Alison Piepmeyer’s House Is Filled With Books and “Dramatic” Paint
Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography
Alison Piepmeyer lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Zach, and two children, Linus and Georgie. They bought their 19th-century house “in rough shape,” in 2022, and have spent the last four years fixing it up and filling it with knickknacks collected over their 15 years of marriage. “I remember watching Love Actually as a young married couple — a movie I don’t recommend,” she laughs. “But one thing that stuck with me was that one of the character’s houses had art up and down every single wall. I remember thinking how cool that was.” Take a look around…
ENTRYWAY
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore (Black Jack). Wallpaper: House of Hackney. Mirror: Target. Umbrella stand: Vintage, similar.
On a cross-country dream: I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and we’ve lived all over California, but I always had a dream of moving east. I’ll look back at my childhood journals, and it’ll be like, ‘I’m gonna go to New York and be a FASHION designer!’ Ha! Then, six years ago, I got a job offer here. My husband I lived in San Francisco at the time, so it was a big decision, but we decided to go for it. And it was the best decision we ever made.
Hat: Inside Joke. Hooks: West Elm, similar.
On finding home: We did tons of research before moving, then checked out a bunch of neighborhoods. We looked at the Upper West Side (You’ve Got Mail is my favorite movie). We looked all over Brooklyn and eventually stumbled on Boerum Hill, which is this small neighborhood tucked between Cobble Hill and Park Slope. It’s very cute but not ‘perfect,’ and it felt like we just fit.
LIVING ROOM
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore (Shaker Beige). Wall sconces: Rejuvenation. String lights: Brightown. Couch: Vintage, reupholstered in Sunbrella outdoor fabric (“Very kid-friendly!”). Striped chair: Vintage, reupholstered in Sunbrella. Pharmacy lamp: Vintage, similar.
On finding the house: This house, built in the 1850s, was another big leap. It had been on the market for a while because it was in such rough shape. My husband was terrified, but I had a vision, and he trusted me.
On a work-in-progress: Once we moved in, it took about four years to get the house to where it is now — we had to abate lead paint, fix crumbling bricks, clean out piles of dead bugs — and there’s still a lot of work to do. We think of the house as a long-term project that we’ll just keep working on whenever there’s time and money to do so!
Ceiling fixture: Schoolhouse, similar. Curtains: Pottery Barn. Rug: Custom, from AfriKesh on Etsy. Throw pillow: Lulu and Georgia. Coffee table: Etsy. White chair: Target. Checked throw: Amazon.
On a beloved, impractical couch: I found the fainting couch on a used-furniture site, and had it redone in blue velvet. Our kids are obsessed with that couch and always wind up bouncing on it or sitting there while drawing with markers. It’s also very popular with guests, even though it’s small. Whenever we have parties, a pile of people always congregate there, sort of sitting on each other. It’s just a very cozy spot!
On book piles: We’re a big book family, and we try to do things that encourage our kids to read as much as possible. We have no restrictions on reading, and I love having different kinds of books piled around the house that they have access to. And I’ve noticed, just having so many books around means that if they’re bored or looking for something to do, maybe they’ll pick one up and flip through it.
TV stand: Target.
On history: There are a lot of imperfections and parts that will need updating later. Sometimes I’ll go to friends’ places, and I’ll be like, ‘Ah, it’s so nice and modern!’ My house is layered with 150 years of people doing their own updates, like a bathroom pipe that comes straight through our foyer. But in some ways, I like that. It makes me feel connected to the other families who’ve lived here.
Needlepoint pillow: Furbish.
On a rough-and-tumble sofa: The sofa and chair are vintage, but I had them reupholstered with outdoor fabric, so now the kids can draw, throw up, or pour something on them, and they will still hold up! I can rub any stain out with a Magic Eraser.
DINING ROOM
Wall paint: Benjamin Moore (Black Jack). Dining table: ABC Home, similar. Chairs: Vintage, similar. Cabinet: West Elm, similar.
On going dark: Some people get freaked out by the idea of black paint, but — as my husband and I often joke — it hides a lot of sins. In an old house, it helps obscure all the little dents and weird cords painted into the wall. Growing up, my mom was always repainting rooms in different colors, so I’m not scared of dramatic paint colors.
On compromise: We try to eat at the table, but my kids are still so little that they’re jumping and dancing around the room most of the time anyway. I’d say we’re half-and-half — half eat-at-the-table, half I’ll-bring-you-a-plate-wherever-because-I-don’t-have-the-energy-to-force-you-to-sit-there.
KITCHEN
Rug: Etsy.
On squeezing in: Zach and I did the kitchen ourselves, so don’t look too closely! It’s one of those things that’s fine for now, but eventually will need more work. It’s quite small, so you can’t really have more than one person in there at a time. We make it work by splitting the cooking duties 50-50. The kids would love to help, but at this point, they’re more of a hindrance!
On framed photos of friends: I like putting up photos of friends and family so my kids see all the people who are important to them. Joanna and Georgie have a special relationship, so I hung this photo of them at the beach.
BATHROOM
Wall tile: Clé. Shower curtain: Amazon. Stool: Amazon.
On a shared bathroom: This is our only bathroom, and it’s on the second floor, so friends just head up there when they’re over. It’s the only room we renovated, other than the kitchen, so I’m glad we made it fun. Green is my favorite color, and this tile makes me so happy when I walk in. So far, we haven’t found that anyone’s fighting over the bathroom — Zach and I just shower after the kids are bathed and in bed. The only time it’s a problem is when everyone has to pee at the same time.
Painting: Etsy.
On a parenting style: My husband is obsessed with music. He has a Disney playlist to help our kids get out of bed in the morning, and a calming playlist that he puts on at night. During bath time, he’ll use a little speaker to play their favorite songs and keep them entertained. It’s not a parenting method that would’ve occurred to me, but it really works for him!
KIDS’ BEDROOM
Bed: Ikea. Rug: Ruggable. Ceiling light shade: HAY. Curtains: Havenly. Canopy: Ferm Living. Bed curtain: DKNY.
On sharing: My kids are eight and four, and they’ve always shared a room. They like it! They help make decorating decisions, like where the books go and what art we should hang. Georgie, my four-year-old, chose the curtain for her lower bunk — we call it her bear cave. I’ve also found that kids are DELIGHTED by character bedding, like Linus’s Minecraft sheets. He loves them.
Duvet cover: HAY.
On bedtime books: Linus, my son, is eight, and he can read pretty well. Bedtime is at 8 p.m., but he is allowed to stay up in bed and read as long as he wants (he usually nods off by 9 p.m.). I’ll always find the funniest books in his bed that he’s collected from around the house. It’ll be like, a David Shrigley art book and a cookbook. It’s so cute!
On kids’ art: I find a lot of kid-friendly art on Etsy. And if we love a certain children’s book, I’ll look up the illustrator, who will often sell prints. We have a big print of Last Stop on Market Street. I also love our washable rug — we just throw it into the larger machines at the laundromat down the road.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Mirror: Zara Home, similar. Sconces: Etsy. Bedding: Piglet in Bed.
On priorities: Our bedroom is very small, but we still got a king bed. My husband and I are very different sleepers — Zach gets super hot, and if I’m close to him I want to cuddle — so sleep is a LOT better if we each have enough space to ourselves. The trade-off is we have a bed that takes up the whole room.
Rug: Amazon.
On overhead storage: One thing we overlooked when we bought the house is the fact that it had no storage. We added some wardrobes and cabinets ourselves, but this room was tricky because it’s so small. One night I went to an event at someone’s house and saw she’d built a unit like this over her bed — which hadn’t even occurred to me! I’d never seen anything like it. I loved it so much I designed one for our room and found a local woodworker, who made it. It’s amazing how much stuff fits in there.
OFFICE
Curtains: Ikea, similar. Desk: Blu Dot, similar.
On clutter: My husband sometimes uses the office, but technically it’s mine — which is why there’s stuff everywhere. I honestly just like the aesthetic of a cluttered office, full of art supplies and ribbons and glue sticks. The more clutter the better!
Peg board: Kreisdesign.
On mess vs. memento: One thing I love about my house is that I can walk through it, and yes, there’s lots of stuff — but everything holds a memory. They’re things that bring me back to different times in my life and marriage: a trinket we bought at the flea market in Paris, or ‘Oh yeah, we lived in San Francisco when we found that.’
Wall planner: Etsy.
On nostalgia: Some people would say it’s messy to have all this stuff, but to me, it all ties back to our time together.
Thank you so much, Alison! We love your cozy home!
P.S. Many more home tours, including an empty-nester’s apartment in Copenhagen and a very colorful Connecticut house. Also, Alison’s week of outfits, and Alison’s Big Salad issue with her wallpaper before-and-after photos (gift link).
(Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography for Cup of Jo.)
Tags: brooklyn home tour
Comments
158 commentsI LOVE the black & white circles painting. Do you mind sharing where you found it?
I have a request for Allison’s Inside Joke shop – I need a cute baseball hat that says “Type B”. Just feel like I sometimes need to announce the vibes I am about to bring, esp. to a function with other parents.
Would purchase.
This house is gorgeous! But the other headline here is Alison’s hair! I have the same wavy hair and while Alison’s looks effortlessly chic, mine often looks like the end of a q-tip you left in your makeup bag. I often just abandon my waves all togther and blow dry it. Alison help us wavy haired girls out and show us your ways!
What a fun maximalist home! Also, Alison is such a beaut.
You guys have done an amazing job on making this a warm and inviting space! Me and my husband also own a house built around 1850…and yes, it is a labor of love. I don’t think the house will ever be ‘finished’, and something always needs to be tending to, but being able to make it our OWN is invaluable. This morning my oldest told us ‘please don’t ever sell our house! I’ll buy it from you when I grow up!’ Best compliment ever!
Girl, how do you get that tape to stick to your walls long term? I keep trying to washi tape up behind my desk like this, and it peals off in a few days!
Oh, this is NOT washi tape. That doesn’t work! This is thin gaffer’s tape!
May I make a request for future apartment/house spotlights? Giving a brand name for paint *without the name of the specific color used* is essentially worthless. It’s not as big a deal on this particular aparment, but it’s a pet peeve of mine when it comes to home decor content. We need shade names, or else the paint info might as well be omitted. Please consider adding it in future?
Hi Greta! I think the paint color names are linked if you click on them! But, just in case you can’t find them, we used Black Jack and Shaker Beige throughout the house. :)
The link worked for me yesterday when I clicked on them. Such a gracious reply, Alison.
More a question for Alison than a comment–in the first photo the candlesticks are stunning. They would be the best new house gift for people I love. Would you share a source? Please?
These are very old from Target! So sorry I can’t help more. :(
I think I’ve seen similar ones at Anthropologie – might be worth a look!
I never leave comments here but I just had to for this house. Both aspirational (we are at the beginning of our home renovation journey) and relatable – what with all the reading and kids not being able to stay at the table. It also happens to me a lot to chase my own with a plate whenever I prioritise just feeding him at the cost of teaching good habits and manners.
But wait, can we know more about the cute track pants and denim shirt?
Yes! I was thinking the same thing :)
Hi! Both are thrifted from the men’s section! The track pants are Adidas (similar here) and the shirt is Ruff Hewn. Someone just told me they found similar ones on ebay. :)
Maximalists unite!
Always and forever!
Apologies if asked/posted already but would love to know where the white/blue “pom pom” throw blanket is from.
It’s very old from Serena and Lily! I just looked and it doesn’t look like they sell them anymore. So sorry!
Ah what a wonderful home! Full of love and life…beautifully done. Thanks a bunch for sharing!
I have been waiting for this home tour!! One of my most frequently-visited bookmarks is Alison’s last CoJ home tour or her SF apartment. I first read it as a young college grad working in the midwest with dreams of moving to SF. Fast forward a few years, and I finally moved to that beautiful city by the bay, and was inspired by Alison’s apartment aesthetic when I decorated my own. Love that she still goes for a dark wall color! In her previous home tour, she touches on the deep pain that is infertility. It’s so lovely to see her little family now!!! I didn’t know it when I first read the post, but I would also struggle with infertility and ultimately pursue IVF as well. I now have an amazing son and can only hope to be blessed with a cute daughter like Georgie :)
You’re making me cry! This really makes me so happy. Sending you and your family so much love!
Alison is wonderful! Her style is amazing. Just follow her on IG and you will be tickled pink. And her home is charming but most of all my heart is so happy Jo that you will have someone to hang with during the day! Congratulations on the new role Alison you were made for it!!
what’s her new role? just re-read thinking i missed an update!
We mentioned today on big salad but not yet CoJ — our wonderful partnerships director Maureen moved on after seven years here (we will miss her!) and Alison is our new partnerships director, which I’m excited about. She’s worked in this area for 20 years so she really gets it. We talked a lot about what it will be like to be both friends and colleagues — and I’d love to hear any tips if you have them! Xo
Been following her on insta for a while and LOVE to see her house tour. Inspiring me! Would love to know where the basketball hoop in the kids room is from :)
The brand is Play Platoon!
Alison’s style is inspiring! I have been wondering if and where to hang some extra framed prints and pictures I have. I am now going to plaster them all over the walls of my bedroom and hall!!!!
Do itttt
oooh, I love this house – this is my kind of house, books, art and meaningful stuff! Love, love, love!
You’ve Got Mail is my favorite too. ❤️ My wife will start playing it whenever I’m having a rough day. She just knows. Beautiful home, Alison.
It is a perfect movie. No notes. I will die on this hill.
Completely agree! My husband and I watch it every October 1, to kick off autumn.
Such a beautiful and inspiring house. We have that same IKEA kids bed painted the same green color! Except the top is a lego loft where all the legos live, no more stepping on legos or tears when they have to be picked up. They are always out and ready to go.
Omg you’re Georgie’s mom! I love getting glimpses of her literally and metaphorically on the site. Also, it is so refreshing to see a home that is not “done” in one fell swoop. There’s something today with social media and access to cheap items and a consumerist culture that drives a trend of home interiors being perfectly curated. Thank you so much for showcasing a home and a family that’s embraced evolving over time!
To enforce a bedtime but to allow the child to read in bed as long as they like… now that is a beautiful parent-child compromise that it seems like everyone wins.
I LOVE older homes and I really like a collected/eclectic look in homes – so this is one of my favorite home tours ever!
The image of a kiddo reading an art book/cookbook in bed and then passing out is soooo cute. When my toddler picks up an atlas or a crafting book that’s lying around and studies it intensely my heart melts
I love it! So over the shiny, cleany, expensivy, designery homes that always look a bit sad and lonely to me. This shows love and life and laughter and people. It’s great!
I would love to know what lipstick she is wearing!
I’m obsessed with Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils (which they don’t make anymore!) BUT every once in a while you can find them on the internet. This one is called…. Pussy Control. LOL
COJ for the win, again!! We have an 8yo and 11 yo in bunks, and top bunk kid wants to stay up reading (YES) but even a little reading light bothers the other kid. That upper bunk canopy is perfect. All my googling last week did not come up with anything like that design, only lame pop-up privacy tents. I don’t have the budget, but now that there’s a visual, I think I can jerry-rig something.
My boys also have bunks beds and they stay up late reading. They each have a headlamp they use and that way the light is directed right at the book and they can use the lower light option as well. That might help your kids!
Would your kiddo wear an eye mask? Street light always bothered me and my mom wouldn’t buy the silk PB Teen curtains I wanted (LOL), but no one ever suggested sleeping with an eye mask! I love it now as an adult, for sure.
Two questions, but first, Alison seems so warm and inviting – just like her home! First, how did you become friends? It seems like such a wonderful friendship. Second, do you need to use the ikea mattresses for the bunk bed? If so, are they comfy? Thanks in advance!
To your second question, you don’t have to use an IKEA mattress. We have the same bunk and use regular twin mattresses. The edges of the top bunk aren’t super tall, so a thinner mattress will give your kid more of a substantial wall around them.
We bought a fairly cheap, basic IKEA bed and a mid-point IKEA mattress thinking they would be fairly temporary after a move. I can’t vouch for all of them, but ours is so comfortable! I have no desire to upgrade!
Thanks, O.J.!
Wonderful! But…all I want to do is climb into those photographs and straighten her pictures! I know, I know…my issue, not hers!
hahahah feel free to stop by anytime
I didn’t even notice a frame askew! Had to scroll up to search for one after reading this comment. Alison, your response is so sweet and gracious.
Meanwhile I’m over here feeling rather relieved to see another home where the art is slightly askew. No matter how many times I straighten mine, they dance around again. Perhaps the effects of living in an older building? A beautiful home – thank you for sharing Alison!
I started following Alison on insta because of you and was so excited to get this full house tour. It’s such a lovely home!
Love it, beautiful family beautiful home. Taking the music parenting trick !!
A very cozy home, I love the knick knacks. Where can I find a similar pigeon? My partner would love it.
Google “Cast Iron Pigeon” and a bunch will pop up! Looks like there are some available on Etsy for less than $40. :)
I spotted Creation Lake and am curious what those who’ve read it think… sometimes I just don’t get the Booker nominees!
It was so weird! I liked it, but I’m also not sure if I “got” it.
I haven’t read it. But I read this review that does not aim for balance, ha! https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n17/brandon-taylor/use-your-human-mind
I thought it was so boring
I really liked it! The meandering “caveman” ruminations were a bit distracting but I loved how it didn’t end with tidy revelations about the protagonist. I think she could have taken it in a more conventional direction and I was so impressed she didn’t!
I never read anything like it. I thought it was smart with a sexy, noirish feel. I recommend!
I love the bit at the end about mess v memento. I have been thinking a lot about ephemera lately. I still have a whole bunch of postcards and concert tickets and all sorts of ephemera from my 20s. I was looking through a box of it the other day and honestly the way it fuelled my memories was magical. It made me kind of sad that we don’t really have that kind of ephemera anymore in the modern/digital/online world. A stack of archived emails just isn’t quite the same!
We can have this if we want to ~ it’s still a world we can write! When I buy tickets to the ballet, I always opt for them to be mailed to me ~ it’s no extra charge, it just isn’t instant. At the airport, I check in at the counter and get the printed boarded pass. Press flowers in books. Buy postcards at the museum gift shop, washi tape one to your wall, post the others to friends and their children. Velvet ribbons from Christmas as bookmarks. Photobooths. It’s all still here for hearts that beat in want of it 🤍
This is a beautiful outlook Alexa, and remember anything can be a memento, if we’ve imbued it with meaning. A hand written note saying “love you friends” on a yellow sticky, lives on my fridge now. It was stuck to a check that came from friends who lent a helping hand when we needed it. So much love and meaning in that little message.
This house is so much my decorating style as well. I love the clutter of memories!
Had to include this awesome link: https://cupofjo.com/2022/05/18/my-friends-embarrassing-run-in-with-ethan-hawke/. The sweetest, funniest story!
lol still makes me want to crawl into a hole and hide
So beautiful!
I just tonight went through boxes of old cards and postcards – things I still can’t bring myself to throw away! I decluttered some, but some of the postcards and paper scraps I want to hang. a little bit of clutter goes a long way to making a place feel cozy ;)
Where does one get a couch reupholstered in Brooklyn?? I would love a recommendation! Reupholstering couches has come up in other home features here, and while I would love to do that, it feels intimidating and I wouldn’t even know where to start in terms of finding a reliable place, how much it costs, and how long will i be without a couch. I would greatly appreciate a recommendation on Brooklyn!
I just got some chairs back from Estilo Upholstery and he did a great job! Recommended by my interior designer friend
Same here! Not in Brooklyn, but interested in the process. Do the companies come out and assess first with an estimate? Do they bring their own truck, or do I have to get it there?
We pay a little extra ($100ish?) for them to come pick it up because we don’t have a car!
Usually I will get a quote by giving a picture and sharing the fabric. Then I have to bring it myself (borrow a neighbor’s truck for big pieces). It’s expensive (the cost of a new couch to reupholster + buy fabric), but it’s 100% worth it if the couch you have has good bones and you love it. It’s the opportunity to have something totally custom.
Personal preference, but I hate how cheap a lot of modern furniture feels. But, I can’t really afford brand new high-end, quality pieces. So, my workaround has been purchasing quality used pieces (from Facebook marketplace, thrift stores, etc.) and then recovering them. The benefit is that the piece is totally unique! In the past, I’ve used HC Custom Upholstery in Brooklyn. https://www.hccustomupholsterynyc.com/ I email photos of the furniture with dimensions, and the owner (Hoover) will respond with a quote and will tell me how much fabric to buy. Because of our messy kids, I generally buy Sunbrella outdoor fabric. Prices can range from $1600 for a large sofa to $400 for an ottoman. Not cheap, but worth it for a solid piece. I also feel good that I’m saving a piece from a landfill!
i have the floral wallpaper and black wall paint in my house too!! wallpaper twins ;)
I’ve seen sooo many articles about designer-led, gut-renovated (and beautiful! But very shiny and polished) giant Brooklyn brownstones. The reality is that isn’t how most people in Brooklyn live. I love seeing this one slowly tweaked over time, retaining its original character. Boerum Hill is such a gem of a neighborhood, and it’s lovely to see a normal-sized, beautiful home that remains connected to its history. This looks like it’s meant to share space with Brooklyn Inn, Rucola, and all of the local little gems.
I ADORE this home! It’s stylish and cozy and, my goodness, just looks full of LIFE! I love a home that tells the story of the people in it. My home is also full of mementos, inside jokes, art, photos–a little bit of all of us. I always say our home is a patchwork of our lives. Thank you for sharing, Allison!
Love Alison and Georgie’s house so much!!! It’s the perfect amount of artful clutter (mine just tends towards clutter-clutter). Also really encouraged to see two kids in a small(ish) space- that’s something I worry about as we think about growing our family!
Omg the White Lotus pillow! I’m obsessed!
Putting this out there because maybe one of you will make it happen. Zillion dollar idea: Seat belts for dining chairs. My kids are now 14 and 10 and I *still* want seat belts on our dining room chairs. Everyone, please, just SIT DOWN and eat.
HAHAHAHAHAHA
E.W., forget comment of the week. This may be comment of the year.
I’ll invest! Please–just stay at the table!
My 8 and 11 yr old kids fall off their dining table chairs somewhat regularly! I’ll look over and someone is on the floor… 🤷♀️
Lol yes the number of times we say, “knees or seat to eat” at the dinner table to keep littles seated and not bouncing off the chairs…
My mom puts a belt (like a leather belt for pants) around her bar stools to strap toddler grandkids in when they come to visit. My 5 year old fell out of her chair at dinner the other day and asked for a belt like at grandma’s 😂
My mom used to sit us on the Sears catalog on a dining chair, then use one of my dad’s belts to seat belt us to the chair. I remember this arrangement so it was clearly still happening well into elementary school age. My mom, parenting genius and innovator.
My tween is in a massive growth spurt and is eating all over the house. Which theoretically is fine — I want him to get enough fuel! — but in reality is sort of messy. I find myself saying “Please, just sit at the table while you eat!” all the time. I think I’m going to start telling him to sit down at the table and fasten his seat belt.
Hahaha we put belts around our kids chairs and strap them in! My kids are little though- mainly my 3 year old still gets belted to his chair 😂
I’m an OT and worked in early intervention. Here are my wiggly kid tips (also work for wiggly adults on your office chair): Think grounding and/or make the whole chair kind of a “fidget toy.” Put a footstool under their feet if they can’t reach the floor while seated, which is literally grounding. Put a resistance band around the front leg of the chairs, not over their legs though, so they can bounce legs against it. Put a squishy cushion on their seat or consider a swivel chair, so they can still move/wiggle and feel the impact of that while staying seated.
I am a high school teacher and dream about strapping certain students into their seats on the regular. Please just sit for a few minutes and write! Please just sit for a few minutes and let your friend a few desks over work! You’re all so tall and there are so many of you pinging around the room! Give me a little peace! I don’t have kids of my own, but still so relatable.
Loved this house from the first image…and then as I read I realized how much it reminds me of ours (albeit in Dallas)…quirky old home, we all share a bathroom, kids share a bedroom, art we love and books and little readers all over the place. Loved the tour, thanks for sharing Alison!
I love this house! The over-the-bed storage and side wardrobes are often in camping trailers and it makes so much sense. I just swooned over the fainting couch!
Our house also lacks storage and it’s an interesting challenge! I love this warm, quirky, lived-in home. Also I love stuff. I will never be a minimalist
The little picture of you on the fridge!!! Love this home. What a beautiful way to take your kids surrounded by art and books and colour!
Alison’s home as life and I like it.
HAS life!!!
Such a welcoming, fun home! I love that kids room looks like a lived in kids room. This is not a slight to CoJ or Alison at all, this was delightful, and it’s so lovely to see the dedication to this space… when I see features like this, as a brown native New Yorker, I can’t help but think about who is able to purchase a home (a house!) in NYC when so many folks either from here or here for much of their life can barely afford to make rent. NYC is ever-changing, that’s the nature of it, but it’s definitely hard to see communities across the boroughs, who really made these neighborhoods when no one else wanted to live there, forced out. Affordability and gentrification are hard on everyone, but particularly on people of color. This city is a haven for many of us in the midst of racist and anti-immigrant sentiment in much of the country. When we can’t afford to be here anymore, we can’t just move. We have to consider how diverse another place is, what kind of challenges we will face because of the color of our skin, and whether our children will be welcomed by classmates or chastised. Can we walk around freely without suspicion? Again, not a dig to this lovely article !! Just something to consider. I’d love to see the home of someone like https://www.instagram.com/aunt_viv.
Thank you for expressing this so thoughtfully. As a longtime COJ reader and former New Yorker who’s non-white, I too feel the conflict of loving these NYC home shares yet struggling with the implications of who gets to own, live, and thrive in them, and who doesn’t.
I would like to see that home too ! Thank you for writing this.
Yes, thank you for sharing this.
Yessssssss thank you for this thoughtful comment!
Ooh I’d love to see this post too! And I agréé with you, thank you for your comment. As a French white woman living in a small city, I’m not much concerned about the same issues, but as someone interested and active in social (in)justice, as much as I loved this home and how we can feel the love and hard work poured into it, I relate to the diverse feelings some readers can feel!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I always feel a way when I see these types of posts — like, what a beautiful home and agree Alison seems awesome. But also boy, I grew up in NYC and this is just not imaginable to me in any way. I will be renting till I die! In NYC, if I’m lucky :)
This!!! Beautifully put, Viviana
Another native New Yorker saying thank you for expressing this so thoughtfully. I also appreciate the aesthetics while also struggle with knowing how pricey these neighborhoods now are. Brooklyn (and the rest of NYC too, of course) is so diverse and varied and it would be nice to see other sides of it represented here, even though part of me doesn’t want the word to get out, lol
Agree! Such an important perspective and I’m grateful to you for articulating it so generously.
Question about the bed-surround storage: I’m designing something very similar and wondering how ergonomic the niches are for cups of coffee. Is it an awkward angle to reach in and out of there? Will I spill? Should I have a slide-out tray that runs parallel to the bed instead? Would love your thoughts!!
With the king bed it works, because I’m never super close to the side (so my arm doesn’t feel cramped).
I’ve been waiting for a new Alison home tour! Delightful! Which tracks.
Your home is beautiful! Curious, I googled the population of this “small” Boerum Hill neighborhood, and it is approx the same population as my entire 10 sq mile city in Minnesota. Sending love from across the miles!
Hahahahha it feels small to be me, in the context of NYC, but you’re right. A LOT of people live here 😂
I skipped past the first line so it wasn’t until the friend photo wall that I was suddenly like, “wait, why there a photo of Joanna here” and then the pieces clicked together of “oh this is GEORGIE’S HOUSE!!” :D This place looks amazing for how much has been done in just 4 years!
Oh my gosh, so the Georgie in this story is THE Georgie !! Did not make the connection ! :)
Alison, our daughters could be twins. Every time Joanna posts Georgie’s picture, I do a double take. It’s the cheeks and eyes. Love your home.
Aw, so sweet! I love hearing that! Twins!
Great house, but sooooo many pop ads distracting me .
uBlock Origin browser extension blocks every pop-up and on-the-page ad for me!
Need to know more the storage bins are from in the kids room!!! Organizing toys and kids actitivies is the hardest!
Seconding!! It looks so organized and still kid-friendly, which I have never managed to achieve.
OMG so many typos in my comment (was clearly in a hurry typing this). But, yes, I love the look and utility of the bins. Would love the link/brand (I am in the middle of reorganizing my sons toys and these would be perfect).
where is this perfect denim shirt from?? thank yoooou.
agreed. link to denim shirt please
Gah, sorry guys, I got it at a thrift store in the men’s section! But the brand is ruff hewn if that helps.
Thank you, Alison! Secured my very own on eBay! And I can tell by the amount of views, other COJ fans are on the hunt too :)
Everything looks so perfectly layered and interesting. I’m inspired to add even more art to my walls, build a cabinet around/above my son’s bed for more storage and button up my denim shirt right to the top!
Queen Georgie’s castle!!??!? Be still, my heart! Also, sheet sets are such a GREAT gift for kids–practical and they love them to death. I generally go for 100% cotton (any polyester is really hot IMO), find out an animal or other interest and get bed ize.
I literally said “Wait! Is that Georgie’s house before I clicked the post?” Haha
Loved this. That floral wallpaper gaaaaahhhhh! I love a bold choice! Also, I have a son named Linus!! I didn’t realize Georgie’s sister was named Linus! Its funny I chose my kids’ name because I love them and they were just absolute yesses between my husband and I but also I knew it they weren’t popular (my Linus’s brother’s name is Quinten) and I liked that too – and yet anytime I find another Linus (extremely few) or Quinten(even fewer) I get so excited! So today great style and a Linus Mom – over the moon!
Absolutely stunning! Is there anything (either a red flag to be wary of or a positive thing to keep an eye out for) you’d advise someone looking at potentially buying a fixer upper? Thx!
I would be so into a feature on this!! *How* to buy a fixer~upper!
As someone that has purchased six fixer-uppers in the last 24 years, I would advise always getting a professional home inspection prior to purchase and make sure all major mechanicals and structures are evaluated before you buy. I honestly don’t care what a house looks like if the structure and systems are sound. Cosmetic changes can be expensive but if your foundation needs work or you have to replace the furnace, etc, those would have to be done first and might completely consume your budget.
YES to buying art prints from children’s illustrators! We have a Michaela Goade print (she won the 2021 Caldecott Medal) that is beautiful and peaceful – you’d never guess she “draws for kid’s books”. I also have a Nidhi Chanani print of a mom and kids that just warms my heart. We’re slowly phasing out of our ‘picture book era’ but beautiful art is forever and I’ll keep reading children’s books just for new art inspiration!
Michaela Goade is amazing! Berry Song is one of our kids favourite books, and totally agreed about her art prints – I especially love the way she paints coasts and islands. Such a great way to support an Indigenous artist also! I’m not on social media anymore but I miss seeing little peeks of her new projects. https://www.michaelagoade.com/purchase-art/m1i06peqr6787q0pwhd70afsrlj8r6-2r64h
Our longtime favorite children’s book is To Market, To Market by Nikki McClure, a local PNW artist and author. That book fell apart from love and the pages are now framed on our walls. A year or so ago via IG, I learned that the vendors in her book are/were actual vendors at the Olympia Farmers Market and my oldest now 12 was astonished. Can we go? he begged. I know those people! The power of good books made manifest!
YES to Michaela Goade! Her work is magic and she’s a local treasure in my corner of the world :) she has a gorgeous fun print about poisonous botanicals. Beauty with an edge!
The Georgie and Jo photo is everything! Lovely home tour!
A home after my heart, yes to displaying mementos, found objects, bits of art large & small, books books books, and having your favorite art & craft tools right at hand! Every time I think I have to organize everything I like to do “out of sight”, I lose the plot. If I see it, I might pick it up and do it! Love this house, this woman, this approach. I love that everyone’s favorite honorary internet niece Georgie is growing up in this house with this family!
Alison has such a warm energy!! We are two years into reviving a similarly neglected tiny, two bedroom 1920s bungalow, and this is so motivating! We have been prioritizing spending time with our kids (3 and 1.5) and don’t regret that at all, but it does mean that our house progress has been veeeery slow, and it’s sometimes tough to live in a space that feels so unfinished (structurally and design-wise). But in two years time it could feel like this! One project at a time. If it’s helpful to anyone in a similar situation, one thing that has helped a lot is that my husband and I have a shared Note on our phones that holds three checklists with house projects of different sizes: Small Potatoes, Medium Potatoes, and Big Potatoes. And there have definitely been months where all we can do is Small Potatoes! But it’s been so helpful for our tired brains to have the tasks divided by intensity, so we don’t have to use any energy in the moment to remember what all needs to be done and how long it might take.
Shared Notes is a literal LIFE-CHANGER! My boo and I currently have ones for Summer ‘26 Ideas, Restaurants To Try (by ‘hood), Honey-Do List, Rainy Day Activities, Kid Gift Ideas and Family Gift Ideas!
.S. what a simple and great tip! I’m immediately starting a shared potatoes note for my husband and I!
Why pick a color when there are so many to love. Relaxing cozy corners-bliss.
Man, while I love how COJ features “vintage” and small homes (which makes sense, since it’s based in NYC!), when my husband and I were searching for our “forever” house to buy last year, we just couldn’t get into the old houses. While they were beautiful to walk through and to dream about, when we talked about the practicality of living in one with 2 kids, we realized the layouts were odd, they have a musty smell, and they never have storage. So, as much as we wanted to be those cool people who live in an awesome renovated home from 1930, we had to admit to ourselves that we are just not well suited for an old house, and we haven’t looked back since buying our (almost) new build!
Totally feel you, Elle! My husband and I are house hunting right now, and we love the old charmers, but there are definitely downsides–lots of ceilings or upper floors with very slow ceilings and steep stairs, garages and driveways that are too small for our larger car… I’m not sure where we will land!! I would be so interested if COJ did a post about house hunting, and the journeys folks went through before choosing a new home :)
Holy cow, keep looking! I bought a 1927 fixer-upper 34 years ago and it has tons of storage and when my grandkids play hide and seek at least one remains unfound. Nooks and crannies for the win. I have 4 bedrooms, each with its own walk-in closet, a hall closet for coats, a utility closet for storage (paper goods, craft supplies, toiletries, gifts, etc.), an office closet (office supplies, printer, storage), and a full unfinished basement with a shop, dark room, piano, dart board, wine cellar, pantry, laundry, and three rows of shelving for seasonal storage and camping equipment. Not in NYC but a large US city! We also have a newer 2 car garage.
I’m always jealous of the high ceilings in vintage homes like this… and in new builds! My house is a suburban split level from the 60s, and the ceilings are so low.
One thing that surprised me when I moved to Texas is that many of the midcentury homes here have WAY more storage than the midcentury homes on the east coast. Obviously 1950s homes aren’t that old, but it seems that many people in the US are tempted to either avoid them or gut them when they have built up so much charm over the layered years. We have 6 closets in our three bedroom house and the original seafoam green and peach tile in the bathrooms, which is amazing.
Oh Leah, I grew up in a 1950s little rancher in a ” dead end ” , now called a ” cul de sac ” That is SO neat you have the original bathroom tiles !! Those sinks, tubs, tiles were so cool. The ones in my house growing up were pink and gray. Moved there in 1959. I was 4 mos old. We also had a pink phone on the wall that was still there ( but not working ) when my sister moved out 3 years ago.
Omg I get it. This was a huge undertaking that I didn’t fully understand before we jumped in. I’m not sure if I’d do it again, if I’m being REALLY honest!
THIS! Know thyself. Myself is not a fixer upper-er :)
Love absolutely everything about this! We also have a teeny condo bedroom (so small it has two sliding doors, one for each side of the bed, which I actually love because we affectionately refer to each side as ‘my room’ and ‘your room’). I’ve drawn up very similar plans for cupboards surrounding the head of the bed, but I can’t figure out how to manage the little recessed shelf on each side – would Alison be willing to share what this looks like/how she worked around it on the inside of that cupboard? Thanks!! :)
I’d love to know too! What are the dimensions of the side cupboards? What a genius idea for storage.
Caravans have these in Australia just a little box pushed into the wardrobe. Mine has power and a light above