photo credit Lindsay Hanna Photos
Allison Piepmeyer lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Zach, and their two children, Linus and Georgie. The couple bought the 19th-century home in “rough shape” in 2022 and have spent the past four years renovating it and filling it with knick-knacks collected over their 15 years of marriage. “I remember seeing love actually “It’s about a young couple. It’s a movie I can’t recommend,” she laughed. I remember thinking how wonderful that was. ” Look around you…
entrance
Painting the wall: benjamin moore. wallpaper: hackney house. mirror: target. Umbrella stand: vintage, resemble.
About cross country dreams: I grew up in Portland, Oregon and have lived all over California, but always had dreams of moving east. When I look back on my childhood diary, I’m like, “I’m going to go to New York and become a fashion designer!” Ha! Six years ago, I received a job offer here. It was a big decision since my husband and I were living in San Francisco at the time, but we decided to make it. And it was the best decision we ever made.
hat: inside joke. Hook: West Elm, resemble.
On finding a home: We did a lot of research and looked into the neighborhood a lot before we moved. We looked at the Upper West Side (You’ve got mail is my favorite movie). We searched all over Brooklyn and ended up in Boerum Hill. It’s this little neighborhood sandwiched between Cobble Hill and Park Slope. It’s very cute, but not “perfect”, just right.
living room
Painting the wall: benjamin moore. Wall sconces: rejuvenation. String lights: bright town. Sofa: vintage, reupholstered Sunbrella outdoor fabric (“Very kid-friendly!”). Striped chair: vintage, reupholstered Sunbrella. Pharmacy lamp: vintage, resemble.
On finding a home: Built in the 1850s, this house was another big step forward. It was in such poor condition that it remained on the market for a while. My husband was scared, but I had a vision and he trusted me.
About work in progress: After we moved in, it took about four years to get the house to its current condition. We had to reduce lead paint, fix crumbling bricks, and clean up piles of dead bugs. Still, there is much work to be done. We think of our home as a long-term project and will continue to work on it whenever we have the time and money.
Ceiling fixings: school building, resemble. curtain: pottery barn. Rug: Custom, from Afrikesh on Etsy. Throw a pillow: Lulu and Georgia. coffee table: Etsy. white chair: target. Checked throws: Amazon.
On your favorite impractical sofa: I found the sofa I had lost my mind on on a used furniture site and had it reupholstered in blue velvet. My kids are obsessed with that couch and are always jumping up and down on it or sitting on it while they draw with markers. Although it is small, it is very popular with guests. Whenever we have a party, it’s like a bunch of people gather there and sit with each other. It’s a very comfortable place!
On the pile of books: We are a family that loves reading, so we try to get our kids to read as much as possible. We have no limits on reading. I love stacking different types of books around the house for them to access. And I realized that having this many books on hand means that when they’re bored or looking for something to do, they’ll probably just pick one up and flip through it.
TV stand: target.
About the history: There are many parts that are incomplete or need to be updated later. Sometimes I go to a friend’s house and think, “Wow, it’s so nice and modern!” People have made their own updates to my house over the past 150 years, like the bathroom pipe that runs straight through the front door. But in a way, I like it. I feel connected to the other families who live here.
Needle tip pillow: furniture.
On the cluttered sofa: The sofa and chairs are vintage, but I had them reupholstered with outdoor fabric. So even if kids draw on it, vomit on it, or throw something on it, it can still withstand it. Scrub away any dirt magic eraser.
dining room
Painting the wall: benjamin moore. Dining table: ABC home, resemble. Chair: vintage, resemble. Cabinet: West Elm, resemble.
As it gets dark: The thought of black paint may surprise some people, but as my husband and I often joke, black paint hides a lot of sin. In older homes, it helps hide all those little dents and weird cords painted on the walls. When I was a kid, my mom always painted our rooms different colors, so I’m not afraid of dramatic paint colors.
About compromise: We try to eat at the table, but the kids are still young so they’re jumping up and down and dancing around the room most of the time anyway. I think we’re half and half. Half of them prefer to eat at the table, and half of them just don’t have the energy to sit you there, so they bring a plate with them wherever they go.
kitchen
Lug: Etsy.
When you press: Zach and I built the kitchen ourselves, so don’t look too closely. It’s fine for now, but will eventually require more work. It’s quite small so you can’t have more than one person in at the same time. The cooking duties are divided 50:50. The children are happy to help, but at the moment they are rather a hindrance.
About framed photos of friends: I like to include photos of friends and family so the kids can see everyone important to them. Joanna and Georgie have a special relationship, so we hung this photo of them on the beach.
bathroom
Wall tiles: Cree. Shower curtain: Amazon. stool: Amazon.
For shared bathrooms: This is our only restroom and it’s on the second floor, so we just head there when our friends are done. It was the only room other than the kitchen that we renovated, so I’m glad we had fun doing it. Green is my favorite color and this tile makes me feel so happy when I walk in. So far, no one has been found fighting over the bathroom. Zach and I just shower after the kids are bathed and in bed. The only problem is when everyone has to pee at the same time.
Painting: Etsy.
About parenting style: My husband is into music. He has a Disney playlist to help get the kids out of bed in the morning and a calming playlist to play at night. During bath time, use a small speaker to play your favorite songs to entertain your children. This is a parenting method that I had never thought of, but it worked very well for him.
children’s bedroom
bed: ikea. Lug: sturdy. Ceiling light shade: Hey. curtain: heavenly. Canopy: ferm living. Bed curtain: DKNY.
About sharing: My kids are 8 and 4 and always share the same room. they like it! This will help you make decorating decisions, such as where to put your books and what kind of art to display. My 4 year old Georgie chose curtains for the bottom bunk of her bed. We call it Bear Cave. We also found that kids love bedding featuring characters like Linus. Minecraft sheet. he really like they.
Duvet cover: Hey.
About bedtime books: My son Linus is 8 years old and can read quite well. Bedtime is 8pm, but I’m allowed to stay up in bed and read as long as I want (I usually nod off by 9pm). I always find interesting books in my bed that he has collected from around the house. It’s going to be like a David Shrigley art book and cookbook. So cute!
About art for kids: Etsy has a lot of art for kids. If I like a particular children’s book, I often research illustrators who sell prints. There is a large print end of market street. I love it too our washable rugs — We just throw it into the big machine at the laundromat down the road.
master bedroom
Mirror: Zara Home, resemble. Candelabra: Etsy. bedding: piglet in bed.
About priorities: Our bedroom was very small but still had a king size bed. My husband and I are completely different sleepers. Zach is very hot and I just want to hug him when I’m around him. Therefore, you will sleep much better if you have enough space from each other. Instead, it means you have a bed that takes up the entire room.
Lug: Amazon.
About overhead storage: One of the things we overlooked when we bought the house was the fact that there was no storage space. We added wardrobes and cabinets ourselves, which was difficult as the room is very small. One night I went to an event at someone’s house and saw her setting up a unit like this on her bed. I had no idea. I had never seen anything like it. We loved it so much that we designed it for our room and found a local woodworker to make it for us. It’s amazing that there are so many things in it.
office
Curtains: IKEA, resemble. Desk: blue dot, resemble.
If it’s messy: My husband uses the office from time to time, but it’s technically mine. That’s why things are everywhere. Honestly, I just love the aesthetic of a cluttered office full of art supplies, ribbons, and glue sticks. The messier the better.
Pegboard: kreis design.
Regarding clutter and memorabilia: One of my favorite things about my house is that I can walk through it. Of course, there are a lot of things, but they all have memories. They remind me of different times in my life and marriage. Decorations that I bought at a flea market in Paris, or things like, “Oh yeah, we were living in San Francisco when we found this.”
Wall planner: Etsy.
About nostalgia: Some might say it’s annoying to have all this stuff, but for me, it all goes back to the time we spent together.
Thank you very much, Alison! We love your cozy home!
PS There are more house tours, including a vacant apartment in Copenhagen and a very colorful Connecticut home. Also see Alison’s outfits for the week, and The Big Salad Problem with Allison’s Wallpaper Before and After Photos (Gift link).
(Photo provided by: Lindsay Hanna Photos (for joe cup)
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
