Text by Bethany Adams
Before the Jones family purchased the century-old cottage they now call home, the property was a rental—and, according to Suzanne Jones, it was a diamond in the rough. “There were blankets over the windows when we went and looked at it,” she says.
At the time, the home offered three bedrooms and two baths, and having renovated their previous two homes, she and her husband were content with minor updates. But once their fourth child was on the way, they knew a more significant change was needed.
Now, the house boasts five bedrooms, a new kitchen, and a studio for Suzanne, who designs jewelry for her company, Holland & Birch. “We used a lot of Agreeable Gray when we first [bought the house],” says Suzanne, who had tired of the wall color by the time of the renovation. In a bold departure, the new design delves deeply into color, with a palette inspired by a treehouse theme, as the home sits on a hillside with lush forest views.
Original windows throughout open to the fresh air, as in the kitchen, which features extra-thick marble countertops and a shiplap backsplash perfect for displaying collected treasures. Framed needlework created for Suzanne’s grandmother by a close friend joins thrifted Spode dishes on the open shelving, and various paintings and prints sourced everywhere from Parisian flea markets to local secondhand shops are assembled in charming displays.
In the dining alcove, the view fits in beautifully with the rich hue of Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke. The shade transformed the space that Suzanne says “stuck out like a sore thumb” against the verdant surroundings, bringing the forest atmosphere inside to create a cozy spot for meals or just hanging out.
The banquette seating in the dining room was built extra deep to ensure comfort for the family of six, and the tabletop built by Suzanne’s husband crowns a base she found on the side of the road. “I really love a curated look,” says Suzanne, whose affinity for baskets and antique prints topped off the dining room with a flair of vintage charm.
Moving through the home, another of Suzanne’s preferred elements quickly becomes apparent. “I love blues—probably more than I should,” she says, “and I feel like green holds hands well with it.” Both colors feature prominently throughout the design, showing up in her husband’s studio as well as the home’s bedrooms.
Over the primary bed, Suzanne updated a pair of prints from the 1980s by painting the mats a bold navy. A secondhand lamp on the antique bedside table pulls out the orange accents in the artwork, demonstrating her knack for making her favorite finds shine.
“I have a motto,” Suzanne says of her approach to filling her home with storied treasures. “ ‘It always works out.’ ” And anyone who visits the Joneses’ hillside cottage will have to admit: she just may be onto something.
