California natives Kaitie and Tyler wanted a change of pace, and Music City fit the bill. So they put down roots in Nashville about two years ago. At the time they were house hunting, real estate in Nashville was selling quickly. So quickly, they didn’t have a chance to fly out to look at this house before putting down an offer! They bought their 1924 home while still living in California after seeing photographs of it online. Luckily for the couple, it was a perfect fit.

Once the paperwork was signed, the couple packed their belongings, cats and a dog and moved across the country to their new sweet and stylish East Nashville home. The house had been a rental for several years and needed a lot of updating and repainting, not a problem for a handy couple with a knack for design. With a lot of creativity and elbow grease, they turned their new spot into the perfect living space.

Kaitie says that European antiques and Southern eclecticism inspired her style, an obvious point when wandering throughout their house. She and Tyler search for unique items in antique stores, flea markets and Craigslist. Or, if the perfect fit can’t be found, Tyler puts his furniture making skills to work and builds a one-of-a-kind piece. Each room in the house has some of his handiwork!

Kaitie believes in being true to your personal style, and she designed their home this way. Sticking to her love of neutrals with simple pops of color, the home feels inviting and lets the unique vintage pieces stand out.

It’s clear that the couple has worked hard to honor the character and craftsmanship of the house’s original 1920s style, while also adding in their own charming personality — there’s a lot of love in this Nashville Nest.

Our Style: Southern eclectic.

Inspiration: I refer to my Pinterest boards often. I like to move our furniture and decor around frequently and sometimes seeing a similar element in someone else’s home, but in a different room/application, inspires me to move something I thought had no other place in the house for whatever reason.

Favorite Element: It’s hard to pick one… My dream was always to live in an early 1900s home and ours was built in 1924. Almost two years later and I’m still in awe of the high ceilings, the huge baseboards, the glass doorknobs, the (uneven) wood floors, the crank out windows by the fireplace, the dangerously steep stairs into our attic, the ceiling of our huge front porch, the tiny mudroom… The list goes on, I feel so lucky to live in this house that has so many quirky elements I’ve pined after for years.

Biggest Challenge: The kitchen. When designing what we wanted for the space, the opportunities seemed endless and it took a long time to pin down what we wanted for the space and what would fit our budget. It’s not even truly “done;” there are a lot of temporary elements there, but for now we love it and it’s worlds different from what we started with.

What Friends Say: “It’s a warm place that’s soothing to the soul, whether it’s sitting by the fire or on the back deck — every space is inviting.”

Biggest Embarrassment: I try not to feel embarrassed about anything in our home. This is our space that we have created and love so much; I feel proud about it. Sure, less cat hair tumbleweeds would be nice but our friends are animal people like we are and I don’t think they mind when I forget to vacuum.

Proudest DIY: Tyler is so handy and has built so many pieces of furniture for our home and renovated our space so well, it’s hard to pick one, I’m really proud of everything he produces.

Biggest Indulgence: The antique cupboard next to our fridge. It was too perfect for the space to pass up, and we did get a little discount since it had been sitting in the dealer’s booth for a couple months, so I felt a little better about the splurge.

Best Advice: Decorate how you like! Trying to go for a style just because it’s popular at the time won’t leave you with a sustainably happy home, I speak from experience. A few years ago I had been reading a certain blog A LOT that is all about bright colors and I started to incorporate that into our home. After a few months I realized how much I hated it and how anxious it made me feel to be in our space. Slowly everything started to return to warm neutrals and I definitely learned my lesson. I love neutrals with tiny (and sparse) pops of color, why bother spending time and money otherwise.

Dream Sources: European antiques

PAINT & COLORS
Walls and trim – Dunn Edwards Straight White
Doors and cupboards – Sherwin-Williams Dover White

ENTRY
Wood chair — Music Valley Antiques & Marketplace
Market baskets — Amazon

LIVING ROOM
Vintage Stouby Sofa — Eneby Home
Black lamp — Target
Throw pillows — Target (and one vintage kilim)
Radio — Sangean
Ceiling lamp — Hampton Bay
Decor and chairs — Thrifted, antiques
Coffee table and TV cabinet — Built by Tyler
Plants — Home Depot

DINING ROOM
Turntable — Jensen
Ceiling light — Hampton Bay, painted black
Black kettle — Paula Deen
Dining table and white hutch — Built by Tyler
Chairs and sideboard – Vintage from Craigslist and the flea market

KITCHEN
Ceiling light — Home Depot
Striped mugs — Chelspots
Rug — Experimental Vintage
Magnetic Knife Holder — Amazon
Refrigerator — GE Artistry Servies at Home Depot
Sink — IKEA
Cabinet hardware — Martha Stewart
Kettle and blender — Smeg at Urban Outfitters
Dutch oven — Le Creuset (in Dune)
White enamel pitchers — IKEA
Pink plates — Fiestaware
Kitchen timers — Kikkerland/Anthropologie
Wood cabinet — Gas Lamp Antiques
Jars, mugs, cups, and cast Iron — Thrifted, gifted, and vintage

BEDROOM
Bed frame — IKEA (discontinued)
Bedding — Target
Lamp — Target
Trae’s Bed — American Kennel Club
Nightstand — Built by Tyler
Dresser and chair — Vintage

BATHROOM
Scissor mirror — Frack, Ikea
Rug — Target
Dresser and enamel cabinet — Vintage
Shelf — Built by Tyler
Hand towel — Turkish T

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