Interiors

Interior: A mix of vintage and contemporary decor

Interior: A mix of vintage and contemporary decor

Interior: A mix of vintage and contemporary decor Author: Style At Home

Interiors

Interior: A mix of vintage and contemporary decor

Nerissa Goco’s creative spirit embraces past and present with the grace and confidence of an experienced time traveller – that is, while she’s attracted to decorative folk arts and vintage patterns and designs, she also appreciates bold graphic prints and contemporary minimalist spaces. And though she enjoys baking up a storm, sewing toss cushion covers, buntings and party favours, and fingerpainting with her three-year-old daughter, Luna, she’s just as comfortable using new technologies. Nerissa blogs and runs her own online housewares and textiles shop, The New Domestic. It was hardly a surprise, then, that when she and her husband, Peter Hoang, were looking for a new home that could also be used as Nerissa’s studio, they found it in this 1970s ranch-style bungalow in the seaside town of Tsawwassen, just outside of Vancouver.

“The minute I stepped inside, I had the vision of it being like a modern cottage,” says the graphic designer. “The layout is cozy, there’s a room at the front that works as my studio and the street itself has a very retro feeling, with lots of trees and kids playing outside. It feels like the 1950s,” she adds. As for the modern part, Nerissa and Peter, who share a similar taste in decor, leveraged the home’s incredible natural light (there are 18 windows) by painting all of the walls – fireplace included – white. The effect brightened up the home’s 1,900 square feet rather than rendering it austere. “Our style really is modern, simple and Scandinavian mixed with folk patterns and Canadiana,” says Nerissa.
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The studio’s art wall

Inexpensive white frames unify favourite posters and pretty patterned paper on the studio’s art wall. “This wall is arranged to easily put anything up or take anything down, including clip art. It’s a free-flowing gallery,” says homeowner Nerissa Goco. A small pullout sofa encourages lounging and doubles as a guest bed. It’s no surprise that this graphic designer loves stripes – the bolder, the better. modern-mix-backsplash.jpg
Marble backsplash

“I’ve always wanted a marble countertop, but I decided against it because of the risk of staining or cracking,” says Nerissa. To make up for the practical decision, she incorporated a marble backsplash on a feature wall. modern-mix-jars.jpg
Labeling jars

At first, I used stick-on labels, but they were hard to remove from the jars. Shipping tags are the ideal solution,” says Nerissa of how she organizes her baking ingredients in the kitchen. modern-mix-hooks.jpg
Row of hooks

Linen tea towels and wooden kitchen accessories adorn a row of hooks. modern-mix-art-dining-area.jpg
Dining area

The home’s only dining area has to seat up to 20 people when family visits, which happens regularly. The Gocos opted for a simple and inexpensive wooden table and a vibrant red high chair for Luna (a Craigslist find). They splurged on eight Mid-Century Modern Eames Eiffel sidechairs. As for the pendant lights: “We wanted a focal point. I thought the black would contrast nicely with the white, and why not two?” she says, adding, “We hung them low to create a cozier, more intimate feel in the room.” modern-mix-nerissas-studio.jpg
Nerissa's studio

In her studio, Nerissa displays all of her supplies on airy open shelves to see everything at a glance. The sewing table comes with a view outside for further inspiration. modern-mix-graphic-art.jpg
Graphic art

A colourful piece of graphic art sold through Nerissa’s online shop, The New Domestic. modern-mix-for-luna.jpg
A space for Luna

Nerissa’s studio is set up with daughter Luna in mind – storage and work areas are against the walls, while the middle of the room is the play area. modern-mix-craft-supplies.jpg
Books and craft supplies

Books and craft supplies are within easy reach for Luna, so she can decide what activity she’d like to do. modern-mix-family-room.jpg
Family room

Nerissa knew right away that this space, with its big skylight and pair of French doors, would make the perfect family room. “It’s so bright, the room just glows.” Seating is kept minimal and modern; a wooden stool doubles as a side table. modern-mix-wallpaper.jpg
Vibrant peacock wallpaper

The hallway is the only space in the house that isn’t lit up with natural light, and it serendipitously turned out to be the best spot for this vibrant peacock display. modern-mix-bedroom.jpg
Master bedroom

The master bedroom is a literal blend of masculine and feminine. A collection of his-and-hers favourite thrift store finds (three for him, three for her) sits on a shallow ledge above the bed. And the pair of Ibride trays on the wall brings a quirky old-world touch to the contemporary all-white space. modern-mix-patio.jpg
California-style patio

A vintage find, this deck chair provides a colourful burst of seaside charm to the minimalist, California-style patio.

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Interiors

Interior: A mix of vintage and contemporary decor