Quirky Cottage Makeover

From the street, this home looked modest and old-fashioned. A rundown exterior with boarded-up windows and a crumbling porch didn't exactly welcome views, and neither did its small, barren front yard.

The front of the house now has a columned porch, a new front door, and a coat of blue-green paint over its tired maroon brick. Lush sidewalk plantings soften the front yard and better connect the house with its surroundings.

Just inside the door, a throng of painted portraits greets guests. The burnished-gold entryway wall color gives the paintings an intensely hued backdrop; many of the paints throughout the house come from a historical collection from Benjamin Moore.

With a rich color scheme and quirky collectibles, the cottage brims with charming surprises. Goldenrod yellow walls, splashes of cobalt blues and royal purples, and hints of burnt orange combine with found things to play up this living room's cozy, collected look.

Nearly everything in the house has had another life. Collections of thrifted art and accessories march across walls and tabletops. In the living room, vivid paintings of landscapes, flowers, and portraits fill walls with a sense of history and wanderlust.

Plenty of space between the cooking area and island eases traffic flow in this sun-soaked kitchen. To maintain its open feel, the space naturally flows into the living room. A consistent color palette between rooms creates a smooth transition.

Buttery-yellow cabinets play off the rich blue island for an eclectic look. "Even though they're different colors, the depth of the colors is right," the homeowner says. "Nothing is screaming, but each stands out."

The dining room and library were melded into one alluring space, and chocolate-color walls layer on coziness like a blanket. Stacks of books fill the nonworking firebox.

Youthful and traditional combine in the dining room, where traditional furnishings are pleasantly paired with punchy details. A wall covered in vibrant, large-scale pattern makes a big impression that reinforces the setting's fun yet sophisticated feel.

With the home's open floor plan, the owners didn't want clutter to accumulate in the kitchen. This little pantry houses everyday items, including the family's jadeite dishes, within steps of the kitchen's work areas.

Yellow walls and big windows awaken the laundry room. The sink -- a salvage-yard find -- has the vintage look the homeowners wanted; they had it reglazed so it's fit for action, like dying fabrics.

In the sunny laundry room, a glass mosaic tile backsplash grabs attention with an iridescent look. Muted yellow, gray, and blue tiles meld together while creating shimmering contrast against paneled cabinetry.

A corner of the laundry room is dedicated to a crafts table and a gallery wall of art projects. The homeowner coated most of the frames with the same yellow paint as the walls to unify the space.

In the master bedroom, a melange of citric brights piles on the bed, while deep brown walls reign in their exuberance. A romantic glass chandelier draws attention overhead.

Nature takes up residence in this colorful girl's room, where vibrant, bloomlike hues can be found on the walls, bedding, and accessories.

Equal parts cool and quirky, this kid's bathroom is packed with personality. Circular mirrors float like bubbles to the ceiling, and orb-shape pendants illuminate the space. Wall-mount cabinets with staggered knobs offer hidden storage that can grow with the daughter's needs.

The home's existing porch was an eyesore: Crumbling walls, holey screens, and unstable boards made it unusable.

The changes to the home's floor plan are evident from the back -- that's where the upper level was added and the main level was slightly bumped into the backyard. The screen porch gives the family a cozy indoor-outdoor spot to lounge.

A rattan sofa -- on its third color incarnation -- and a pair of painted wicker chairs provide comfy seating on the screen porch. The homeowners rounded out the arrangement with a thrift store ottoman, for which she stitched a new slipcover, and a decorative metal scroll from an old screen door. Hung on the house behind the sofa, it's instant art that feels right at home on a porch.