With the unwanted wall gone and doors and windows added

wherever possible, the 1,800-square-foot home came to life. Dutch

doors with their top halves flung open telegraph the relaxed, family-

friendly vibe. A mix of contemporary and country furniture, accessories

in citrus colors—including Chris’s collection of vibrant ’60s dishes, many

plastic—and the occasional mod-patterned chair or headboard make the

decorating playful and fun.

“Rather than have a big house with formal rooms, we prefer a smaller

home that is truly lived in,” Eric says. Every room sees maximum use,

especially the garage, which they converted into the boys’ game room.

It’s also home to laundry facilities formerly shoehorned into the kitchen.

“Chris and I live by the mantra that a practical house is one in which

you touch every surface every day,” Eric says. “With five of us and a dog

in a small space, we definitely do.”

Awning windows flanking

the range and the absence

of upper cabinets keep the

kitchen airy. Old cooking

magazine covers, framed

and matted in yellow and

brown, are inexpensive

art. The roomy island is a

homework station,

above,

for Henry, 11,

left,

and J.P.,

9. It becomes a buffet when

their parents entertain.

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JULY 2008 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS