We wrapped up a few projects today and wanted to share a long-overdue house crash: meet Nicole and her smiling son, August.
If that photo doesn’t immediately ring a bell, Nicole is the creative force behind Making It Lovely. We love visiting homes of all kinds—modern apartments, traditional houses, eclectic spaces and brightly colored rooms—and we were especially excited when Nicole invited us to tour her well-known Oak Park residence during our Chicago book tour stop.
Nicole documents her home beautifully on her blog, so this visit felt like seeing familiar scenes from a new angle. Her rooms offer plenty of inspiration, so here’s a look around, starting with the living room.
The living room is immediately to the left as you enter and the walls are painted Benjamin Moore’s Astor Pink. I was a bit nervous photographing a home that’s already so well photographed—especially with its owner and an accomplished photographer nearby—but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Nicole has gathered a wonderful mix of pieces: a white mirror from Ballard Designs, an Eames rocker by Modernica, a vintage coffee table found at the Renegade Craft Fair, and vintage side tables that cost just $10 each.
Despite Nicole’s well-known love of pink, the house surprised me with how restrained the color is in person. Many rooms feel moody, earthy, and warm rather than all-pink. Just behind the living room is the dining room, one of those spaces that blends textiles, vintage finds, and unexpected details.
I love the contrast in this dining room: metal Industry West chairs with a vintage wood table, a sleek pendant light paired with a wood-paneled china cabinet, floral centerpieces from Floral Art LA, and Clacket Lane wallpaper by Mibo.
Nicole frequently refreshes her china cabinet displays. When we visited, she was embracing a fox theme—clever little wooden animals she found online—sparking a light-hearted debate about the next “it” animal (llamas were mentioned, too).
Through the dining room door is the kitchen. Nicole and Brandon are planning changes there, so we kept the camera low-key. One delightful surprise: a full bathroom tucked off the kitchen with a vintage green tub—an unexpected, charming detail.
At the other end of the dining room is Nicole’s office. The small child-sized table in the corner is for her kids to keep her company while she blogs and works on web design. The room features a Dash & Albert rug and a simple banner Nicole picked up from Catbird NYC as a small add-on to qualify for free shipping.
Her DIY monogrammed trophies looked great in person—Nicole has a tutorial on her blog—and the cheerful yellow lamp is from Crate & Barrel.
Upstairs, the sitting room and library quickly became my favorite space in person, just as it has been in photos. The curtains are from Anthropologie, the fig tree came from a local shop, and the walls are painted in a rich Afternoon Tea by Pittsburgh Paints. The bookcases—simple Ikea units—are densely packed and perfectly curated, reflecting Nicole and Brandon’s background working in bookstores.
Sherry was especially taken with a room full of animal figures and a charming set of brown-and-white Effektiv cabinets from Ikea—sadly discontinued now—that crop up in a few spots around the house.
Next door is Eleanor’s pink-walled bedroom. The bed and bedding are from Land Of Nod, and the gallery of art and objects above the bed is styled with a playful touch. My favorite piece was a small “Just Be Cool” banner that felt perfectly toddler-appropriate.
Brandon and Nicole’s bedroom feels cozy and inviting, the kind of room that makes you want to slow down with a book. The standout is a Pottery Barn “Edison Light” fixture Nicole installed a few years ago, combined with botanical artwork on the wall.
At the far end of the upstairs is August’s room. He was busy playing when we arrived, so we gave him space and photographed some of the handmade details instead: pixel fire flower art and an embroidered Venn diagram clock from local crafters, plus a fox lamp that caught Sherry’s eye.
Beyond the house itself, the best part of the visit was seeing Nicole in person—finally getting to chat, swap parenting stories, and enjoy a few hours as real-life friends rather than just online acquaintances. She shared her own recap on her blog as well, and we all agreed it was a memorable visit.
We also confirmed that their dog Murray has a face that brings to mind our own pet—nearly the same lovable expression. A big thanks to Nicole, Brandon, Eleanor, and August for welcoming us into their home and humoring our amateur photographer inclinations. We left inspired and already thinking about a possible sequel to the visit.
Psst—if you want more house-crash inspiration, we’ve posted dozens of tours to explore.
