Who’s in the mood for some snooping? When Lori and her husband Greg (and their sweet son Owen) invited us over to crash their charming Richmond home, we jumped at the chance. Isn’t that little tin roof over the door awesome? I also love that the front steps are tiered on three sides instead of being closed in on the ends. Bet someone could DIY that…
Lori and Greg are actually veterans of the House Crashing experience. They had us over their first home back in 2010 (when both Lori and I were both prego). We loved that house so much that we couldn’t wait to see where they lived now…
… especially since in the time that we last crashed them they’ve had a son and were just on the cusp of having a daughter! Ellie actually came a little while ago, but Lori was still pregnant when we crashed her house. Apparently we only invade her home her while she’s with child.
The small world story is that they had a son named Owen just a few months after I had Clara and we hadn’t seen them for a few years. But now, by coincidence, Owen and Clara are preschool classmates. Seriously, we walked into school the first day and said “no way! how are you?!”
So while our kids were in school one morning, Lori had us over to check out their new has-room-for-two-kiddos home (we wanted to squeeze the house crash in before she had a newborn to work around). So here’s a shot of their pretty formal living room in the front of the house. The tall ceilings with thick detailed molding were awesome. Nearly all of Lori’s furniture is secondhand (hailing from Craigslist and thrift stores alike) which is always a really cool layered look – and of course it’s a nice budget-friendly method. She also loves to get accessories from places like HomeGoods and flash sale sites (the starburst mirror was scored at a deep discount from One King’s Lane).
My favorite spot in the whole house was the more casual family room in the back of the house right off of the kitchen. See these built-ins? Lori and Greg hired a local handyman to build them to fit between those two windows and provide a ton of kid-friendly storage. So smart. You wouldn’t believe all the toys, games, movies and other clutter they’ve wisely hidden in those drawers & cabinets. I especially liked that they chose doors that are flush with the frame (it had a really clean look). And for anyone looking for a handyman, Lori said she found him through her realtor’s recommendation, so that method can actually work out.
So even if you’re not able to build a giant TV cabinet yourself, it’s amazing how much input you can have by hiring someone local to make it (and it can often be cheaper than getting one made by a larger company, like KraftMaid or even buying a giant unit at Pottery Barn and paying a hefty shipping fee). You also get to pick the cubby sizes, the type of doors, the hardware, the paint color, the placement, etc – so it’s a great way to be involved and end up with something super functional and fitted to your home. Oh and see that coffee table? Lori got it at The Dump (the same local furniture outlet where we got our dining room table). The funny thing is that now stores like West Elm are selling tables like it, but she got it a while ago from a furniture discounter! I love that.
The kitchen is really open to the casual living room, so picture us taking this shot with our backs to the built-ins from the photo above. We loved that it had wood cabinets since so many of you guys request that we share house crashings beyond white kitchens (we share whatever we get invited to crash! haha!).
They had a nice dark granite to work with the cabinets (and dark hardware on the wood cabinets to tie it in) and the giant window over the sink was amazing. This shot does it no justice, but it’s a gorgeous wooded lot so Lori can basically watch birds and deer and pretend she’s Snow White while she washes dishes.
This little nook in the kitchen, to the left of the white table above, was one of my favorite little “moments” in the whole house. That gorgeous painting was by a local artist that Lori and Greg picked up a few months ago at the “READ Art Show” (held annually at the New Community School here in Richmond). I love the bright colors with the thin frame around it.
In person it’s about 100 times prettier. And those two skinny cork lamps were so cool and unusual on that pretty mid-century cabinet that Lori found on Craigslist and updated with new knobs.
Wanna see the cork lamps a little closer? They’re from another local furniture outlet called The Decorating Outlet (which is where we’ve found a lot of the lights in our house too, like the pendants in our kitchen and the capiz chandelier in Clara’s nursery).
This shot is what you see if you step about five steps to the left of the photo above, and it’s the hallway that leads from the front door to the kitchen. We loved the old industrial stool (a craigslist find!) and that huge cow painting (from a local shop called The Wild Orchid). And doesn’t that black door frame in the background look awesome?
If you step further into the hallway you can see a little entryway table and a casual striped rug (which is another flash sale site find from One King’s Lane). The touches of black in the door, the letter on the wall, and the stripes in the rug were really pretty and understated I thought. Lori has this way of decorating that sort of screams “oh I just tossed this together” – especially in person. It really gives off an awesome not-too-fussy vibe. After all, two kids under two and a half live here, so it has to be functional and work for the family.
Here’s a shot of their bedroom upstairs, continuing with the not-too-fussy theme. Doesn’t everything from the small sunburst mirror (another secondhand find) to those cool dark sconces and that orange pillow just feel warm and inviting without feeling extra frou-frou? The whole house has a very “we actually live here” vibe, which is awesome and comfortable. And those sconces also hail from The Decorating Outlet here in Richmond.
This pretty side chair on the other side of their bedroom was a secondhand score (Lori recovered the seat with some new fabric from a local fabric outlet called U-Fab). I love how those ikat-ish stripes in the fabric pick up on the darker elements in the room like the dark frames, the dark sconces above the bed, the dresser, etc. Just like in her hallway (two shots back) Lori has a way with using hits of dark colors just so (it never feels dark or brooding, just crisp and interesting).
Here’s their bathroom and although they inherited a tub in the middle of the room set on a diagonal, Lori decided to work with what she had and just added a ton of function. So she had the same handyman who built that awesome media cabinet in her family room build the cabinets under those two windows on the back wall and she brought in that pretty dresser with the mirror above it for even more storage.
This is actually where she bathes her kids, so it’s nice to have that dark-drawered dresser (another thifty find from an old antique shop) to fill with kid-bath-stuff, while the white cabinets under the windows are used for seating and even more storage for her and her husband’s stuff. And going back to the dark hits of color thing that Lori does so well, see how she picked a dark-framed mirror and that dark-fronted cabinet to balance the dark vanities on the other side of the room? Love that.
Ellie’s room is awesome. This is how it looked before she was born – all floofed for the camera (of course the pillows and stuffed animals are out of the crib now that she’s here). And see that pretty crib? It’s from Pottery Barn – but she got it on Craigslist! Awesome right? She didn’t even need to paint it, it came that color.
The bunny art above the crib is something Lori found at a local store called Strawberry Fields, but the cool thing is that it’s actually by a local artist that John and I met at the craft fair last year. It’s a small world, eh? We love her stuff (Clara has the same bunny in the hall). And how cute is that felt mobile? It was an Etsy find.
Lori also got these cute book shelves on Etsy. I love the hot pink color and the way they play with the side table that Lori painted with a hot pink top. And that plush rocker below them is also a Craigslist find.
Owen’s room is awesome too. We were especially into this giant piece of art over his crib, which was actually a large piece of fabric that Lori stretched over a canvas and stapled around the back. It totally looks like a giant painting, right? The fabric is Marimekko for anyone wondering (it’s out of stock, but hopefully that link and the name might help you track it down on ebay or from another fabric wholesaler if you’re interested?).
There are sets of pretty pocket doors in a few places, like this one that looks into the guest room.
Here’s that room a little closer. I love the old metal bed and the placement of it under the window with the peaked ceilings on either side of it. The cool thing about that bed is that it was Lori’s from childhood. Yup, she’s had it for nearly 30 years!
The same goes for the dresser, it’s from her room as a child and she didn’t even paint it (or the bed) – this is them in their original 30-years-old glory. Don’t you love the casual cottage-y feeling they add to the room? And of course I’m awkwardly obsessed with that glass based lamp (another secondhand find of Lori’s).
Looking through the other side of those pocket doors you can see a chill little office/playroom/sitting room.
I loved these cool blue cube tables that Lori paired together (they’re from Home Decorators), along with framing a National Geographic map that she cut into nine parts on the back wall.
So that’s Lori, Greg, Owen, and Ellie’s awesome home. We’re so grateful they invited us over to shoot some pics to share with you – and we hope you guys got a kick out of touring their home from the comforts of your chair/sofa. Want to play the favorite part game? I loved the pocket doors, the colorful art in the kitchen, and the awesome family room built-ins. Meanwhile John dug that clever fabric-made-into-art over Owen’s crib, the fact that most furnishings were secondhand finds, and also called those living room built-ins right along with me. Ok, your turn.
Psst- Let’s keep snooping! Click here to virtually walk around over 45 homes that we’ve crashed.
Emily says
Oh man, I LOVE this one!
The black accents in the hallway, the granite & wood kitchen, those big green vases in the built ins…and that free-standing tub! And the map art!
Does she have a blog?
YoungHouseLove says
She doesn’t but if she ever starts on I’ll link up for sure!
xo
s
Liza says
I never comment on anything, but I ha I say I LOVE this house. Besides what has already been said, it really seems like everything was thought out and carefully selected and edited. Could I bother you to ask where the dressier living room sofa is from? I am looking for something like that! And how does it do with the little ones? Enjoy your new baby…she is a lucky girl with tht nursery!
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she drops by with that info for you!
xo,
s
Lori says
Hi, thanks so much! The couch in the living room is from Bassett Furniture. We’ve had it a few years, and it’s held up great to kids, two cats, and a dog. We bought a more durable fabric that’s made to look like linen. Good luck with your purchase!
Nico says
Is there anyway you can find out what color she painted her kitchen? I have similar colored cabinets and that yellowish color would look great. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I think Lori replied to paint questions earlier in the comments. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa Shipman says
Wow! I’m so inspired to keep searching on Craigslist! I’m trying so hard to lose my “craigslist virginity” but just haven’t found a piece that’s worked out yet! I’m going to persevere though! Thanks for sharing!
Emily says
“craigslist virginity”
Thanks for making me burst out laughing and snort my drink! :-p
Jorja says
I love her house and the photos you took! However, I’m really loving their cat photobombing not one, but two photos! (My favorite is the formal living room shot…the little guy’s ears are poking above the couch cushion!)
Ashley @ sunnysideshlee.com says
This house is absolutely beautiful and cozy. I’m obsessed with the exterior! How gorgeous! And her living room nook (the first image shown of the interior) is my favorite next to that GORGEOUS soaker tub…seriously, I have tub envy.
Dana says
Love that black door. I recently painted mine navy and it still makes me smile every time I look at it. Such a simple upgrade!
Carrie M. says
I haven’t even finished reading this post yet, but I had stop and say that this whole time I’ve thought you just got extremely lucky and found your dining table at “the dump”….as in, the landfill. LOL!! Oh sheesh. Not entirely sure why I thought you’d be pecking around the trash heap for house furniture, but I figured I shouldn’t knock frugality. :)
Erin says
Beautiful house! Where did you get the crib in the new baby’s room? I love it!! Thanks!
Erin says
Lori- I would love to know where you got the crib from. Thanks!
Lori says
Thank you! I got the crib off of Craigslist, but it’s a Pottery Barn crib that they still sell. I think they only have it in white and brown now. Good luck!
Megan B says
I’m in love with the bathroom, but really, the whole house is beautiful and approachable. I love that she finds so many items on Craigslist and at local shops. I hate feeling like I’m walking into a store’s catalog when I’m at someone’s house (makes me think of the Friends episode where Rachel keeps shopping at Pottery Barn but tells Phoebe it’s all from a flea market).
My husband builds a lot of our cabinets/shelves/toy boxes, etc, and I love that no one can buy the exact same thing anywhere. Unless they’d like to hire my husband–which they sometimes do!
Donna says
I have never been so jealous of a house in my entire life! The whole thing is just perfect!
Stacy says
I’ve absolutely loved both of their homes. Does Lori make house calls? I’m local. :) Haha! My place could sure use her touch.
Kate says
Beautiful Home! I’m curious…where did the sofa in the first living room come from? The one below the starburst mirror?
YoungHouseLove says
Hope Lori can stop in with that info!
xo,
s
Lori says
Thank you! The sofa came from Bassett Furniture. We got it a few years ago and really like it.
Courtney M says
Simply gorgeous through & through! Hey Lori, can you come back and please tell me where you got those beautiful emerald vases in your built-ins? Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she drops in with that for ya!
xo,
s
Lori says
Thanks so much! They came from a local antique shop. Glad you like them!
Stephanie M. says
Beautiful home Lori!!! If you have the time, could you please tell me where you got the tree that is in the first picture. I believe it’s your living room. I’ve been trying to figure out where to find one since seeing it in a magazine. Thanks!!!
Lori says
Thanks so much! The tree is called a fiddle leaf fig, and I got it locally at a placed called The Great Big Greenhouse. I’ve heard they sometimes have them at Lowes or Home Depot, but I personally have never seen them there. I called around to a few places in town to find one before I got lucky. Just a word of caution – though I love them and heard that they are easy to care for, I’ve found them to be a little tricky – they need just the right kind of light and not too moist soil. I killed one but am having better luck with the one in the living room. Happy growing!
Lori H says
I am hoping Lori will share her source for re-upholstering…I live in Richmond and would love to find someone I can trust!
Lori says
Hi! I haven’t used anyone in Richmond for re-upholstering yet – I did use a woman in Petersburg about 6 years ago that did a good job, but I don’t have her contact info. anymore. I also used the Interior Outlet for drapes in our bedroom, and they did a very good job. I’ve heard that U-Fab does re-upholstering, so I may try them at some point. Good luck!
Annie says
Love the Marimekko print above the nursery. Can you give a mini-tutorial on how that was accomplished?
YoungHouseLove says
I would get the fabric, stretch it over the front of a canvas and then staple it tautly in the back. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Blair says
Okay, I see the first couch source was mentioned but now I want to know where the office/living room/playroom one is from.
Lori says
Hi! The couch in the office/playroom is from Sleepers in Seatlte. I ordered it online because I was having problems finding a pull-out couch that would fit in the space. Hope that helps!
Barbara says
Gorgeous house! I would love to know where she got the tan rug in the formal living room. Thanks for any info you can provide!
Lori says
Thanks!! The tan rug in the living room is from JCPenney. It’s actually an indoor/outdoor rug, which makes it great with kids and pets. Hope that helps!
lynn says
I’m currently crib shopping and love Owen’s. Any details on where his is from?
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s hoping Lori drops in with that info for ya!
xo
s
Lori says
Hi! Here you go: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/babyletto-Modo-3-in-1-Crib-with-Toddler-Rail/4354584/product.html
lynn says
Thank you!! And it’s a great price, which is an added bonus
[email protected] says
This house has WONDERFUL curb appeal and is so tastefully done. I just got inspired to do a little Craig’s List shopping :)
Jen says
I would love to know the color of the paint…did they leave a random paint can for touch ups? It’s the perfect neutral Yellow I want!!! Also where did that incredible rug come from in the living room?…I must have!!!
Lindsay O. says
So I had to comment on the elephant fabric in Owen’s room. It totally cracks me up that he’s wearing cowboy boots! And not just the boots! He’s only wearing TWO! HA!
Candice says
I’d love to know where the curtain rods and curtains in the living room were purchased from.
Lori says
Hi! The curtains are from Tuesday Morning, and the rods are from Lowes. Hope that helps!
Ashley says
Fabulous! My question is directed to both Sherry & Lori…with all of your thrifted finds (thrift stores, craigslist, garage sales, etc) are you intentionally looking for something in particular or just happen to stumble across an item you like and eventually find a place for it in your home…or a combo of both?
YoungHouseLove says
For me it’s a combo (sometimes I find something perfect for an exact spot or function I’m looking for and sometimes I just find something cute like art or a lamp that I know I can find a place for). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Lori says
Hi! I agree with Sherry – it’s a combo for me as well. Typically, though, I search Craigslist for something specific, but when I’m in a thrift store, I’m usually “open” to seeing what I like and then finding a spot for it in the house.
Robin says
Lori,
If you are still reading– who is the artist of the large abstract painting with the pinks, greens, etc…??
thank you, you’re home is beautiful!
Lori says
Hi, and thank you! The painting was done by a local artist named Mary Melton. Hope that helps!
Helen says
Any chance Lori would be willing to give a rough estimate on the cost of built-ins? We know it will vary depending on location, materials and other stuff, but we are considering the same, and I want to get my face ready for $1,500 or $15,000.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hope she drops in with that info for ya if she’s comfortable putting it out there on the internet :)
xo
s
Lori says
Hi there! We did the built-ins as part of a larger job (painting wood paneling, etc.), so I’m not really sure how much they were, but definitely somewhere in the low-to-mid price range. I’m sure we could have gotten then cheaper (lower quality), but we also could have spent a lot more on them, too (different type of wood, etc.). Hope that helps!
Jen Coombs says
Beautiful home!! What is the color of paint and where did the rug in the living room come from? I love it so much I must own it!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she shares that soon!
xo
s
Lori says
Thanks so much! We unfortunately don’t know the name of the yellow paint used, as it was done before we moved in. The living room rug is from JCPenney and is an indoor/outdoor rug. Hope that helps!
Ashley says
Lori & Sherry – The office is my least favorite room in a house. How do you organize your office space? When looking at both of your places I do NOT see clutter, papers, bills, electronics, additional office supples etc. I always seem to have a difficult time concealing printers, shredders, extra papers, pens, pencils, markers, stickers, important papers, etc. Advice?
YoungHouseLove says
We just try to have a place for everything, so there’s a file cabinet full of all the papers that would litter our desk as well as a little shelf in the middle of our desk for stashing notebooks and bills and other clutter in those three little “inboxes” so things can be tucked away. Our shredder is tucked in one of the cabinets below the desk and our printer is in our file cabinet on the other wall. Pens and markers are in a cup, etc. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Kaitlyn K W says
Where did she get her couch? That’s the style I’ve been searching for!
YoungHouseLove says
She dropped in with that info in the comments if you scroll back :)
xo
s
Lori says
Hi! I’ll second what Sherry said – trying to find a place for everything. We try to organize the office supplies we have in a computer armoire and a small dresser (that we also have a small TV sitting on). I also keep incoming mail/bills in a separate space, so that helps keep down extra papers making their way into the office space. Good luck with your office organization!
Erin says
Your friends choose names very well. Our son (3 years) is named Owen and our daughter (9mos) is named Ellie. Crazy!!!!
Brenda says
The framed cut up map is a great idea I may have to adopt and I love the dresser with the cork lamps.
liz says
I love everything about this house. She has such a relaxed yet beautiful style. I want to move it.
Ariel says
Where did you get the bedding for the upstairs bedroom?
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she drops by with that info for ya (it might already have been mentioned if you scroll back through the comments :)
xo
s
Lori says
Hi! The master bedroom bedding is made by Portico (we got it at Tuesday Morning), and the guest bedding is a mix of TJ Maxx and Pottery Barn.
Sara says
I love this!!! I have that west elm coffee table and love it! Laos, do you know where she got her nursery bookshelves (which etsy shop) and lastly I am stealing that map nine frame idea!
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she drops in with that info!
xo,
s
Lori says
Thanks! The pink shelves are from etsy seller HappyWoodGoods. Hope that helps!
Sara says
Laos= also while holding a squirmy 7 month old :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
Julie says
Hi,
We have the same chairs in our kitchen as you, as well as the matching table which was a hand-me-down given to my grandma and then to me. Where did you get your chairs? I have 4, but would like to have 2 more.
It is inspirational to see your house because we did some updating and coincidentally had similar kitchen cabinetry built, and painted our LR and DR the same color as yours. I really am having a hard time figuring out what to do with it b/c it looks different than I expected. I love your style–mix of modern and traditional. Thanks for sharing!
YoungHouseLove says
Hope she drops in with that info for ya!
xo,
s
Lori says
Thanks so much! The chairs are vintage Paul McCobb – so jealous that you have the matching table! We got two of the chairs from a local Richmond store called Metro Modern, and the other two I scored off of CraigsList. Good luck in your search!!