Thursday, April 15, 2010

Home Tour: Jordan's Cicada Cottage

Jordan kindly agreed to open her doors to Bloom and give us a room by room tour of her lovely Cicada Cottage.

Photos by sara b photography


Hope you love it:

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Grounds collage

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Front Entry

Where do you find inspiration for your home? Specific catalogs? Blogs? :) The outdoors? Other periods/eras?

I do flip through magazines, but am not organized enough to remember them and plan a room around what I see. I get ideas from several sources, but when it comes down to it, I just know what I like and purchase/create around that. Somehow it all meshes together nicely. I noticed that I had some living thing from the outdoors in every room of the house (especially with all the spring blossoms right now). Bringing the outdoors in seems to make a home feel fresh and welcoming no matter the decor.

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Kitchen

Everything in your home is so nicely placed and simply arranged. Do you have any tips for arrangements? (wall art, floral, mantle/tabletop)

If there were any decorating/design mantra that I tend to follow, even subconsciously, it is that "Less is More". Less is always more. I like to mix textures, too. A smooth bowl next to a piece of coral or a stack of books next to a vase of blooming branches. I hang art at eye level and not too many pieces in a room. I rearrange often, keeping it fresh invigorates me and combats boredom (or is it ADHD?)

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Dining

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Laundry

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Family/Living
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Tell us about your wall of pictures. Did you take them? How are they framed/hung? Are they always changing?

We are just "starting out" so don't have a huge collection of art. I needed something above the big blank space above the couch in the family room. So, one day, I began sifting through photographs I had taken over the past year that were unified by color or tone. Some of kids, some of objects or landscapes. I printed them on regular photo paper on our printer then trimmed one side to even out the borders. Then I taped! them to the wall. I haven't changed them yet, but I'm sure I will once the fancy strikes.

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Tell us about the process of making a house a home - for you. Have you been collecting little treasures for years or did you fill the CC quickly?

We have been married 9 years. So, I suppose I've been collecting since then (and even a bit before that (: ). I guess a house is a home if it is comfortable, clean and inviting. The decor can help with this. I've tried to be patient and wait to acquire things I truly love that also have lasting quality. This is hard.


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Guest Bedroom

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Guest Bath

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Seth's Room

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Master

Tell us some of your favorite places to look for art, linens, pillows, etc.


For art, I have done some of my own and we purchased the one large painting in the dining room, but most of the artwork in our home have been gifts from my parents (both artists) or siblings. Some sources for linens and pillows are Urban Outfitters (they have great, affordable quilts, and the owl pillow is from UO), and Dwell Studio for Target for pillows. My sister Ashley sewed and embroidered the Cicada pillow on our bed.

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Is this how you found the cicada cottage (minus your furnishings and adornments) or have you done a lot of work? (surfaces, fixtures, paint, floors, etc)

Yes! Not only did this house have good bones, it had good skin! We looked long and hard for such a place to put our family. Over a year. This was to be our first home and I knew we couldn't afford many renovations if any at all. In fact, we painted the guest room, the dining room, and Seth's room--that's it. The vintage light fixtures were a collection made by the previous owner's wife. She was an artist and had already chosen wonderful colors throughout the house. The biggest selling points for me were: the yard/garden, the entryway, and the laundry room with its expansive countertop.

What do you hope your home communicates about you and your family?

Really, I just want it to be a place that people want to come visit. We LOVE having people in our home. I am grateful now that we have space enough for a true blue guest room! Come stay chez nous!!


Jordan, I think you've succeeded in making the CC a welcoming and inviting place. I certainly want to come for a visit! Thanks so much for opening your home to Bloom.

22 comments:

abby said...

such a lovely, peaceful home!

No Big Dill said...

She's a beauty, Jord. We'll come (when it's too hot here:)

Lindy Johnson said...

wow. gorgeous. jordan, you have such great style!

Susannah said...

I am coveting that dining room table...oh, the dinner parties you must have! Where did it come from?

TX Girl said...

I love that your home is a true depiction/representation of the life y'all are creating with your family. I can't wait to try out that delightful guest room.

Stacy said...

Absolutely beautiful! I love how everything is clutter free. Where do you store your children's toys?

kami @ nobiggie.net said...

I love the tile backsplash and the laundry room. What a beautiful home, Jordan!

Unknown said...

such a beautiful home.

shawna b. said...

Love it all! The hexagon countertops are especially charming. I adore tiled countertops! Beautiful home, Jordan. It matches you perfectly.

Andrew and Marti Enke said...

I LOVE this Post Anne-Em. YAY! Such a wonderful creative home your friend has. Great ideas.

Abbie said...

When can I move in? Oh my dream-come-true-of-a-home!

Jordan said...

Susannah, the 14-foot table is 400 years old originally from a castle in Wales. It was found by my parents at an antique shop in New Mexico. We inherited it when they downsized. Yes, it hosts wonderful dinner parties seating 20+

amelia said...

wow! i've never seen anything like it! beautiful!
love your blog too!
can i feature you on mine?

Martha said...

um, that was amazing. such a calm place.

rebecca said...

LOVE it!!!
peaceful, welcoming.

Gina said...

I am drooling. This home is amazing!

For the Love of Naps - Sarah said...

We are redoing our laundry room and I would really like info on their laundry room...I LOVE how the machines are up and off the ground in such a beautiful compartment type thingy...wondering if they designed that or if it is something out there available for others?

Stacy said...

Love the simplistic elegance of your home. Where did you purchase typographical/alphabet print in your son's room.

Jordan said...

Stacy, the alphabet print is from IKEA. Already framed!

Farmgirl Susan said...

What a beautiful home filled with so many inspiring ideas. Thanks for the wonderful tour! :)

Unknown said...

Love your home. Just wondering if you could tell me where your front entry table is from?

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