FUNCTIONAL CHARM

How a Minnesota homeowner combines beautiful design with necessary functionality in her family’s 1931 cottage.

See how a Minnesota homeowner combines beautiful design with necessary practicality in her family’s 1931 cottage.

When Angela Fahl first fell in love with

the Minnesota home that she and her family have lived in for 10 years, it was not for sale. “I weaseled my way into a pool party invitation here,” she says of the home she had driven by for years. After she struck up a conversation with the homeowners, who were already interested in selling, the pieces fell into place perfectly. “We were basically moving in the front door as they were moving out the back,” Angela says.

In the 10 years that followed, the house received multiple upgrades and small-scale renovations. “Our home is a brick home, and it’s completely made of concrete,” Angela says. “We also can’t do additions because it’s an old brick they don’t make anymore. I am really passionate about old homes,” she says. “I want people to save old houses and see that you can have a big family in any size home.”

MAKING IT WORK

To make the four-bedroom and two-bath house work with four kids, the Fahls got creative and turned the upstairs landing into a bedroom for their son. New luxury vinyl plank floors, a remodeled kitchen, fresh paint in all the right places and more bring the home to life. “I’m really passionate about doing things that would have always been there,” Angela says. While she originally wanted hardwood floors, with a concrete house that was not an option. “[The floors] don’t match the trim, but it looks like they could have always been here,” she says.

In the kitchen, new cabinets make the space more manageable, and a rolling butcher cart that slides seamlessly back into the cabinetry acts as both back-up counter space and sometimes even a place for the kids to eat dinner. “We thought about doing a peninsula there, but we entertain all the time in the summer, and that spot gets really clogged,” Angela says, “I love it because you can just pull it out when you need it.”

CREATING THE MOOD

With bright whites, pops of color and plenty of antiques, Angela describes her style as classic cottage with just a touch of country. “Cottage is like my deal,” she says. “I can get a little country because I have a lot of antiques, but I’m not really into farmhouse style.”Warm rugs with the perfect amount of wear cover many of the floors, and all her kids’ bed frames are antiques. Several even belonged to Angela and her husband, Jacob, when they were children.

“I truly try to only keep things in our home that we love, need and use,” Angela says. For her, that includes everything from the artwork she purchases to the scissors that inevitably end up lying around the house. With a smaller home, Angela doesn’t have space to keep a rotating collection of décor. Instead, she simply moves pieces around as her heart desires. The end result is a useful and lovely home, a place for her family to grow and live together.

With a family of six, Angela doesn’t have space to keep a rotating collection of décor, so instead, she simply moves pieces her heart desires. around as

Angela had driven past the beautiful brick home for years and always loved it. “I have a love affair with our house,” she says.

|BELOW RIGHT| WELCOME SIGN. Vintage and antique signs, along with some hooks for easy storage, are the perfect touch at the back door.

|ABOVE RIGHT| PERFECTLY PAIRED. While these updated vinyl floors do not perfectly match the original wood trim, the two work well together, and as Angela says, “They seem like they have always been there.”

GORGEOUS GALLEY. Renovating the original galley kitchen did not change the layout but still added additional storage in the space.

|TOP RIGHT| IT MEASURES UP. This oversized ruler was made by a friend of the family. It’s a birthday tradition for the Fahl kids to mark their height on it each year. |ABOVE LEFT| HANDY BUTCHER BLOCK. This butcher block cart slides in and out of the cabinetry as needed. It’s the perfect addition when the family needs extra counter space or a place to eat a quick meal.

OPEN SESAME. While it appears there are sliding doors between the living and dining rooms, they are actually two open doors, that when shut, close off the staircase and hallway on the first floor.

|ABOVE RIGHT| PLAYFUL AND FUN. Roman shades and white curtains are the perfect window combination, while an eclectic mix of patterns makes this bedroom playful and fun.

|RIGHT| HOOKED ON FAMILY. With limited bathroom space and a family of six, hooks make cleanup and organization easier for everyone.

|ABOVE LEFT| STUDY IN STYLE. Printable artwork from Juniper Print Shop and a white swivel chair from World Market complete this whimsical yet classy study space for Angela’s daughter.