Sweet Simplicity

Kentucky homeowners downsize their living space without forgoing the Colonial style they love, finding fresh ways to balance arrangements to create aesthetically pleasing rooms.

A Kentucky couple pare down their possessions to highlight the best of their favorite collections and primitive pieces in their remodeled 1960s home.

When

it comes to collecting antiques, true countrydesign aficionados can probably agree that scaling back is never an easy thing to do—there are just too many treasures to be had. Homeowners Tara and Brent Crabtree, however, have become adept at paring down without having to give up the best of their collections. After deciding to downsize in 2014, the Crabtrees purchased their 1962-built Russellville, Kentucky, home from its original owner. And, while Tara calls it “the beginning of a difficult transition,” the change in surroundings did not diminish her enthusiasm for vintage decor or curtail her from adding to her collections.

Soon after settling in, the Crabtrees made improvements to their new Colonial-style dwelling. “Our home still had many of its original features, including a double fireplace and built-in cabinets,” Tara recalls. The couple also appreciated the exposed beams in the kitchen and family room and the marble flooring in the front entry. They opted to upgrade the kitchen and install hardwood floors and new windows throughout the home as well as apply fresh paint and complete other cosmetic updates. They have continued to enhance the space since taking ownership, recently adding a new pantry.

Inspired by her mother and a favorite aunt who was an antiques dealer, Tara fell in love with the furnishings and decor of yesteryear when she was 16 years old. Today, Tara combines her affinity for antiques with her fondness for travel, noting that a shopping foray is always on the itinerary. “Sometimes, it’s the focus of the vacation,” she admits. “I have been known to ship many antiques back from a vacation—I’m a really good packer!”

As much as Tara enjoys the hunt for and acquisition of vintage treasures, her overall decorating style is minimalist and uncluttered. Clean lines, linear displays and balanced compositions dominate the home’s interior, which is further punctuated by solid and sturdy furnishings arranged in orderly, efficient configurations. Each and every placement is as congruent and functional as it is aesthetically appealing, whether it’s a well-positioned stack of firkins in a corner or folded linens placed neatly on a shelf. Although hints of homespun prim decor are seen throughout the home, Tara notes that her style has shifted over the past few years. “I used to be primitive but have changed to a more traditional Colonial look,” she observes.

Tara’s clutter-free spaces and carefully styled vignettes also allow her prized collections to shine without competing for attention. One of her favorite tricks is grouping like items for impact. In addition to old-fashioned wooden mortar and pestles and antique coverlets, boxes, chests, stoneware and pewter, Tara has an enviable assortment of salt-glazed pottery. However, nothing compares to her basket obsession, with ironstone pieces a close second. “I use baskets for everything!” she says. “Baskets and crocks are my weakness—maybe I should add ironstone, too.”

For design inspiration, Tara consults magazines and social media, but she also enjoys input from like-minded decorators. “We have a small local group of friends who gather two to three times a year to share ideas. It’s always a great time,” she enthuses.

While downsizing may not come naturally for those who love collecting and displaying the artifacts of simpler times, it’s clear that Tara has mastered the art of combining 18th-century minimalism with 21st-century flair—an approach that suits her home and style beautifully.

This linear arrangement of blue salt-glazed stoneware in Tara Crabtree’s kitchen cupboard underscores her spare design aesthetic. Adding a bit of breathing room between similar-sized pieces keeps the display from looking jumbled, while incorporating a linen towel and fresh fruit into the mix brings a bright pop of color.

Exposed beams in the kitchen add to the home’s country charm and lend themselves naturally to hanging baskets. The dark, narrow island creates drama and contrast against the cheery yellow cupboards, and Tara’s simplistic approach to decorating keeps the kitchen from feeling disorderly. Breadboards, baskets and a few crocks offer just enough Colonial appeal. “My favorite room is the kitchen,” she says. “I love to cook, and nothing says ‘love’ more than a home-cooked meal.”

Window treatments are noticeably absent in the family room, allowing the multipaned Colonial-style windows to blend seamlessly into the decor and natural light to brighten the space. Cream-colored furnishings complement wide-plank walls painted off-white, while a beautiful wooden chest doubles as a coffee table with storage capacity. A linen runner and contemporary clear-glass table lamps unite the look.

Far right: Salt-glazed crocks line the top of an antique jelly cabinet in the family room, playing off trim painted in a neutral shade of taupe. A peg rail centered directly above it expands the display to the wall. 25

Right: Brent and Tara pause to enjoy the welcome mild weather with Golden Retriever Paxton in front of their Russellville, Kentucky, home.

Above: With no dining space in the kitchen, everyday meals are enjoyed in the informal eating area of the family room. The Crabtrees removed a few doors from the original built-in cabinets and use the open spaces to show off vintage wooden collectibles. An adjoining passthrough from the kitchen makes for easy and convenient access, especially when hosting company. “We don’t have a problem providing seating when we have gatherings,” Tara observes.