Annie Brahler is a lucky woman. Not only does she get to live in this gorgeous Beau Arts house in Jacksonville, Illinois, she is also the owner of "Euro Trash," which is a store that provides custom paintings, carpentry and sewing. I saw pictures of her lovely home about 8 years ago and I was struck by how well she matched the historic formality of her house and the decor. I would never attempt to decorate my own home this way, it isn't necessarily my style or the style of my house, yet I can appreciate the beauty of what she has created. There are definitely things that I have learned from her too.
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Even though the pieces, in and of themselves, are fancy and formal, the way she arranges them is very modern. There is a simplicity and restraint. How beautiful are those arched doors! |
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I admire the fact that she was unafraid to paint out the heavy, dark woodwork throughout the house. |
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Here in the breakfast room it is all about site-lines. You can see into the kitchen, and the reflectionin the mirror is the entryway: every room flows, there is nothing unexpected to compete for attention. |
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Even the hallways have little formal, cozy settees. |
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The formal dining room lives up to the name. Grand yet comfortable. |
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This is one of my favorite spaces. It feels simple and light. I want a little tree like that in my kitchen, decorated in blue and white ornaments just like Annie's. |
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This is my favorite room! The kitchen is perfect for the house because it doesn't feel jarringly new or contemporary. It is modern but it has an old-fashion warmth. |
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I like the fact that she has 3 golden retrievers and 3 kids. The house is truly lived in and loved. |
Quite the hall of mirrors, no?
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Again, simple and formal |
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Annie chooses paint colors from old book bindings, and not paint chips. |
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The library. It isn't cluttered so it doesn't distract from the architecture of the room. |
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Daughter Isabelle's pretty room |
I have learned quite a bit from Annie. Hope you did too!
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