Nichol Naranjo's Rustic, Colourful and Cosy Home
A long thin hallway, set of beautifully by this vibrant green door; it used to be pink.
Welcome, head through the green door to see this week's home tour with a fellow green lover, and green sofa owner Nichol Naranjo.
Although painted all in white, Nichol has added rustic elements, natural wood, and pops of colour to create a warm and inviting colourful, cosy home.
Nichol is a wife, mother, blogger, stylist, designer and she makes swings! If you want to find out more, head on over to her website which you can link to here.
Nichol lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is married to her high school sweetheart, Dominic, and has three grown up daughters; Michaela, Téa and JeNée and two dogs; Luka and Liberty.
Nichol on her Green Sofa
Her kids have been home schooled and now they are growing up and in high school and college, Nichol has more time to indulge in the things she loves the most, starting her interiors Instagram account in 2015, interior styling business and her blog subsequently.
They bought their property over ten years ago intending to stay a while and then move onto their next project, but the US downturn forced them to stay and make the best of their property which Nichol has done in spades.
A bland, blank canvas, Nichol has injected colour and character and has made this a welcoming and cosy family home.
Dominic is handy at DIY and Nichol is always thinking about how to improve the space, together they have added personal touches; the swings they now sell through her Instagram account, the wooden panelling on the kitchen unit, the wooden barn door, all help to soften the space, along with Nichol's love of statement plants and quirky salvage finds.
Nichol doesn't like to take herself too seriously when it comes to design; the ship chandelier in the living room, which always draws so much attention, is one such example of this.
Nichol's home has rightly been featured in a number of press articles and you can read a couple here and here.
The Ship Chandelier in the Living Room
Nichol tends to gravitate towards vintage paintings, as you can see above; seascapes, floral/still life, and portraits, typically sourcing them from estate/yard sales, thrift and antique shops and online.
The wood for Nichol's kitchen counters, and indeed her kitchen shelves, all came from a home that was around 100 years old. The wood is actually the boards from the roof trusses, salvaged and reused to add character to her home.
Since Nichol moved into her house she has always wanted something to cover or close off the arched doorway into the kitchen and using two slabs of wood and a barn door track, and a lot of elbow grease from Dominic, they created this lovely rustic barn door.
The swing is made by Dominic and Nichol sells them, you can direct message her for enquires through Instagram
Nichol's style is best described as "Beachy" and "Eclectic", because, although she lives in the desert she has a deep love of the sea, bringing elements into her home wherever possible; the giant sea shell in the lounge, for example. Nichol also loves mid-century pieces.
Her biggest decor inspiration is her mum, who used to call her "my little hippie" when she was young and her interior designer sister.
Nichol's favourite room is her bedroom, calming and filled with beautiful plants, and of course another swing.
One of the most difficult spaces to get right, Nichol's outdoor space looks lush and the perfect space to sit outside and enjoy a drink, but she has been challenged with the weather, the heat of the desert and so has had to learn what plants work well in her little oasis outside.
The Girl with The Green Sofa
