Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Home
  3. A Handcrafted Home: The House Tour

A Handcrafted Home: The House Tour

August 27, 2015
Skip gallery slides
Pin
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0071-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN
With enthusiasm for both high-tech innovation and handmade design—and a willingness to put in some hard labor—a young couple rebuilt a neglected 100-year-old farmhouse into a stylish space brimming with reclaimed pieces, clean lines, and warmth.
Start Slideshow

1 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0071-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Stones found by the brook on-property accent the pizza oven. Building it “felt like the right thing to do,” says Crabtree. “Food is the center of all our parties.” A step from the old house is now a hearth. The pizza peel was carved from maple wood by a sculptor friend, Michael O’Malley.

1 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Elements of Style

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0192-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Kelli Cain and Brian Crabtree opted for nine-foot-tall windows, then designed the rooms around them, so that a different aspect of the interiors can be viewed from the outside through each; the low leather couch keeps the vantage point clear. On the wall: an aged-brass desk lamp for reading.

Woven-cord lounge chair, by Carl Hansen, abchome.com.
The Miller lamp, in White Quartz With White Linen Shade, stoneandsawyer.com.
Chunky braided wool rug, rh.com.
Mina blanket, in Beige and White, forestryathome.com.
Sheepskin, by Green Shepherd Farm, luckydogorganic.com.

2 of 16

3 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Open Studio

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0234-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Cain took up ceramics three years ago when she “wanted to do something on her own that was physical, not computer-based.” Her table, built on reclaimed-wood beams, rests on casters, so it moves easily around her workshop. An elegant porcelain-enamel lamp (from Barn Light Electric) hangs overhead.

3 of 16

Advertisement

4 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kitchen Arts

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0134-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

The kitchen highlights their handiwork—and resourcefulness. The gray slats are reclaimed wood from the barn’s old milk-house ceiling. The island is a butcher block that was salvaged from the house demolition, then milled, glued up, sanded, and oiled.

Navy Demre linen-blend Turkish peshtemal towel, simplelifeistanbul.com.
Sarpaneva pot, iittala.com.

4 of 16

5 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0352-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

When the couple’s juicer broke, Cain made a new one for Crabtree’s birthday. 

5 of 16

6 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

To Have and to Hold

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0523-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Inspired by bone, Cain created these vases by playing with white and cream glazes. The nubby vessel is a meditation on textural contrasts.

6 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0280-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

To save space, Crabtree built an iron spiral stairway (from a kit on the Internet). The shelving is bracketed with iron pipes from a hardware store. They echo the railing and allow Cain to adjust the shelf height to accommodate her work.

7 of 16

8 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0457-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Cain’s favorite corner of the house is the sun-drenched dining nook with a view of the orchard. The table was made “out of urgency” when friends were coming over and the couple still lived in the barn during the rebuild. Crabtree made the tabletop out of the original house’s wood floors, and the benches out of ash sourced from a local mill. Cain stitched up the linen pillowcases by hand. “Sewing is something I grew up with,” she says. “My mother was always making curtains and clothes.” Now Cain sews most of her own, too.

8 of 16

9 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Style Meets Sustenance

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0148-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Cain’s stoneware, shown here, consists of necessary tools for their daily routine, including coffee-brewing. The countertops are quartz composite from a local company. Cain learned how to fire the ceramic tiles herself to form the geometric backsplash.

9 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

House Proud

kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0336-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Cain describes her ceramics as an attempt “to encapsulate my environment and archive my time here.” So the colors are subtle and earthy—browns, blacks, and grays, but also muted whites and silvery blues, a reflection of a wintry sky.

10 of 16

11 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0406-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

The sink, painted the green of native lichen, is from a local salvage yard; they placed it on a shelf and left the plumbing exposed “for both aesthetic and economic reasons.”

11 of 16

12 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0035-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

The concrete floors throughout the house look seamless, so they flow as one space. The ceiling is pine from a local lumberyard—which the couple planed and milled themselves. The floating shelf is carved out of sugar maple; like the pizza peel, it’s a gift from O’Malley, who also taught the couple how to plaster walls.

12 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0023-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Barn posts that needed to be replaced found a new life: sawed into boards for a table.

Driftwood bowl, in Grey Oval, abchome.com.
Handwoven Moroccan basket, in Large, food52.com.

13 of 16

14 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0384-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

The tub, spotted at a local salvage yard, was missing claws, so the couple placed it on hemlock-wood blocks. “It warmed up the look and gave it a modern edge,” says Cain.

14 of 16

15 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0069-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

Crabtree stands by the pizza oven, which replaced an old fireplace.

15 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
kelli-cain-ceramicist-home-0165-d112172.jpg
Credit: PIA ULIN

The expansive stretch of reclaimed wood that divides the ceramics studio and the living room slides on a rail fashioned from an iron bar. “The design allows the southern exposure to brighten the rest of the house when it’s open, while giving us the option of a visual separation from work when it’s closed,” says Cain. The woodstove (a Morso 7110) is the couple’s main heating source. “We appreciate the routine of gathering around it at the end of every day.”

Luxe mohair throw, rh.com.

16 of 16

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 16
    2 of 16 Elements of Style
    3 of 16 Open Studio
    4 of 16 Kitchen Arts
    5 of 16
    6 of 16 To Have and to Hold
    7 of 16
    8 of 16
    9 of 16 Style Meets Sustenance
    10 of 16 House Proud
    11 of 16
    12 of 16
    13 of 16
    14 of 16
    15 of 16
    16 of 16

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    A Handcrafted Home: The House Tour
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.