You can tell something special is going on before you even step inside the home of Christy Robicheaux-Olsson.
It’s not just that her home is more than 100 years old, one of the most well-preserved Dutch Colonial Revival homes in the state, perched on a lofty double lot in north Everett.
That helps.
But what really sets Robicheaux-Olsson’s home apart is her obsession with all things French.
That’s formal French, not French country, mixed with eclectic and contemporary touches.
Think Moulin Rouge meets Marie Antoinette with more fur, flowers, Eiffel Towers, crystals, beads, feathers and fleurs-de-lis than you ever thought possible in home decorating.
Envelop all those embellishments in the turn-of-the-century grandeur of a lovingly restored historic home and you’ll find the one-of-a-kind style of Robicheaux-Olsson and her husband, Jason Olsson.
History buffs and decorating aficionados alike can walk through nearly every room of the couple’s 2,500-sqaure-foot Hoyt Avenue home Saturday as part of Historic Everett’s annual home tour fundraiser.
Eight north Everett homes will be featured on the tour in addition to the nonprofit organization’s second-annual Restoration Fair at Trinity Lutheran College, featuring experts on restoring and decorating old abodes.
Outside Robicheaux-Olsson’s home, her French and European influences are immediately obvious: Miniature swag garlands hang over the large windows facing the street.
Standing in the middle of the front porch, a cherub statue is a nonchalant greeter between wicker sofas decorated with cozy animal-print cushions and luxurious pillows.
Black and white-striped porch drapes sway lazily in the late summer breeze to enclose the surprisingly intimate, covered area.
Underfoot, a rug features a French poem in flowery, cursive writing.
Faux, nonpink peonies explode from nearby urns. Romantic formal gardens surround the place.
If it all sounds amazingly over the top, just wait until you see the rest of the house.
Robicheaux-Olsson, who has worked professionally in interior design fields since she was 21, said the historic home has been the perfect place to showcase her Parisian style.
“This is really personal,” she said. “It’s my love, my passion.”
Robicheaux-Olsson, 49, said her husband, 48, and sons, Gerrin Tramis, 29, and Jordan Bush, 23, have been extremely supportive of her dream to not only restore the old home, but also to decorate it with flair.
Her design business, Signature Design, doesn’t involve many clients who would want such elaborate French decor, she said.
“I don’t get the opportunity to do this style for anyone,” she said. “I indulge myself.”
The Olssons were living in a new home on Rucker Hill in 2005 when they heard about an intriguing property in north Everett that was not yet on the market, but likely to be for sale.
They visited the place during an estate sale, fell in love and immediately urged the owners to accept a full-price offer with no inspection.
After much persuading, the owners accepted.
Designed and built in 1907 by Harry Lansdown, a lumber and paint merchant, the home had only three previous owners and none of them made very many changes.
Many things needed updating, however, to allow for modern living.
The Olsson family completely refurbished the kitchen, last remodeled in the 1950s.
They also renovated the heating and hot water systems.
They painted the place inside and out — not a small undertaking – removing a great deal of pistachio green along the way.
They restored the original luster to the fir floors, fireplaces, doors, hardware, lighting, crown molding, trim and staircase.
They had the roof and porch columns replaced. They renovated the carriage house to showcase two sets of manual double garage doors.
In many of the rooms, they retained the original wallpaper because the prints worked perfectly with Robicheaux-Olsson’s many lavish displays of accessories, including an array of lamps, paintings and sculptures.
Antiques, such as a turn-of-the-century burlwood piano in the living room, mix easily with trendier flourishes, such as a motorized mirror ball, rotating and sparkling in a glass cabinet.
Ruby, raspberry, pink, green and burgundy hues dominate along with many bold black-and-white accent pieces.
Robicheaux-Olsson delights in every detail.
Her home is an escape and she credits her husband especially for supporting her sense of style.
They honeymooned in Paris in 2001 and have returned many times since then to France.
Their cat, an elegant, timid, white-footed tabby, is named Paris.
“Some people live in a home and they want pure function. I want a house with pure form,” she said. “I want to live the life of a Parisian.”
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Take the tour
What, when, where: The Historic Everett Home Tour will feature eight historic homes, including the Robicheaux-Olsson home, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in north Everett.
The 100-year-old Hartley Mansion also will be featured on the tour, an annual fund-raiser for Historic Everett, a nonprofit organization.
Also Saturday, Historic Everett will host its second-annual Restoration Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran College, 2802 Wetmore Ave., Everett.
Visitors will find more than two dozen vendors specializing in historic properties, including antique dealers, appraisers, architects, builders, painters, landscapers and interior designers.
Seattle Building Salvage will be at the fair along with vendors who offer stained glass, windows, wiring, bathtub and furniture refinishing, vintage lighting and hardware.
Under the Red Umbrella of north Everett will sell sandwiches and beverages.
Cost: Tickets for the home tour are $15 for Historic Everett members and $20 for nonmembers and can be purchased at J. Matheson Gifts, Kitchen &Gourmet, 2615 Colby Ave., Everett, or during tour hours at the Van Valey House, 2130 Colby Ave., Everett.
Visitors to the fair who are not attending the tour will be asked for a $5 donation to Historic Everett.
Information: See www.historiceverett.org or call Andrea Tucker at 425-870-6699 for more information.
Signature Design
Christy Robicheaux-Olsson
clrobicheaux-olsson @clearwire.net
425-308-2616
Robicheaux-Olsson is one of the former owners of Day Z Decor of Mukilteo, a retail and design shop that closed in 2009.
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