Christina’s Comfortable, Collected Austin Abode

Name: Christina Simon, co-owner of Feathers Boutique, interior designer at Mark Ashby Design and graphic designer with clothing line through Alchemy Design. Shares home with partner Ed Davis.
Location: Windsor Park, Austin Texas
Size: 1100 square feet
Years lived in: Owned 10 years

Christina wears a lot of hats. She’s an interior designer for a high-end residential design firm in Austin. She’s personally tackled some hip commercial spaces like Stubbs, Trinity Hall and Emos Austin. She lends her design skills to a clothing line and co-owns Austin fashion must-stop Feathers Boutique (Editors Note: This is, hands down, one of the BEST vintage clothing shops ever – Janel). What all these hats have in common is a keen eye for the aesthetic, which is reflected in her warm, welcoming home full of vintage finds expertly assembled.

Tucked in a neighborhood in Central Austin, Christina’s home is noticeable from the street with its dark exterior paint job. Inside, a soft array of cheery interior colors and crisp white form the background of a collection of vintage finds, earthy textiles and a few DIY-designed projects, like the living room sofa that also doubles to house her and her partner Ed’s healthy record collection. An avid traveler, the house is filled with great art, too.

In their older house, Christina and Ed unearthed wood flooring that they subsequently fixed up themselves, and Christina has deftly made the vintage tiled bathroom match her style. A big backyard features a spruced up old shed mixed with a newer structure for a small area they rent out, and a cute soaking tub near a tree swing makes for a chill oasis on a hot Texas summer day.

My Style: Collected and accessible. I have been a long time lover of vintage home elements and repurposing found pieces.

Inspiration: I’m inspired by other artists/designers and their spaces — particularly the great minds who have changed the way we view space — genius architects and interior designers. I take great inspiration from looking at their personal homes. I really love catching glimpses of their homes before they came into money or fame- when the spaces revolve more around creativity than resource.

I’m inspired by all of the designers and architects I’ve discovered as I’ve practiced interior design. I try to review and research as many designers as I can. I’ve also started following some really great pinners on Pinterest and go there all of the time for ideas and inspiration. I have fun collecting my own images. Here is me if you want to find me.

Favorite Element: Texture and Textiles. I enjoy collecting fabrics from around the world and I do not hesitate to use a lot of rugs. I designed the rug in our bedroom in a rug design competition at Black Sheep here in Austin and I love how it came out. They now offer it in their showroom and as the prize, they made me one!

Biggest Challenge: It is a very small space so I try to make sure every room is fully utilized. I attempt to pack each one full of life so that every square inch has purpose. We can’t afford to have dead space.

What Friends Say: I hope that they say it has good energy.

Biggest Embarrassment: The bathroom. It is a one bathroom home- and it is tiny and desperately needs a renovation.

Proudest DIY: We sanded and refinished our own floors and installed the cork floors in the kitchen. We also designed the record shelving seating area in the living room, built by our friend and artist Andy Rihn. The custom-made futon cushions are very affordable and I’m currently building a similar and more refined version for an interior design client right now. Sofas are really expensive and many futon stores will make your mattresses to spec so that you can have the full benefit of customizing your daybed design.

Biggest Indulgence: I’ve never really indulged on furniture mostly because I do not have the resource to. I prefer to indulge on fragrance and flowers.

Best Advice: Try to only keep things around your home that have meaning to you. I don’t believe in decorating with generic/new, store bought items and accessories. I prefer collecting artifacts and vintage finds from travel, family, and times spent with friends. It is good feng shui to surround yourself with things that tell a story that you like to be reminded of.

Dream Sources: European Flea Markets. Bangkok Flea Market! However, I’ve been sourcing a lot of items from Feather’s awesome vintage curators—lots of new textiles and rugs and pillows are coming into my life since we launched Feathers HOME.

• Swiss Coffee White (Benjamin Moore)
• Dining Room/ Art Room – Triple Crown (Home Depot- Behr?)

• Built in platform sectional/record cabinet- made by artist and builder Andy Rihn
• Thrifted credenza.
• Found furniture.

• French red chairs from the 40s
• This is called the ‘natural history room’ with the collection of natural history objects.
• Vintage table

• Shelving by David Clark (Kartwheel)
• Ikea bottoms
• Moving island from Contact Modern vintage

• Vintage/Free finds
• Ikea Bed Frame – Malm (Oak)- I think they’ve discontinued it.

OUTDOOR

• Additional building & deck built by Jesse Hartman (Shift Build).
• Trough is from Callahan’s Feed Store
• Swing from Urban Outfitters
• Patio Furniture is either Ikea or from Estate Sales

Thanks, Christina!

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*Re-edited from a post originally published in 2014