Eclectic Second Hand Charm in the Midwest
Would you like to visit an eclectic home today belong to a blogger who shops mostly second hand? Oh yes, of course! Lovely Amanda from Here's Looking at Me, Kid and her partner Phil want to share their cozy Ohio home with you. I thought it would be fun to get her thoughts on decorating so in addition to her photos, here's a mini interview too. I hope this gets your creative wheels spinning and pay extra special attention to the many details - very sweet!
What is the inspiration behind your eclectic second hand home decorating style? Amanda: I'm really inspired by eclectic places that aren't too carefully decorated. I like to see homes, like the loft space of Emily Chalmers (of the book, Flea Market Style), that look like the contents have been collected over a period of years and where everything is truly loved -- though might not perfectly fit. We've only been on our own for just under five years and have been in this apartment for under two, so collecting and curating is something we're just beginning to figure out. We are moving into our first house soon so I'm looking forward to wallpapering (yippee!) and arranging beautiful treasures that will add a nice, cozy feeling to our home. It's also important to note that in addition to the dream homes of admirable artists and designers, I'm also heavily inspired by our tiny budget. If it's free, made by me, or found at a thrift store, it's much more likely to take a place in our ever-changing home.
How do you define your interior style? Amanda: My style used to be much more modern, wavering between an intense appreciation for minimal Swiss design and American mid-century modern style. Since moving into this 1920's Tudor revival apartment, I found my tastes encompassing more of a crazy variety of styles- like a mix of kitschy vintage, traditional, and a dash of the sort of mid century style I can afford.
Where do you find ideas and inspiration for your home? Amanda: On blogs, online and in magazines. I appreciate referring to my inspiration folder, where I had adhered all of my favorite tear sheets from Domino, Metropolitan Home and Elle Decor. Since most of my inspiration is found lately in the digital world, my inspiration folder resides at Pinterest these days. It is tremendously important to save images of homes and styles I love because it can be so difficult pin-pointing my exact style. I appreciate all good design but don't necessarily want to live with all of it in my home! Keeping inspiration folders online or otherwise makes everything much less overwhelming, helps me detect trends I enjoy, and encourages me to figure out ways to bring similar elements into my own home.
What do you love about your home? Amanda: I really adore the high ceilings, unique architectural elements, and even the squeaky old wooden floors that hint to our apartment's mysterious history. The structure of the space really sets a nice vibe for everything we've put inside. We appreciate the things that fill our apartment and are quite proud that none of our home furnishings and accessories are monetarily valuable. Almost everything has been purchased second hand, and that sort of responsibility makes for guilt-free enjoyment of everything we have.
What makes a house a home? Amanda: We host lots of parties in our apartment, so it's important for our space to seem approachable, comfortable, and intimate. I love that when new guests arrive and proclaim that "everything is just sooo you!" To me, that means our apartment hasn't been just a living space, but a home that says something about the people who live there. I love to be here, our friends love to be here, and happiness abounds in our home. And that's why it's more than just a house.
Lovely, right!? What caught your attention? I love that striped light green sofa shown directly above because my mother had this in our home when I was a child and it made me happy to see it again! I also love all of her rugs, they are fun!
(images: amanda johnson)