Design styles are often described in ubiquitous
terms, such as “traditional” or “country” or
“eclectic.” John Steward describes his and wife
Alberta Testanero’s style as
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“h a p p y .”
Whether they’re accessoriz-
ing with their misfit stuffed
animal collection, a lucky
horseshoe, or a sea fan
brought back from vacation,
“It’s all for fun,” says John.
“Everything we have in the
house is just to make it more
enjoyable.”
The pleasure they now
take in their Connecticut
home was hard-won. The
couple looked at more than
30
houses before finding
this low-priced diamond in
the rough. “Even though the
house was a complete
wreck, we saw the old
beams and knew we could
bring it back to life,” says
Alberta. The moldy struc-
ture—with its dark paneling,
1960
s kitchen, and ant
infestation—had to be
gutted. Alberta and John did
the demolition themselves
every weekend for three
months to save money.
Their professional skills
as graphic designers also
came in handy. Instead of
working with an architect,
they used computer
software to rework the floor
plan: three bedrooms
upstairs and a living room
and kitchen/dining area
