Andrea of hula seventy

It's Show & Tell Home Tour time again here in Home & Garden Buzz.

Today, we are popping in on creative mama, photographer, collector, and blogger Andrea Jenkins, otherwise known as girlhula of hula seventy.

Come on inside...

It's hard for me to remember when I fell in love with the world that is hula seventy. Andrea has such a eye for finding amazing colors and patterns in the everyday. I joke they must only exist in Andrea's world. For a few years, I have gazed amazed over her lovely photographs, and here and there she's given us small peeks into her family home. But I just had to get a better look around and talk to Andrea about the home she and Ward have made for their family. You're going to love this...

 

1. Andrea, tell us a little about your family and the size of your home.

We are a family of four living in a three-bedroom 1920s-era cottage in Portland, Oregon. There's my husband, Ward (a freelance animator and illustrator), my daughter Ava (age 8), my son Ezra (age 4), and me, Andrea.

Family time on the green couch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. How do you approach decorating in your home? What's the most important thing and how do children and their tastes fit into that approach?

For me, bringing together a space (or an entire home) is a slow, thoughtul process. The most important things to me are color, comfort, functionality, and individuality. We're artists and collectors and I think our home represents that. There are pieces of the four of us all over the house—artwork, personal collections, photographs, favorite things.

A peep into the bright kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly, I like a sense of ordered chaos; I like repetition, pattern, and large groupings of similar objects. I am constantly shifting things around. I think a space needs time to breathe, to evolve. We've also put a lot of thought into the livability and comfort of each space. For example, we opted to convert the formal dining area into a family room. This is where we do most of our living—this is where we draw, read, hang out, watch movies, and end the day together. It also gives us the space we need to spread out. 

Collection of art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And while we've put a lot of thought into the comfort and functionality of our home, we've also devoted a good amount to the visual aspect. I want us to feel inspired by the things we see everyday, the things we surrounds ourselves with. Which is why color, artwork and personal collections are so important to me. I don't pay attention to trends. I'm a big fan of 'if you love it, you'll find a way to make it work.'

Books, globes, and photo booth fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I also believe that kids need some sense of ownership in the process, whether it has to do with choosing where their drawings and paintings will be hung or what vase the flowers will go into.

Ava's lovely bedroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ezra's cool bedroom wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, I collect many things, but I have chosen to focus on the personal collections I think the kids will enjoy most. For example, the kids love the letters that hang on the walls. My old cigar box collection houses the kids' art supplies. The vintage world globes are meant to be picked up, touched and spun around and around. They aren't really breakable, which means they can withstand a fair amount of abuse. Plus, both the globes and the old maps serve as great teaching tools.

Collection of vintage world globes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vintage pennant collection represents places we've lived or visited, places we'd like to go. Everything is personal. Every choice reflects some part of who we are.

Vintage pennants from, oh, the places they'll go (or have been!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. You like to make lists. How do lists function in your household?

I like to joke that my lists are the workhorse of our everyday life. I have a list for everything—daily to-do, weekly to-do, things that need to be organized, things the kids are working on, art projects we want to try, places we want to go, recipes that might work. You name it, I have a list for it. It's how I keep my head from going in a million different directions and how I'm able to function on a daily basis. It's also how things get done around the house. I'm pretty sure I've converted both my husband and my daughter into list-makers. Still working on Ezra. But he'll come around.

Old maps and a bowl full of Polaroids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. How important is a clean house to you? Do you pick up for guests or do you let them see how things really look day to day?

Pretty important. A sense of order in the house sets the tone for the day. I don't necessarily clean so much as I tidy. I straighten and tidy the house in the mornings and clean weekly, if I can. And I usually feel best if I can pick up before guests arrive, but I won't freak out if I can't.

Family photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. What household chore do you tend to back burner most so you can tend to your creative life?

Laundry. Laundry gets me every time. I'll let the laundry go if it means a little (or a lot) of extra creative time. And I've been known to put off the the more labor-intensive housework as well.

Vintage desk by the window

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. What is your most important everyday ritual at home?

Our family time together in the evening, right before bed. We all end up on the big green couch in the family room. Couch time is for reading together, talking about the day, the week ahead. It's when we slow down and transition into bedtime. I'm thankful to have a space that lends itself so perfectly to this daily ritual.

Formal dining room turned family room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Do you have anything in your home brought over from your own childhood home? Tell us about this item.

We have a stack of old books from my childhood. The kids know those are special so we only get them out every once in a while. Mostly, I have things from my grandmother's home, things I grew up loving, things I was completely fascinated with. A little yellow honey pot (that I was never really allowed to touch), an old mirror with pink flamingos on it. These are just a few things that have made their way into my home. They fit right in with our vintage things and are pieces with such personal history. They remind me of summers spent at my grandma's house. And I love that.

Grandma's yellow honey pot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What is one indulgence you give into?

Fresh flowers. Although, since moving to Portland, I have a bigger garden than ever. The previous owners (our landlords and friends) planted so that there'd be something in bloom almost all year round. And I plant my own flowers as well. There's almost always something to cut and bring inside. When there's not, I love to bring home a small bouquet from the market. Flowers are absolutely essential during the long bouts of rain and grey that hover over Portland a good part of the year.

Cigar boxes and fresh flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. What are your favorite stores to shop for home?

I love a good flea market. And by good, I mean junky. The majority of our furniture and collections have come from years and years of combing flea markets. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a good one out here in Portland. Lucky for me, there's an abundance of thrift stores (RERUN is my favorite) and antique shops. Also, I love IKEA. It's my go-to place for things like rugs, pillows, picture frames, and the like.

10. What are your favorite Home & Garden blogs or websites?

I love Poppytalk—I've been following Jan since she first started her blog back in 2005. She always posts the most amazing things. Also love: Sfgirlbybay, The Selby, Apartment Therapy's Ohdeedoh, shelterrific, and Design*Sponge.

 

Thanks so much for the tour of your home, Andrea. That was good and pretty fun.

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