the marion house book

I can’t remember who contacted who first but a few months into my blogging foray I started emailing back and forth with another blogger named Jenn Hannotte. It turns out we lived in the same neighborhood and were both obsessive about everything and anything to do with design. Jenn finds time to write for not one but two blogs; she is a contributor to Arren William’s Design Lab and also her own blog called The Interiorist.  Jenn’s first home (also in the neighborhood) was featured in a local magazine called DesignLines. When I heard she had bought a second place I was eager to see what she would do with it! As I watched the progress unfold on her blog, I knew I had to ask her if we could show her place here. Luckily, she said yes! If you like what you see, you will soon be able to hire Jenn to help you with your own place. Starting in September, Jenn will be offering her design services through Russet Empire.

Now on with the tour!

Name:

Jenn Hannotte

Occupation:

Jenn is excited to start an interior styling service out of Russet and Empire in the Fall.

How Long Have you Lived in Your Home:

9 months

Any Kids or Pets?

Two kids, Willa (6) and Beatrix (19 mos)

Which Room Do You Spend the Most Time in? Why?

We spread ourselves pretty evenly over the first and second floor. I really wanted to make sure we use the space we have, so having the play room on the second floor means the kids spend a lot of time up there. The third floor has a master bedroom and an office/gym/spare so we only go up there when we need to!

Is there anything you would change about your house? Future Plans?
We’d like to finish off the basement at some point, and renovate the third floor. The backyard is pretty abysmal. So is the front. The windows are ugly and inefficient. Nearly all the walls and ceilings have some kind of hole that needs repairing and painting; pretty much every light fixture needs to be changed…the list is really, really long! But, for only being here 9 months I think we’ve come a long way.



What is your favorite moment/object in your home?

The amount of light this house draws is unlike anything I’ve ever lived in before, and I especially love when it floods the playroom in the late afternoon. I also love all the doors on the main floor. Closing or opening any of them totally changes the mood.
And, the front entrance – it’s like having another room on the main floor and it’s the most architecturally interesting space in the house, but we haven’t started decorating it yet.

What influences you? Where do you get your inspiration?

Lately, set design from old films. I’m so interested in learning about how people would have decorated and lived when our home was built. But other than that, the usual: blogs, magazines, tv, books, music, life, seasons, memories.

Where is your favorite place to visit?

Saskatchewan in the summer.

If you had to choose one object that best described you what would it be?

I’m far too complicated and full of life to be described by an object. (yuk yuk)

What are you reading at the moment?

The Internet ruined reading for me. Or maybe it was the kids.

Any links, acknowledgements?
Cera Stone, Arren Williams, Russet and Empire, The Arthur, Craigslist, Crate and Barrel, IKEA, Mom, Dad.

Thanks Jenn. So many great ideas to steal from your home!

All images by Kristin Sjaarda for The Marion House Book.