When she was growing up in her small hometown in Western New York, Susan Duane would push with a beautiful farmhouse just minutes from her home and daydream about what it’d be like to reside. “There was something about it,” she says. “I couldn’t ever really go by without looking at it. I probably said’I love that house’ countless times to anyone who’d listen.” Not long after she got married, the home went up for sale for the very first time in almost 30 decades. Duane and her husband jumped on it, and was able to seal the deal with the owner the very day that they went to go see it.

Now, Duane — who chronicles her home adventures on the site Enjoy of Home — has lived in this home with her husband and 3 children for 12 decades. The home was constructed in 1890, therefore there was a lot of work. But after several big renovations, she’s managed to make her dream house the perfect home.

Susan Duane

The house is very much a traditional farmhouse, therefore Duane stuck with this frame when decorating. As an older home, it consistently has some task that needs a little extra attention. Since Duane and her family have lived here, they’ve replaced the roof, the majority of the windows, the heating, and renovated the kitchen and the fantastic room.

A classic dining table, chairs and armoire painted in a retro-friendly turquoise brightens the backyard. The chalk-painted flowerpots hold fresh herbs for family meals.

Duane loves to visit estate sales and small local stores to locate furniture for her home. A number of the pieces in her house are refinished, such as several beautiful hand-me-downs from her grandparents.

The back porch looks out over the house’s expansive backyard, perfect for Duane’s kids. Since it is enclosed, the distance could be used year round. Duane designated multiple seating areas for optimal after-dinner entertaining.

A porch swing rests with a small dining table and chairs on front porch, inviting visitors to the front entry. A large jute rug is excellent for this transitional space between the indoors and the outdoors.

Traditional Ralph Lauren wallpaper in the dining room suits the house’s 19th-century origins. A crocheted tablecloth out of Duane’s grandmother matches the walllpaper’s tan hue. Duane completed the look of the room using a traditional chandelier and classic art on the walls.

Background: Ralph Lauren
dining table and chairs: Ethan Allen

Susan Duane

Once they moved in, Duane and her husband decided to fully re-do the kitchen. Off-white cabinets with gas have been selected for their classic, farmhouse feel. A personalized hood was designed to blend in with all the cabinets’ design; white beadboard tile was set up on the counter tops, and simple iron lighting fixtures were picked out of a local light shop.

Countertops: Granite
Cabinetry: Kahle’s Kitchen
Backsplash: The Tile Shoppe
Barstools: Ballard Designs

The kitchen space extends into a large living room, which includes this eat-in space. This is where Duane’s family spends most of their time, and where guests often congregate.

The kitchen table and seats have a much more relaxed feel compared to more formal dining room, due in part to Duane’s decision to set a bench on one side of the dining table. The seats are a mix — 2 are new purchases, and 2 are refinished hand-me-downs out of Duane’s grandparents.

Table: Henry & Co..
Bench: Ballard Designs

Susan Duane

The simple, casual living room is more of a sitting area for guests than a place where the family hangs out. A mixture of Pottery Barn furniture and an armchair out of her grandmother gives it a personalized look. A beautiful wool runner around the staircase keeps feet warm and adds a subtle piece of layout.

Chair: Pottery Barn
Chairs: Pottery Barn
Rug: Pottery Barn
Table lamps: Pottery Barn, Target
Chest of drawers: Pottery Barn

Susan Duane

This beautiful wallpaper in the bathroom was already in this room when Duane and her husband purchased the home. A friend found virtually identical fabric at Calico Corners and sewed curtains with gingham trim to provide a little solitude.

Susan Duane

Duane’s son’s bedroom was designed with an increasing boy in mind — it is a room that could easily last him throughout his teens. A subtle blue hue is boyish and flexible, and the vinyl decal can easily be taken down if desired. The bedframe was Duane’s grandfather.

Decal: Etsy

Susan Duane

Like the rest of the home, the master bedroom is a soft mixture of superbly worn pieces and a mild and soothing color palette. A couple dark accents include contrast to the almost all-white space. The bedframe is wooden, but Duane recently made it white to mix with the rest of her bedroom .

Bedframe: Ethan Allen
Bedding: Martha Stewart,Target self-made throw pillows
Armoire: Ethan Allen
Cabinets: Target

A mudroom within the home’s entrance collects your children’s daily odds and ends until they wind up in a pile on the ground. Assigned cubbies and baskets from Target help keep things neat and clean. A window seat provides a place to pull dirty shoes before walking to the house. Duane coated the cushion herself and made the pleated skirt.

Baskets and cushions: Target

Susan Duane

“I love being home more than anywhere else, so I needed it to feel relaxed, cozy and comfortable,” says Duane.

It’s been over a decade because she and her husband first saw the”For Sale” sign on the house, and it’s truly evolved into a home. “I can not imagine being anywhere else. I think it was just meant to be,” she says.

More Houzz Tours:
A Sweet Southern Makeover

Light and Lovely Home with a Distinctive History

Mobile, Modern Farmhouse

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