Photographs by Chad Holder
marble topped console
Well Traveled: The European marble-topped console was passed down to homeowner Chelsea Ganino by her great-grandmother. “It traveled back with her on the Orient Express,” she says. The wallpaper behind the piece makes the area a focal point near the front entry.
Chelsea Ganino is rarely without stacks of bracelets lining her forearms. “I never take them off; each one has a story,” she says, singling out several to recount who gifted it to her or where she found it. Her
stylish statements—fashion icon Iris Apfel is an inspiration—seamlessly translate to her home. Just about every piece has a story, from the ornate Italian salt and pepper shakers (a nod to her husband’s family roots) to the piano-lacquered wardrobe near the entry (scored from an antiques shop in New Orleans).
“I’m a collector and am always bringing in little treasures to add here and there,” says Chelsea, a sales representative for Kravet. “My dearest friend, [designer] Carrie Valentine Stearns, says my style is maximalism—I always want more!”
Chelsea’s husband, James, describes his look as a bit more streamlined, a vibe he infused in the kitchen of the couple’s renovated rambler in Plymouth.
James credits his experience managing the WD Flooring showroom in the North Loop for feeding into his design chops, but his family also had an impact. “Having visited my family in Italy, I knew how well Italian marble ages and patinas, so we incorporated that into our kitchen backsplash and countertops,” he says. Leather pulls and cabinet hardware from The Knobbery finish off the sleek cabinets.
Throughout the house, which the couple shares with their four dogs, Chelsea mixed her estate sale and thrifting finds with heirlooms she inherited, such as the guest room’s suite of furniture, which first belonged to her great-grandmother, then to her grandmother.
In other places, she’s happily inherited original parts of the house, such as the pink and black tile in the bathroom. Similar to how she layers up her bangles, she punched up the bath with “some funky Christian Lacroix wallpaper,” she says. “I love that ’50s vibe, and I never wanted to really do much to it. It makes me happy every time I’m in it!”
“I’m a collector and am always bringing in little treasures to add here and there. I have a love for lamps and have a boatload in the basement just waiting to light up a cozy little nook.”
— Chelsea Ganino, homeowner
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Living room
In the living room, Chelsea’s love of layers comes through in textiles, books, art, and collectibles.
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Kitchen before
Kitchen before
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Kitchen After
Calacatta Oro marble from Amsum and Ash pairs with a vintage faucet and three types of cabinetry hardware (black leather, brass, and black metal). Underfoot, Torrington white oak wide planks in a natural finish from WD Flooring add warmth.
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dining room
rooms with a view: By closing off the breezeway, the couple gained square footage that lets the dining room breathe.
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Stove
frame it up: The Ganinos removed walls surrounding the kitchen to open it up and make it a pass-through to the living and dining rooms. They also added a sliding glass door that opens to the patio.
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Chelsea with James and pups
Chelsea (with James and three of their pups) furnished the area with pieces she’s picked up over the years, including the lacquered wardrobe and a glossy dining room table that came out of the WD Flooring showroom when it was located at International Market Square. Chelsea’s mother reupholstered the side chairs using draperies from the couple’s former house. The framed photo of birds next to the window is by Chelsea’s brother, Brooks Geenen. White oak floors unite the renovated rooms.
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bedroom
layering old and new: Chelsea’s love of layering textiles comes to life in the couple’s bedroom.
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Bathroom
Chelsea’s mother sewed the striped vanity skirt to hide storage beneath the pedestal sink. Black stripes and monograms on textiles and towels in the bathroom and in Chelsea and James’s room add a preppy and personal vibe to the bold patterns. “We just love it here,” Chelsea says of their home. “It’s homey, cozy, and just the right size.”
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dresser
More layered textures in the guest room.
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Guest bedroom
The guest room features twin beds, a nightstand, and a dresser that Chelsea inherited after she grew up with the pieces in her childhood home. “We’ve been able to take bits from projects we have been a part of and worked on in the past and incorporate those design elements in our new home,” Chelsea says.
Builder: L and K Design Build, 612-226-8880, landkbuild.com
