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Brockmann sewed and dyed the curtains herself with black walnuts. A rug sourced from Holding Forth adds a splash of color to the kitchen’s neutral palette.
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The cream-colored refrigerator and dishwasher complement the milky quartz countertop and walls painted in Behr Whisper White, making the room fresh and bright.
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A CB2 light fixture adds a touch of whimsy to the dining area with an IKEA table and tulip chairs from OMNIvntg in Newark, Delaware, owned by Calder’s brother.
Suzy Brockmann and her husband, Ian Calder, love a DIY project. So when they found a house in North Chesterfield with its original 1949 kitchen, they couldn’t wait to dive in.
The couple share a vintage aesthetic and a love for unique pieces. Calder has a background in graphic design, and Brockmann studied feng shui. Their home has just 1,300 square feet, so maximizing space for their growing family was important.
“We wanted to infuse beauty in the space while making it flow and be really practical in a bustling kitchen with two kids,” Brockmann says.
To get started, they called their friend Pete Guyre with Richmond design-build studio PeterWerks. To save money, Guyre used plywood for the cabinets, shelving, banquette and island. A clear coat of varnish seals the wood, giving it a shine and making it easy to wipe down. “We really love the natural look of the wood, and Pete did such a beautiful job lining up the patterns,” Brockmann says.
Calder did the electrical work, rerouted the gas line for the range and installed the cork flooring himself. On Black Friday, the couple snagged a deal on Smeg appliances, which give the kitchen a cool, retro feel.
The countertops and shelves display special curated objects, including a pine cone from Big Sur, dried flowers from Virginia and handmade cutting boards from a California farmers market. Perched on the top shelf is a playful wooden cat Brockmann found at a thrift store 10 years ago that’s accompanied the family during several moves.
Over the years, the couple has collected mugs and glassware from local ceramicists. “Not being tied down to a matching set gives me fun opportunities to buy beautiful works of art that are also utilitarian,” Brockmann says.
In the dining nook, custom pea-green cushions by Unsprung Upholstery soften the space while tying in the vintage vibe. Using the island’s extra storage, Brockmann mixed in new Container Store baskets with her antique and thrift store finds to cleverly hide her daughters’ crayons, her sewing supplies and the laptop she uses to run her natural products business, La Lyra.
Brockmann says you don’t need a million dollars to have a beautiful house if you “get creative, use items you already have and create a space that feels aligned with you.”
