one skill that I just don’t, it is the ability to design cohesive spaces in a personal style like this. I just need the catalog page to tell me what to do with my house. I used to feel this way about clorhes but at 44 I no longer do. But I still struggle with how to pick things for my house that go together.
I used to feel this way too, but experience has taught me that so long as I just buy things that really speak to me, it all comes together! Why? Probably because the things I like all have something in common, whether I’m conscious of it or not. Just trust your gut …
Megan, you put into words what I couldn’t. But I’m the same. How to make my home look put together, as if there was a common thread, simply eludes me.
Oh my gosh❤️❤️❤️❤️ my social media days are over(?) but I used to looove following Jessica! The way she captures the simple beauty of life always took my breath away. So fun to see her on CoJ, with a smiley babe, in her new home! Would be so happy to see her featured again someday!
Makes me so happy! Thanks for the kind words :)
Could you ask her where she got her tab top curtains in the dining room? looking for a similar set! (also – I have that exact dining table, also purchased off FB marketplace and it is great! If I remember correctly it’s either old crate and barrel or pottery barn for anyone curious).
Hi! Yes, the dining table is old Crate and Barrel – super heavy! And the curtains were here when we moved in but they are a cotton pair with a subtle embroidered stripe from Ikea :)
I bought some of that vanilla bean paste for a recipe a while back and the texture is… exactly like snot. LOL. Not what I was expecting! It’s fine, I guess, but I definitely found it messier and harder to measure accurately than regular old vanilla extract.
Such a gorgeous home! Calm, elegant, thoughtful. I would move in tomorrow! And as a die-hard thrifter I was thrilled to see the individuality delivered by those lovely vintage pieces. Shout out to you Janelle for tracking down the IG link to the dresser Jessica worked so hard on – my pet peeve is the copy of interiors articles mentioning specific pieces or rooms and then not showing the photo of it! The image of Jessica smiling at Nina playing on the floor is super adorable too. Lovely post all round…
Thanks so much! I share lots more of my home over on IG and you can see more about the dresser project in my ‘Nursery’ highlight on my page :)
That baby…is herself a tasty pastry!! So cute!!!
^^^^ So good! Such a little sweetie!
She’s a peach!
Begging and pleading to make these home tours a weekly thing! I’m obsessed with everyone’s personal homes! ❤️
What a beautiful, calm home! I loved looking through these photos. :)
I’m not sure where I read it (maybe COJ?) but someone said every room should have at least ONE thrifted piece of furniture, because it gives the room soul and stops it from being too trendy or one-note. I have used that to guide in my new build and must admit that those rooms feel so much more cozy and unique than the ones that don’t.
so true!! Jessica is also very skilled at creating cohesive design in her home, which can be a challenge why buying new or thrifted pieces. It looks stylish & calm & happy!
Do people sit on the day bed? Lie down on it? I never have understood how they are used, especially when not up against a wall that can act as a backrest! Everything is lovely, ESPECIALLY THAT BABY! <3
I have to say I’ve always loved a daybed aesthetically and knew I wanted one in this home because we had this separate sitting room. I was not prepared for how much we would actually use it! It’s become one of my favorite spots in the house. It’s truly the perfect spot for a nap and the bolster serves as the perfect pillow on your neck. It’s just such a peaceful little zone in the home and the functionality of this piece has actually surprised me :)
Maybe for an American blog this idea would just be far too boring but oh gosh I would love to hear about American winters. I am an Australian, I wear cardigans from Ireland when it hits 15 degrees (59 degrees F). So how can I imagine minus 40. Honesty, don’t your checks get frostbite when you run to the car or the bus? How do your taps run? How do you walk? What happens at lunch time at school – do kids have to stay indoors? Or do you just have really great clothes and still meet up in the local park? Also thanks for sharing your gorgeous home, it’s such a calm space.
As a fellow Minnesotan, let me clarify: the air temperature doesn’t usually get lower than maybe -10 below (this is deep into January-February) anymore (global warming is real, y’all), but the wind chill can get quite extreme. But as they say, no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing! And trust me, I can get cold when it’s 79 degrees but still, you get used to layers in the winter. Cozy! 🫶🏻
Hi Kirby, I can tell you from my 40 years of Canadian winters that there are days when we’ll get warnings about how quickly you’ll get frostbite based on the weather. There are usually some days when it’s too cold for kids to play outside. In that case, they do recess in the school gym or movement breaks in their classroom. Where I am, we can generally enjoy the cold weather until about -20 (Celsius). Bundled up in big puffy jackets, boots, scarves, mitts and toques, we have a lot of fun doing outdoor activities like skiing or tobogganing. Any colder than that and we generally stay inside. There is some risk of freezing taps but if you’re home and running water for showers and dishes, you’re generally fine. Last year we had a pipe freeze and break in our home during a major cold snap because we were on vacation and not running the water. So, it certainly CAN happen but not often. All in all, the extreme cold can be maddening but it never lasts. Our winters are generally sunny and really beautiful.
I’ve lived in Minnesota so I can speak to this! It rarely gets this cold anymore, but on the occasion that it does, we mostly just stay inside and hunker down. 40 below air temperature is extreeeemely rare- 40 below wind chill is still very cold, but it’s different. Our water runs because of insulation and because our houses are heated :) We just go grocery shopping beforehand, stay home if we can, and run from the car to wherever we’re going. It only lasts a few days when it happens. And there’s nothing Minnesotans love more than complaining about the weather, so it brings us together! You should visit, it’s great here!!!
Canadian here! Where I am in Canada, we absolutely see -40C every winter. Not frequently, but for sure one or two cold snaps every year where we see -40C and colder, and much of our winter is spent at least -20C or colder. It’s kind of funny how you adapt and get used to it… as someone else said, being outside in -20C with good clothes can be fine At that temp, kids still play outside at recess, I’d still take my dog out for a short walk (she has lots of fur though I may use little booties to protect her feet), my day-to-day plans wouldn’t change at all. Kids at recess would be wearing warm inner clothes, snow pants, heavy winter coat/parka, insulated gloves, insulated boots, neck warmer, hat, etc. It’s a lot of gear! No one here starts cancelling plans to stay indoors until closer to -35 or -40C, then it seems socially acceptable to stay home more, ha. On the other end of the spectrum, if we get a warm few days of -5 or 0C in the dead of winter, the city comes alive. Everyone is out walking, skiing, tobogganing, skating, etc. My favourite is to have to have a little bonfire in the yard!
I lived in Vermont for a while and have family in Alaska. You really can dress for anything above zero. (~ -20C). ( = long underwear, serious boots, scarf, hat, long puffy coat.) Below that and I have to take serious action to stay warm. Don’t stop moving. (Nose hairs freeze!)
Hi Kirby, I can also speak to this. I grew up in Wisconsin (which is next to Minnesota) and then moved my husband up from Texas to raise a family here (and care for aging parents). Hubbie and thought he’d hate living here after growing up in Houston but he loves it and says he’d never move back. We love the changing seasons and the snow doesn’t come as early as it used to but January is still very, very cold. We wear wool socks and warm boots with wooly hats and scarves when the windchill drops. Our kids are used to putting on lots of layers of clothing and outerwear to play outside at the parks. When we have snow the kids (big and little ones) find the nearest hill to go sledding. Flattened Amazon boxes make great sleds! Our houses are very well insulated and some of our houses have heated floors. So the taps rarely freeze. And we have all learned tricks to avoiding that. Our county is well-equipped with snow plows so if we get a snowfall during the night you can hear the country trucks out there clearing the snow so we can get to work safely in the morning. You learn not to leave carbonated sodas or drinks in your car if you park outside because if they freeze they explode and create a frozen mess in your car. If it does explode you better clean it before warm weather melts it into a sticky mess. Frozen soda is easier to clean up! But for all the hassle and extra work of living up north, I could never leave it again. Those white snowfalls are breathtakingly magical. And the 4 seasons provide ample discussion topics at the grocery store cashier line or the doctor’s waiting room.
Lots of the cold places I’ve lived in Canada and the US also have big lakes, which means ice fishing—people drive their giant trucks out on the lake and set up tents where they drill holes in the ice to fish. I’m not a fisher, but it is cool to walk out on the ice! Some of those places have had winter festivals on/near the ice with ice castles, skating, dog sledding, and food vendors. (A funnel cake is okay in the summer but incredible outside in the winter.) Another aspect of school life is that sometimes school is canceled if the roads are unsafe or if it’s so cold it’s dangerous for kids to wait for the bus. When I was a kid we would watch the news when we got up the morning after a storm to see if we had to go in (they would run a ticker tape at the bottom of the screen with each school’s name in alphabetical order—the suspense was electric). Now you just look online (or get an email/text alert), and as an educator I’m always simultaneously thrilled and dreading adjusting my lesson plans. Sometimes I’m not thrilled to live somewhere where the air hurts my face, but right now I’m really looking forward to the change of pace winter brings :)
Fun question, Kirby! I feel like it’s already been answered pretty effectively, but I’ll just say that it made me unexpectedly nostalgic. Ontarian here. I remember the first apartment I had that was all mine. It was a bit of a dive – like how the kitchen floor was slowly sinking into the ground, and they didn’t really heat the place. My pipes were frozen through half of the winter, and my silly young adult self never thought to raise hell about it. Now that I have a respectable home, I think back to those nights where my cat and I huddled by the space heater on our leaky air mattress. Perhaps that’s life in a cold climate – romanticizing warmth.
I love this question, and reading these answers. I live now in the American Southwest, but I grew up in the Northeast, which has 4 seasons and a genuine winter. I guess all climates have good days and other days. Between the two I have known I’d pick 4 seasons with a winter over the monotony of sunny, dry days, no contest. I like sweaters, and a good coat and boots can make all the difference. Minnesota and Minneapolis consistently get ranked among the happiest places to live, with an excellent quality of life. If I could figure out how to move there at this stage of my life I would do it in a heartbeat.
Kirby – I live in Minneapolis and in response to your question about frostbite – smothering vaseline on any skin that is going to be exposed before going outside does the trick!
Everyone, thank you so much for your wonderful answers. It just sounds so wonderful! It’s funny how similar but opposite our experiences are (schools over here are cancelled when it is too hot). But I do have another question, what about dog walks… do you have like dog shoes? (we have them for dogs in summer, but mostly we just wake up before the sun rises to give them a run). Oh wow, it is just wonderful to imagine hanging out in such a different environment. Happy winter everyone! Alas I am moving into summer, so no more Irish cardigans for a while.
Another Canadian chiming in: proper winter clothing makes a huge difference (also hand and foot warmers for inside your boots/ mitts). If you’re born/ grew up/ live here for long enough I think your body adjusts and you just don’t feel the cold as much which helps! Plus there’s the warming glow of knowing you’re hardy enough for the cold warning days. HAH
Kirby, to answer your last question, YES you can get booties for your dog. The main issue is usually the salt used to melt ice/provide traction stings their paws but I had a dog whose feet would get cold in deep, deep winter.
My favorite thrifting story is my midcentury modern coffee table, bought at an auction about 30 years ago for $40. It recently sold on 1st Dibs for $5,500. You can see it if you search for the Sophisticate Line from Tomlinson…….Its been offered at various prices depending on condition, but I’m pretty sure no one else snagged it for $40!
I just googled it. What a gorgeous piece!
Alexis is exactly that, icon status. Beautiful family and home! Thanks for sharing.
Yes yes yes to thrifting furniture and another option are estate sales. You can find these online with sometimes hundreds of photos in advance. EstateSales.net You need to arrive early for some collectible items but often furniture moves slowly. Antiques, MCM, to modern. And usually very well maintained. Sometimes book shelves are sold early but picked up at end of sale to allow display of other items. And saving items from landfills is always a good call. It’s disheartening and sickening to think that nearly everything in a store will end up in a landfill at some point. Goodwill and Buy Nothing groups slow it down but … When you walk into a TJ Maxx or what have you and think everything here but maybe some of the food will be in a landfill within months to a several years (dumped, sold to salvage companies, or tossed by consumers). So yes – a hearty yes – to thrifting and USING what you thrift.
EBTH (everything but the house) is an app with virtual estate sales
So so so lovely! What a peaceful home!!
The highboard in the dining room is gorgeous!! I love buying vintage wood furniture, because even if it’s veneered it’s probably a relatively warm undertone that will go with other vintage wood without having to worry to much about things matching or not. Jessica has a great eye!
Thank you! That vintage piece in the dining room is probably one of my favorite finds. So so special and has even more beautiful details when it’s opened up.
Cute, chunky baby alert! Nina is adorable. And I love Jessica’s flair for mixing wood of different tones but still making it harmonious. Her kitchen is blessedly lived in and looks like mine does. Thank you for this feature!
Cutest baby! And I love when the home tours feature so much second hand furniture and decor, it really mirrors the ‘real life’ I lead and affirms that we don’t need to constantly ‘upgrade’ to the new. Second hand, solid, repairable furniture is a delight.
YES to solid wood furniture on Marketplace or other secondhand sources. I acquired the most gorgeous (huge, heavy) bookcase recently. It cost more to hire movers to move it than to actually purchase the piece, but so worth it. I will treasure it forever.
What an adorable baby, and liked hearing this perspective.
where is this gorgeous kettle from??!!
I love the kettle too! And the silver low bowl on the dining table- where from?
It’s vintage Bodum Ottoni designed by C. Jorgensen! It looks like Jessica’s has a replacement knob on top, the knob on mine is soft pink but many are blue. I bought mine off ebay last year and love using it every day, they’re even more beautiful in person!
I bought this Bodum Ottoni kettle years ago but mine has a cobalt blue knob. I used it as intended for years, but as you can see in the picture of this post, the handle doesn’t stay upright—it would always flop down to the kettle and therefore get hot to the touch. I eventually bought a different kettle I still absolutely love, with a great cork handle that never gets hot, and use my Bodum kettle decoratively in a bookcase. Here’s a link to my present kettle: https://www.remodelista.com/products/uplift-tea-kettle/
Yes! As someone mentioned below, the kettle is Bodum. I found mine secondhand (surprise) and it had this replacement knob instead of the original blue knob. The silver love bowl on my dining table is vintage and was found at an estate sale. I think someone else mentioned this in the comments but EstateSales.net is another favorite website/app. Estate Sales are another amazing way to find great vintage finds!
Thanks for sharing, now EstateSales.net will be part of my internet stomping grounds :) Btw, re the handle getting hot… I found an e kettle version! https://www.bodum.com/ca/en/12019-16us-ottoni
Regarding the last bit about nannying giving you experience for parenthood — I think it’s because I grew up only seeing my dad every other weekend, but since becoming a parent, I see caregiving as a job and parenting as a relationship. Caregiving, whether it’s from SAHPs, nannies, or daycare is grueling, joyful, and valuable work, but parenting — that relationship — is irreplaceable and like nothing else!
I love how cozy and lived-in their home is. Props for the top-of-fridge storage bins! That’s where we keep things, too. Beautiful & economical, what a great combo. <3
Beautiful family, beautiful home! Love the gold velvet chairs.
Would love to know the paint colour in the non-nursery rooms! Such a lovely neutral.
It was painted that color before Jessica and her family moved in, and she couldn’t get the name of it! It’s such a pretty hue!
Really lovely home–great style!! Marketplace takes some getting the hang of, but it is my go-to for all the ideas I think up that don’t really exist, at least not in my budget! During lockdown, I saw a beautiful pair of Ficks Reed chairs on Chairish for something like $17K. Obnoxious, right? I knew I could source something similar on Marketplace. It turned into a much bigger project than anticipated because of supply chain delays, but here’s the finished product: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbf83QChPJN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MXA5dHk4YWZzcDdxYQ==
They’re gorgeous!!
Love this home, and fun to see someone I used to see perform in Minneapolis here!
Oh my gosh how cool! Yes Jessica shared how she was a singer and even met her husband in the Minneapolis music scene! x
Hi Amy! I am headed to a mending workshop on Madeline Island in a few weeks. I live in California, so with travel logistics I am going to have nearly a full day in Minneapolis (a Saturday) to tool around. I’ve never been before. Any recommendations for me?! Maybe a great brunch place, good vintage store, bookstore, etc? Thanks!!
Hi Felicity! I live in Minneapolis about ten minutes from the airport, near lake Hiawatha and would love to share some recs if that’s okay! Also I love Madeline island (and I love mending! So I feel like we maybe have similar taste??) Lakes Makerie is a great little fabric store- mostly apparel fabrics Dandelion Fiber Co if you’re a knitter Check out Patisserie 46 for pastries or counter service food There’s a shop called Bell Weather on 38th and grand that has a used clothing section that I’ve always loved, and there’s a vintage store and a boutique across the street that I’ve always heard great things about. I think one of them is called the fitting room?? Most of my recs are in this general neighborhood so it would be easy to check out a few of them! Also an adorable kids store around the corner (kinoko kids) if you have kids! I hope you have a great time! September is usually the best month here, in my opinion! Enjoy Madeline!!!
Felicity, You’re going to have a fantastic time on the island with Denise. I met her at a workshop there last summer and I live in Minneapolis. Brunch: Diane’s Place. Vintage shop: Hunt and Gather. Books: Birchbark Books. Enjoy! Meredith
Hi Felicity! Im guessing you’ll have a car, so offering places that are not as easy to access on transit. Books – birchbark (already mentioned), magers &Quinn, and wild rumpus if you have any kids in your life and they have an excellent but small section for grown ups. Vintage- time bomb vintage on Lake Street, flamingo on cedar ave if it happens to a be a weekend they’re open. Benchpressed is not vintage but might be one of my all time favorite shops anywhere! If you make to to timebomb vintage hit laune bakery if they’re open, just down the street. Take a walk around a lake (nokomis and harriet both have food stands which may still be open in a few weeks) or visit minnehaha falls! I love brunch at hot plate but there are tons of great spots to eat. I hope you have the best day in mpls, a great drive north, and a wonderful time on Madeline Island!!
Felicity – Each Minneapolis (and St. Paul!) neighborhood has its own spirit and there are great finds within each. It’s a type of city that is really not geared towards a central downtown (there is really not much going on wherein it’d be worth staying downtown), but the neighborhoods all around the cities are rich with nature, cute shops, and incredible food. I’d recommend starting with whatever neighborhood you want to be based in and determining from there which bookstore, bakery, vintage store, craft store, lake, etc you want to visit! That way you can make the most out of your day without randomly driving from one end of the city to another and then another.
Hi! So fun to “see” you here :)
Second the Diane’s place recommendation! Had a date there with my wife last week and it is the best food I have had for a long time. She has won tons of awards. If you can snag a spot at the rail/bar brunch is great (the Asian chicken noodle soup is out of this world… typical Minnesotan reserve in the description but don’t let that fool you), or there’s seating outside. If it’s crazy busy their pastries are amazing to go. Worth driving to a different neighborhood for sure.
Also- Pumphouse Creamery has amazing ice cream and is in south Minneapolis, pretty close to lake nokomis if you’re doing a lake walk (very Minneapolis ;)
I just knew you guys would come through for me! Thank you for all these amazing recommendations!
I want to see this dresser you worked so hard on! When my sister was small but out of babyhood, my grandmother stripped, sanded, and stained a whole antique bedroom set for her. She was probably around 65 when she did this, and had already been living alone in her big old farmhouse for a decade as a widow. (What I meant, is she was already very busy and not pressed for tasks.) I was so jealous of this set, and when I go visit my sister to this day-30 years later-she still has this set, it still looks amazing and it’s a gift she’ll have her entire life and maybe longer. Lovely.
Where is the nursery dresser!? Dying to see what you labored over.
Sadly we didn’t get a photo of it so we decided to cut the quote! But the dresser is shown in a nursery tour Jessica shares on her IG: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH_RUJlJREj/ x
I resonate with all the kids wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, but you are the one wearing styles from Goodwill. It was embarrassing at the time, but really developed good thrifting muscles.
THAT BABY’S LEGS!!!!!
That thigh was the highlight for me, too!
We need to see the nursery dresser!
Was just about to say that!
Sadly we didn’t get a photo of it but I thought the quote was too sweet not to share! But the dresser is shown here in a nursery tour Jessica shares on her IG :) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH_RUJlJREj/
Yes! I looked all over for it after that description!
Ok update: we decided to cut the dresser quote because we didn’t want it to feel like a begged question! But if you’d like a peek of it, it’s in the IG reel link shared in this thread. xx
I said the same thing! (Even scrolled back through the pics to see if I missed it.) But what a lovely home.
Now I’m dying to know what the dresser quote said!