Decorator Michael Penney helps to fill a space with cottage-style charm.
Last year, when Jenny Smith moved into her apartment above a shop in downtown Whitby, Ont., she owned not a single stick of furniture. Having just relocated back home from Alberta (with a mere two suitcases full of belongings), she almost immediately rented the two-bedroom space after she fell for its rustic exposed brick walls, high ceilings, hardwood floors and arched windows.
It took Jenny only a few weeks to furnish the 700-square-foot pad, thanks not only to her love of thrift shopping and bargain hunting (“I found the living room sectional on Kijiji for only $200,” she says. “It was in amazing shape.”) but also to her new job at local decor store Penney & Company. There, she became fast friends with the owner, decorator Michael Penney, who shares Jenny’s cottage-style aesthetic and love of all things vintage.
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Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
Cottage style decor
Homeowner Jenny Smith moved into a new apartment with no furniture and only two suitcases in hand. Luckily, she soon met decorator Michael Penney, a kindred decor spirit who helped her fill her space with the cottage-style charm they both love.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
Cottage style decor
Homeowner Jenny Smith moved into a new apartment with no furniture and only two suitcases in hand. Luckily, she soon met decorator Michael Penney, a kindred decor spirit who helped her fill her space with the cottage-style charm they both love.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
Living room design
Jenny scored the plush sectional in the living room on Kijiji for a song and made over the vintage table by cutting it down to coffee-table height and giving it a distressed white paint job, while decorator Michael Penney layered the striped rug on top of the larger jute one for a cozy look and a hit of colour.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
Thrift store chalkboard
Homeowner and vintage shopper extraordinaire Jenny Smith found the old chalkboard at a thrift store for $2 and regularly writes favourite quotes on it. “My love of cottage life and living by the water is always reflected in my decorating,” says Jenny.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
A charming kitchen
Key upgrades boosted the basic kitchen’s charm: The kitchen backsplash was given a crisp black and white striped paint job, the doors from the upper cabinetry were removed and vintage-look floral wallpaper was used to line the backs of the now-open shelving.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
The dining room
A hutch and pedestal table from Penney & Company were paired with thrift-store-find dining chairs that happily didn’t even require paint or new upholstery. Jenny found the rug in perfectly good condition by the curb and flipped it over to the faded side for a more rustic decor.
Apartment tour: Cottage style charm
Master bedroom
In the master bedroom, random lengths of old barnboard with varied stains and patinas were nailed directly to the wall to create a custom rustic headboard with bold impact–Jenny later added the antique white bed frame, which strikes a smooth contrast against the rough wood.
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