BY SH A R O N O V E R TO N PHOTOS M ICH A EL PA R TEN IO PRODUCED BY KA RIN L ID B E C K -B R E N T

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“A n o ld h o u s e o n g o o d la n d th a t d id n ’t n e e d a h u g e a m o u n t o f w o r k r ig h t aw ay .” T h o s e th r e e

th in g s to p p e d N a n e tte F a lk e n b e r g ’s w is h lis t w h e n s h e w e n t s h o p p in g s e v e ra l y e a rs a g o fo r h e r

firs t h o m e . S in g le, s e lf-e m p lo y e d , a n d o n a b u d g e t, s h e q u ic k ly re a liz e d , h o w e v e r, th a t “w ith th e

a m o u n t o f m o n e y I h a d a v a ila b le , 1 w a s n ’t g o in g to g e t all th re e .”

N a n e tte s e ttle d o n a 1970s ra n c h w ith s o lid b o n e s b u t d a rk , c lo s e d -o f f ro o m s a n d b a d ly d a te d

w a llp a p e r. T h e s e llin g p o in t: fo u r a c re s o f p a rk lik e la n d w ith m a tu r e tr e e s a n d a b e a u tifu l p o n d .

T h o u g h th e N e w E n g la n d h o u s e la c k e d th e c o tta g e c h a r a c te r s h e c ra v e d , N a n e tte k n e w s h e c o u ld

liv e in it fo r a fe w y e a rs w h ile s h e m a d e c h a n g e s . “S o m e th in g a llo w e d

m e to s a y t h a t it d id n ’t h a v e to b e p e rfe c t.”

T h e w a llp a p e r a n d d a rk p a in t w e re e a s y fix es. B u t N a n e tte s o o n

re a liz e d t h a t w h a t th e h o u s e re a lly n e e d e d w a s m o re lig h t a n d a

b e tte r v ie w o f its s u rro u n d in g s . W ith a g o o d c h u n k o f h e r re n o v a tio n

b u d g e t in h a n d , s h e to o k a d e e p b r e a th a n d re p la c e d e v e ry w in d o w in

th e h o u s e , tr a d in g s k im p y d o u b le -h u n g s fo r ta ll F r e n c h -s ty lc

c a s e m e n ts . A n o th e r d e e p b r e a th a n d s h e to r e d o w n th e w a ll b e tw e e n

th e k itc h e n a n d d in in g /liv in g r o o m . “M y in s tin c t w a s to s p e n d

m o n e y o n a fe w th in g s th a t w o u ld re a lly m a k e th is h o u s e fe e l m o re

lik e a c o tta g e ,” sa y s N a n e tte , w h o k e p t r e m o d e lin g c o s ts d o w n b y

s h o p p in g o n lin e fo r h a r d w a r e , lig h tin g , a n d p lu m b in g fix tu re s .

T h e s a m e lig h te n in g to u c h e s —F r e n c h d o o rs to b r in g in th e v ie w ,

c re a m y y e llo w p a in t to w a r m th e w a lls, a n d c o lo rfu l ru g s a n d

a r tw o r k —h e lp e d tu r n a d re a ry b a s e m e n t d e n in to a s u n n y o ffic e a n d

s ittin g a re a . T h e u n e x p e c te d b o n u s : N a n e tte n o w w o rk s fro m h o m e

fu ll-tim e , s u r r o u n d e d b y n a tu re . “ I t ’s g re a t,” s h e say s. “ I c a n ta k e m y

c o m p u te r a n d g o r ig h t o u t o n th e p a tio .”

French-style casement windows, carriage-house garage doors, and traditional

clapboard siding transform this formerly so-so ’70s home into a cottage with

character,

left.

A new window seat,

opposite

, is generous enough for two

friends to share coffee and quiet conversation. In a pinch, it can be used as an

extra guest bed. The cushion lifts up to reveal bedding storage, and a step stool

makes a handy side table.