Collected Cottage | A Cozy Living Room the Ages
Your Home & Lifestyle Magazine
When homeowner Vanessa Chaverri-Gratz, her husband, Josh, and their dog, Kona, toyed with the idea of moving from Texas to Michigan, they didn’t expect a registered historic home to seal the deal. But all the pieces fell into place, and this circa-1926 Tudor Revival—now dubbed The Gratz Tudor—provided the content creator and decorator a new-old space to design with heritage in mind.
She’s in the process of personalizing every nook and cranny in the spacious four-bedroom, three-bath home, including the living room. “The color palette is very cozy, very rich, and overall very inviting,” says Chaverri-Gratz who is also the owner of Gratz interiors and The Gratz Life. Shades of white, brown, rust, green, gold, black, and wood tones pepper the home in some spaces and drench it in others. “I wanted anyone that came over to immediately feel warmth and comfort. . . . I think my color palette leans very ‘fall,’ and for me that is totally acceptable year round. I’m always chasing more and more warmth in our home.”
The self-proclaimed chionophile is a fan of literal and figurative warmth indoors: “I am a big blanket and candle gal. Whether they are draped over the sofa or tucked away in a basket, you will find cozy blankets all [over] my home,” says Chaverri-Gratz. “Candles are always an absolute must. I have them on every surface and they are constantly burning. They create an ambience that I consider unmatched.” When a candle just isn’t enough, the couple can light a crackling fire in the original plaster fireplace.
The walls are painted Blank Canvas by Behr, which provided a proper neutral base as a jumping-off point to fill the living room with her favorite things. “Our living room is where all of my most interesting and unique items land; it’s where I curl up with a book or a glass of wine; it’s my favorite space,” says Chaverri-Gratz. “I wanted this area to feel collected and cozy like an old English cottage in the countryside would. But with a touch of elegance! I really feel like it’s a true reflection of me.”
The built-in bookshelves offer a stately and symmetrical display for her collection of antiquities and thrifted finds: books, bibles, trinkets, brass, glass, and all things equestrian. Artwork is equally as eclectic, though it all borrows from the same color palette for a cohesive look. “Most of my pieces were acquired secondhand and I love that they lived a life before me,” she says.
The light and bright space is grounded with a vintage-style patterned rug from Boutique Rugs and conversational chairs—the velvet pair from West Elm in her favorite green. The couch has been swapped for a newer version with a similar low profile, as decor at The Gratz Tudor is constantly evolving.
“I think it’s important to know that comfort in a home is incredibly subjective,” says Chaverri-Gratz. “What I find cozy and comfortable maybe not be the same for the next person. But my personal formula for creating an environment that feels warm and inviting is this: decor that you genuinely enjoy surrounding yourself with, a color palette that gives you peace, furniture that you can sit on for hours, layers of different textures, and art—lots of it!”
YHL/ Written by Maresa Giovannini