bspoke

About Bethany

Bethany Hway is a designer, blogger, & creative-thinker with an eye for natural details and a love for simple beauty. She enjoys sunny days, good food, and adventure. She grew up in the northwoods of Minnesota, and then settled in the small town on the edge of the city. “Home” is a cozy Cape Cod that she shares with her husband and her yellow lab, Emmy. In her spare time, Bethany loves to travel, explore, photograph, design, create, cook, write, sew, think, plan, play and ponder. In 2008, she founded Emmy Lu Design Studio, a digital stationery shop. Today, when she’s not running Emmy Lu or authoring b*spoke, Bethany can be found working as a creative freelancer under Bethany Hway Creative Co.

Located on the fringe between rolling farmland and pristine lakes, Bethany’s home is a classic brick Cape Cod, built in 1932 by the owner of the local hardware store. He handcrafted the house for his sweetheart, who had one small request before she marry him – that he build her a brick house (Demanding, aren’t we?). He spared no expense, and his attention to detail was second to none. The home has only been lived in by four other families since the original owner and builder, and for the most part, it is still true to it’s vintage form.

Bethany and her husband bought the home in June of 2008 as its 5th owners, and promptly got to work settling in and making it their own.  The first step was to paint every inch of wall, removing all traces of the red kitchen, yellow boy’s room, and periwinkle guest room. The new colors are subtle and cool, reminiscent of a neutral seascape, with plenty of blues, grays, browns, tans, and greens.

As a whole, the house has a light, airy feel, while maintaining a certain charm and coziness. The layout is fairly simple and straightforward, allowing for easy entertaining, without feeling too open and cavernous. The three bedrooms are small and snug, tucked into the upstairs dormers. Outside the six-paned windows, the home is surrounded by towering oaks and a half acre of gardens and grass.