Text by Holly Seng
Bailey and Brian Archer were on one of their daily walks in their historic neighborhood of Alamo Heights in San Antonio, Texas, when a charming cottage on the corner caught their eye. As luck would have it, the house came on the market shortly after the Archers sold their home in hopes of downsizing. Upon entry, the interiors proved to be an ideal fit for the couple to raise their three boys.
“When we first started our family, we thought we needed this huge home, and the more we lived in it, the more we realized we preferred being closer together,” Bailey says.
Built in the 1950s, the cottage offered a functional floor plan with a great flow and plenty of natural light, allowing Bailey to focus her design attention on cosmetic changes and personalized touches to add that extra layer of charm. “One of the biggest things when we started renovating was that we wanted to keep the charm and integrity of the home,” she says. “If we were going to take [charm] out, we wanted to put it back in—if not more.”
Natural woods pair with neutral upholstery in the living room to provide a versatile backdrop that supports seasonal shifts in decorative accessories. Blankets, throw pillows, and fresh flowers can all be easily changed and lend both comfort and color to the space. The checkerboard woven rug blends with the surrounding scheme as it imparts a playful dash of texture and pattern. Introducing a subtle contemporary note with its brass base and marble top, the coffee table demonstrates Bailey’s love of mixing old with new as it stands out amongst antique scales, terra-cotta pots, and more. “The juxtaposition of old and new is just something I really enjoy,” she says.
The kitchen kept the same footprint, but the cabinets were refaced and painted Natural by Sherwin-Williams. To provide more overhead storage, the bulkhead was removed and replaced with a row of glass-front cabinets. Vertical shiplap makes an appearance on the range hood as well as above the sink, on the side of the cabinets, and behind the open shelving. Classic white subway tile serves as a timeless backsplash while the slate floor brings out the blue undertones of the island, which was originally a dresser.
The kitchen opens to the dining room, where wainscoting and built-ins painted Card Room Green by Farrow & Ball, the same shade used for the kitchen island, create a cohesive feel between the two spaces. In addition to the beaded board ceiling continued from the kitchen, Bailey incorporated a coffered detail for an elevated aesthetic. The built-ins were another feature added by the Archers, taking the place of a closet with bifold doors. Lower cabinets provide ample storage for tucking away items, while a countertop and a pair of open shelves display Bailey’s cherished collectibles.
“There wasn’t going to be any wasted space for us,” says Bailey. “That’s really what we were wanting in downsizing again—for every space in our home to be used to its fullest potential.”
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