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House Proud
House Proud: Maryland's Salvaged Space
Find out why Nicole from is proud of her home in Silver Spring, Maryland, filled with repurposed items that are both beautiful and functional!
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Fresh, Romantic Master Bedroom
Nicole, an artist Silver Springs, Maryland, is the writer of "I Hate To Alarm You," a blog featuring comparisons between interiors and artwork (ihatetoalarmyou.blogspot.com). "If our master bedroom was a piece of art, I think it would have to be the Japanese ink painting of love birds on a cherry blossom branch that hangs above our bed," says Nicole. "It is fresh and romantic without being cloying or overly feminine."
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Quality, Historical Materials
"I believe in living with quality materials, both because of the history that they impart to a space and the beautiful patina that they develop over time," says Nicole. "Formica and wood-composite furniture just tends to look sad after a while! We lucked out with this vanity (pictured, with the date 1822 carved into the back) which was left behind by previous owners in our first apartment." -
Kitchen Renovations
Major home renovations were not in Nicole's budget when she moved in, so she worked with the confines of the narrow galley kitchen by envisioning it as a 1950s pie counter. "We painted the cabinets white, the walls a light blue and swapped out the soul-crushing florescent overhead for a vintage light fixture that I bought inexpensively on eBay," she recalls. "Then we added some cheery retro accessories, a vintage chalkboard for listing our weekly meals, a few ticking-stripe covered cork boards to finish the feel."
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Functional and Fun Decor
"In a little house it is crucial to decorate with objects that are simultaneously beautiful and useful," Nicole notes. "There is only so much counter space! If the mixer has to live on the counter, then it might as well serve as a tomato-red sculpture as well, and if you love the shape of a vintage milk bottle, then you better find a way to make it into a lamp!" -
A Home with History
"Our living room was inspired by a cross between old-school libraries and the abstract paintings by my grandfather, Ernest Daly, which are propped on our mantle," says Nicole. "The bookcase corals a collection of our books and other treasures behind glass doors. The wall above the reading chair is hung with a mini gallery of artwork by family members of all ages. Yellow ribbons were sewing onto the inner edges of the curtains in a shade pulled from the yellow of my grandfather's painting." -
Family and Tradition
"Most people don't think of antiques and children coexisting easily, but we've actually found that pieces like this estate-sale find of a couch are way more child-friendly then the standard Ikea fare," notes Nicole. "They were built to last with sturdy frames that have stood the test of time and look cultured rather than worn as a result. Throw on some bright, modern pillows in indoor/outdoor fabric and you have yourself a real family couch!" The mirror and dining room table belonged to Nicole's husband's grandmother. "We ebonized the table and used canvas drop-cloth from home depot to reupholster the dinning chairs. Family and tradition are beautiful evolving things, and this mirror and dinning set represents the way that we incorporate that concept into our home." -
Spaces with Personality
"We hope our house reflects all the personalities of the people who live here," says Nicole. "Here are our children Max, Gus and Georgia standing in front of our living room fireplace after dressing themselves for the day."
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