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“A friend texted me the real-estate listing and said, ‘You need to get this house,” says Sharon Beesley, who lives in Connecticut. “My husband, Rob, and I went to the open house and immediately knew it was our forever home. We’ve been here for six years and I never want to leave.” Today, she gives us a tour…
ENTRYWAY
Wallpaper: William Morris. Mirror and table: vintage.
On historical details: Our house was built in the 1800s. While searching for wallpaper, I learned that textile designer William Morris designed all his prints in the 1800s. So, this wallpaper felt very fitting.
Starry floor mat: Wayfair.
On a starry moment: Honestly, I bought this floor mat because it was affordable, and I can mop it, and it’s super low so the front door doesn’t get caught. I thought it might be cheesy, but everyone compliments it, so I guess it’s cool!
On affordable pieces: Almost every item in this house has a Goodwill price tag on the back. Sometimes I like to imagine that someday, when I’m long gone, there will be an estate sale and people will be so impressed with my Goodwill art. They’ll be like, ‘She was amazing! Look at what she paid for that! Can you believe it?!’
On collaborating with your spouse: My personal rule is that, before Rob and I start a home project together, I must read one chapter out of a marriage therapy book. Doesn’t matter which one. Any will do. The book I read before doing our foyer wallpaper was Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship.
DINING ROOM
Paint: Farrow & Ball’s India Yellow.
On holiday traditions: Thanksgiving in our home is big; we always do it up. Last year, I followed Samin Nosrat’s guide to making Thanksgiving less boring, and it was amazing. All her dips and toppings made our meal explode.
Table and chairs: thrifted. Rug: “passed down to us by our late neighbor Lou. We loved him!”
On a secondhand-shopping tip: I found our dining chairs at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, my favorite store in the whole wide world. When traveling, I love to visit the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore to see what they have.
Lamp: thrifted from Goodwill. Poster: thrifted from Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
On decorating wins: My aesthetic can very quickly go ‘circus.’ I’m constantly pulling myself back, like, No, no, no, no… But I love this poster because it lets me have my circus moment.
On design hyperfixations: When I walk into an antique store, I always feel wildly overwhelmed. My solution is to choose one specific item and look for only that, over a long period. Two years ago, it was candlesticks. This year, it’s vases.
Locker: vintage, similar.
On workhorse furniture: We got this locker back when we lived in New York City. My three kids originally used it to store their backpacks. Now that they’re out of the house, I use it to hold my house tools, like hammers, tape measures, and sandpaper.
On an empty nest: Did you see that viral interview clip with Michelle Obama and Jon Stewart? I’m with Michelle. As soon as my kids enter the house, there’s an energy they bring, which is great. But it also wears on me. I got married when I was 21 and started having kids at 23. I remember longing to be 40 because by then all my kids would be 15 and almost grown up. Now I’m 44, and for the first time, I’m experiencing life as an adult without kids.
LIVING ROOM
Paint: Farrow & Ball’s Inchrya Blue.
On choosing a show: We like to watch YouTube, so Rob and I have worked out a deal where each person gets 10 minutes of showtime before handing over the remote. Rob likes to watch vintage car auctions, stand-up comedy, and concert clips. I like Say Yes to The Dress, gymnastic videos, and Gardening With Monty Don.
Sofa: Article. Blue throw, side tables, and coffee table: vintage. Armchairs: antiques from Key to the Past. Lamps: Goodwill. Rug: “Another Lou special.”
On cozy corners: This is our central hub, where Rob and I eat meals and watch TV in the evenings. One night, when we weren’t hanging on the couch, one of my kids came to me and asked ‘Are you and Dad okay? What’s going on?’ because he was so used to seeing us together in the same spot. It was really cute.
On choosing paint: I don’t overthink paint colors. I change them a lot. Like the blue in the living room? It might be something else soon. Our bedroom has been green, blue, white, and now brown.
KITCHEN
Paint: Benjamin Moore’s Breath of Fresh Air. Chandelier: The Trove. Mirror: West Elm. Black chairs: Habitat for Humanity ReStore, similar.
On parenting adults: Being a mother to three small children was all-consuming. But now that my children are adults, my role as a parent happens in drips. They call me once a week, and our conversations are beautiful and substantial. I do have to remind myself that I’m not their friend. They’re still my kids, and they still need my support; I will always hold space for their stuff.
Wallpaper: Home Depot. Breakfast bench: custom. Table: Wayfair. Chairs: William Sonoma.
On nook dibs: My son Owen ‘owns’ this nook. He’s the person who used it all the time, and I miss seeing him here. He’d work on his computer or just lie on the bench.
On remembering loved ones: This is a photo of my mom and me. Usually I remember her death day, July 3rd. But I forgot it this year. Afterward, I decided I needed to put her photo in a spot where I’d see her every day. That makes me feel like she’s still part of my life and I won’t have another year where I’ll forget her.
On supporting young moms: Now when I see a young mother, my heart goes out to them. Being a new parent is so hard. New moms, know that it’s okay to focus on just getting by. You’re already doing a great job.
HOME OFFICE
Wallpaper: Home Depot. Curtains: Wayfair. Armchairs: Facebook Marketplace. Coffee table: “a Goodwill $5 find!” Lamps and rug: Goodwill. Basket: vintage from Branford Antiques.
On a wallpaper trick: This is peel-and-stick wallpaper, and what made the application easier was this helper spray. You spray it on the back of the paper and then it becomes wet enough so that you can adjust the paper while putting it on the wall.
Bookshelves: Wayfair. Floor lamp: vintage. Pig: “a gift from Rob.” Pillow: Marimekko.
On a surprising thing about being a therapist: I’ve been a therapist for six years, and I still never know how my clients are going to answer my questions! I’m always impressed by the willingness people have to talk about really, really scary parts of their lives. Their vulnerability is so honorable, I can’t feel anything but gratitude.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Paint: Benjamin Moore’s Tamarind. Bed: Wayfair. Bedding: Quince. Side tables: West Elm. Rooster lamps: Janis Melone. Bench and rug: vintage.
On being married for more than two decades: I’m constantly refreshing my communication skills. Right now, I’m working on not being harsh when I talk to Rob, so I asked him to check me anytime I speak sharply. We also do a refresher marriage therapy session every few years. I always go into our sessions overly confident, thinking Rob’s the problem and not me. So, it’s always humbling when the therapist looks at me and says, ‘Maybe there are some things you can work on…’
Armchairs: Facebook Marketplace. White lamp: antique.
On keeping the spark alive: We take a coffee walk every morning. We’ll stroll down to the gas station and get dollar coffees, so it’s not fancy, but it’s really nice to start the mornings together.
Dresser: West Elm. Record player: Overstock.
On a relationship joy: I’m grateful that I’m still excited to see him, after all these years together. My excited feeling doesn’t always last long [laughs], but I still feel a rush every time he walks into the house.
GARDEN ROOM
Paint: Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke. Tapestry: Anthropologie. Book: Super Bloom. Work table: estate sale. Hutch: vintage. Pendants: Lowes.
On a room of one’s own: When my kids left for college, I turned this bedroom into a gardening room. I LOVE IT. I predict it will get me through the winter. My advice for new gardeners? If you want to get into gardening, just do it. Don’t overthink it. Your desire to garden is all you need.
Poster: Goodwill. Side table: vintage. Hanging baskets: Etsy.
On giving back: One spring, I had an abundance of large-flowered tickseed. So, I cut them, tied them in bunches, and left them in a bucket on the sidewalk, with a sign that said ‘free flowers.’ Throughout the day, people would walk by — giggly middle schoolers and women of all ages — to pick out a tiny bouquet. It was the cutest thing ever.
Duck curtains: Goodwill.
OUTDOOR GARDENS
House exterior paint: Benjamin Moore’s Queen Anne Pink. Trim paint: Benjamin Moore’s Capitol White.
On favorite flowers: I’ve gotta say black-eyed Susans. There are so many varieties, and they’re easy to grow in my shitty-ass soil. I like their resilience.
On a gardening experiment: This year, instead of deadheading all my flowers in the fall, I want to let my plants look awful all winter long. Our society has such rigid standards of beauty and I believe they trickle into gardening — people don’t want to see flowers die. We’d rather cut them off. So, keeping my garden up all winter and letting passersby see old dying flowers is my personal way of challenging beauty standards.
On decorating mistakes: I have so many decorating regrets, like hopping on the minimalism trend and painting all the walls white. Or removing the original mailbox, which was so cute. But Rob always describes this house as my greatest art project. And it’s true, living here really inspires me.
Thank you so much, Sharon! We adore you. You can read her week of outfits, too, if you’d like.
P.S. More home tours, including a book-filled home in Copenhagen, a Massachusetts family house filled with books and cats, and a lovely house in the Japanese countryside.
(Photos by Lyndsay Hannah for Cup of Jo.)
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