8. Kitchen ease
“Quit with the kitchen!” declares Susan. “Too much money is spent on expensive custom cabinetry when basic cupboards will do.” Real furniture, not built-in cabinetry, is just as useful and has more personality.
And accessorize the room with art, quality cooking tools, such as copper pots, and if you’re an avid chef like Susan, the best appliances you can afford. When it came to appliances, Susan spared no cost.
"For me, cooking is a passion. Even if I had the worst kitchen imaginable, I'd have the best stove I could afford."
9. Mixed lighting
“There are no rules with lighting,” says Susan. Inexpensive lamps can be set in rooms with expensive furnishings, contemporary lighting works even in an old house, and chandeliers—valuable or not—add a touch of romance
to any room. “I love lamps for their sculptural qualities,” says Susan. “They’re like art you can turn on to read a book.”
10. Inside out
The rooms inside this cottage are a lot bigger than you’d expect, but they aren’t lavish. The hedges and pathways leading to the house, though charming, are not elaborate or stately. The stone walkway speaks as much to the land as it does to the house itself. “Aim for visual flow from the outside to the inside of your home,” says Susan. “Think of the approach to your house as a way of preparing visitors for what’s inside.”
Read more in Decorating and Decorating 101
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