Cake Design News: Sneak Peek: Kirsten Marchand

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Five years ago, Kirsten Marchand (who designs retail environments for New Balance and has a blog all about design inspiration, Design Marchand) and her husband, Dave, were looking for a farm property to call home, but when their realtor showed them this property in Rocks Village, Massachusetts — a tiny historic village on Boston's North Shore — they fell in love. The home is filled with history: The back is from the late 1700s, and the front addition is from the early 1800s. During its long history, it's been everything from a tavern to a doctor's office to a farm house. What clinched the deal were the Rufus Porter murals. Rufus Porter was an artist and inventor who painted hundreds of murals in New England between 1820 and 1845. His work in this home captivated Kirsten and Dave, who felt it would be perfect for their growing family; they now have twin toddlers. Kirsten met the challenge of designing a home filled with history by finding pieces as special as the house — objects with a patina, quality craftsmanship and character — while also making the space livable for the family. (And protecting those murals from twins armed with crayons!) Thanks, Kirsten and Dave! Photography by Malcolm Brown Photography (except where otherwise noted). — Amy Azzarito

Image above: Kids' guest room/my office. I wanted to create a cozy guest room for our nephew when he visits us in the summer. This ended up being one of my favorite spaces in our house. The bed was a Craigslist find that I painted Benjamin Moore Polo Blue. Wallpaper from OhHoy, Fine Little Day. Trim paint is Benjamin Moore November Rain. Duvet made by my mom with fabric from ABC Home & Carpet. Lampshade is ReGo LLC. Voz Art bracelet (photo by Kirsten Marchand).

Image above: We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and love the big hearth (we've since covered it with a safety gate for the twins). Trim paint Benjamin Moore Gray Mirage.