Name: John and Stacey Cline (and dog, Laz)
Location: Skinker-DeBaliviere Neighborhood — St. Louis, Missouri
Size: 787 square feet
Years lived in: 2 — rented
Minimalists, avert your eyes. Stacey and John's apartment is the interior equivalent of a crazy quilt. It comprises an eclectic mosaic of recycled items, vintage fabrics, and reclaimed tidbits that Stacey brings in, mainly from thrift stores. She's not afraid of pattern and color, and mixes them liberally to good effect. A multitude of interesting curiosities are all creatively arranged.

Like the iconic quilts, all those seemingly disparate pieces come together as a lovely whole, making a home that's both unique and familiar, traditional and new. It's kind of what would happen if Martha Stewart did good drugs and got lost on the way home to Connecticut.
If you share Stacey's aesthetic, you can visit
her etsy shop, where she sells those items that don't work their way into her own decor.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Hm, let's call it vintage-bright-slightly Martha Stewart-make it new-tell it slant-happiness mashup!
Inspiration: The usual — blogs, vintage fashion, nature, movies, and the serendipity of making what you have work together.
Favorite Element: The windows — being on the 2nd floor, we get tons of light all day! And I sort of like the railroad-style layout ... it's cool to be able to sit in the front room and look all the way into the backroom, taking the whole place in at once!
Biggest Challenge: Keeping the clutter at bay, not letting Etsy stock overtake the house, saying no to an item even when it has lots of potential, completing projects I bought because I didn't say no to their potential, fighting boredom, time.
What Friends Say: Where did you find everything? Will you help me with my place?
Biggest Embarrassment: The office/sewing room. It's basically a pit: things we don't want end up there and never leave; things we want disappear in there. And it's not pretty.
Proudest DIY: The cantilevered window-turned-plant shelf above the couch and the antique light fixture in the kitchen — I bought it at a barn sale, planning to tear out the very old wiring, then paint it and use it upside down as a table centerpiece, filled with glass vases or candles. John decided to patch it up with electrical tape and wire it up one day when I was gone. We were pleasently surprised that it actually worked! It might not be kosher, but it hasn't set anything on fire...yet. Please don't try this at home!
Biggest Indulgence: Good coffee, my lone piece of Van Briggle pottery, and an Anthropologie rug...once I actually save up and buy it!
Best Advice: Surround yourself with colors and things you love...and then remember they're just things! And definitely make a space work with your life. Our bedroom used to be in the larger, brighter back room, but I had no space to sew and the office wasn't functioning--swapping rooms and squeezing our bed into the old office has made such a difference!
Dream Sources: Time capsuled homes from the 1890s, 1920s, 1950s...shoot, let's just say one house per decade for the past 150 years! And a 1950s fabric/dress shop!
Resources of Note:
LIVING ROOM
• Rug: Target
• Curtain rods: Lowe's
• "C" sign: Anthropologie
• Couch: Salvation Army thrift store
• Yellow chair: St. Vincent De Paul thrift store
• Paint: Martha Stewart from Home Depot, "Sea Anemone"
DINING ROOM
• Paint: Valspar (Martha Stewart color) from Lowes, #MS021 "Pinniped"
• Curtains: thrift store
• Table: Independence Center's Clubhouse Shop
• Hollyhock house painting: Sarah Luginbill
KITCHEN
• White rolling cart: The Purple Cow Antiques, St. Louis
• Curtain: handmade
• Everything in its right place print: Etsy seller thebigharumph
• Black Bear on Sofa: Etsy seller amberalexander
• Portrait on cotton canvas: Aubrey Studebaker
BEDROOM
• Paint: Behr from Lowes, #500F-6 "Hallowed Hush"
• Curtains: Goodwill
• "Headboard": vintage hand painted Brunschwig and Fils fabric, "Pomegranate" pattern, Bexley Fabrics, Columbus, OH
• Kissing Bears canvas papercut: Etsy seller thetimeisnow
• Three's a crowd animal illustration: Etsy seller corelladesign
BATHROOM
• Paint: Dark Green: Valspar "Ivy Wreath"; Light Green: Olympic "Sprite Twist"
Thanks, Stacey & John!
Images: Ann Manubay, Dabney Frake
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I love this! This is such a lovely cozy house! I wish it were mine!
This house has an ethereal, haunted quality that is unusual for AT. The metal kitchen with the battered looking turquoise cookware is especially lovely. Don't think I could relax on that couch, though, with that shelf hanging over my head.
Love it! Fun and quirky. Love the vintage inspiration. Feels so individual.
Could this space be any more adorable?
i'm not sure i've ever swooned so much over a house tour. so utterly cute, comfy, unique, colorful, vintage, and texture-y. love it love it love it!
Love this home! And we share the same "Biggest Indulgence," the Anthropologie rug.
Beautiful, warm, and cozy - thanks for sharing!
Love it! What a great place!
Love it. Very unique and refreshing. The green cabinets are to die for.
this is such a happy space! I especially love the paint color and combination of textiles in the bedroom.
I love your little reading nook in the very last picture! Such a cute and cozy home!
I love this home so much! It is exactly what I dream mine to be.
It's beautiful and warm. This is the first time on AT I can truly say, this is what my home aspires to be.
So cute! I love this look but unfortunately my fiance is definitely a minimalist, so I have to tone it down a lot. I was able to get away with it a little at our previous apartment but the only thing that became a problem with having so many decorative things out was that it was really hard to keep everything clean - dusting became a nightmare! Love love love it though, and its always awesome seeing house tours from my hometown! :)
this is a unique home and certainly has personality. However, I could not live with so much stuff on counters and walls.....I try to live by the "less is more" motto. I love the kitchen but again, it would have to be a bit more clutter-free for me.
It's true: Houses should be lived in and dogs should be on sofas.
monstergirl: I think not.
I like this house a lot, despite the fact that I'm a minimalist at heart. I like having art on the walls and there's so much personality in this house.
Inspiring and beautiful and actually within my reach! Love it to pieces!
The colors in this house are what make me like it the most. So vibrant, you have done an excellent job of keeping the space from getting boring!
Couch is GORGE. Love all things tufted.
Heh, Skinker.
This house is amazing.
Love love love LOVE!
I absolutely love your home! It is so cozy and comfortable...if I came for a visit I might not leave. I'm wondering if you would mind telling me what color the dining room is? It is such a warm color and all of your things look fabulous in that room! JEALOUS!
Fantastic! Love everything!
love this apartmenthouse and have been there many times...stace does a fantastic job picking out unique items via thrifting. i think martha stewart should hire her! ;)
I adore this. Reminds me of my mom's eccentric thrift store find home.
Awww, so wonderful. These pictures should be in the dictionary next to 'homey'.
Love this apt. Reminds me a lot of our place - a fun mix of all things that make us smile. I love when other people realize their house doesn't have to match perfectly to look good. We also have the same rug from Target as they do in the living room (we found it on Craigs List and fell in love)
Absolutely wonderful colors. Well done.
Love the saturated colors and the quirky furnishings. That kitchen is awesome! And the little turquoise corner shelf... hung upside down = genius.
Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone!
cozyurbanhome: the dining room wall color is Valspar (from Lowe's) #MS021 "Pinniped" (I believe it's a Martha Stewart brand...)
-Stacey
Love your home because it really shouts HOME ! .
So not me but I love it anyway. I'm totally stealing the old picture in the mini terrarium and srabble letters ideas, ok?
My favorite items are the green cabinet and the teardrop mosaic pillow on the couch with the pooch.
Very sweet home. So nice to see a place full of well-loved vintage items as opposed to everything new and shiny.
I'm a minimalist and love this place anyway - esp turquoise in the kitchen!
mirandajane - the turquoise pans are by Club I believe. You find a lot of individual pots or lids at the thrift stores here in St. Lou but it's something of a task to put together a complete set. I love that color too! And that danish lounge chair. What a cool shape!
Mr. Modtomic
What is the original purpose of the cabinet on the wall in photo 18? I see them all the time in the thrift shops but I never knew what I would use it for.
Lovely. Just...lovely.
I love everything about this place - down to the tiny Indiana flag! Just the pictures are comforting.
Best ever.
Love, Love, Love it!!! When can I move in?? Kidding. I eat alot and have many pets and a teenager. But for real - your place is so warm and vintage and cozy. Well done!
I am not sure how or why this decor "works" but it looks really cool, interesting and without a sense of a lot of excess.
ArtsyGirl: it's an old typeset drawer. I used to have mine filled to the brim with "curiosities"...but then started over once I moved. I've seen people fill each rectangle with different patterned papers/photographs for a less cluttery look. Painting some of the boxes might be fun too.
Mr. Modtomic: Yes, those are in fact Club pots...but fortunately, I scored the whole set at once...for something like $25 at a garage sale from a woman who received them as a wedding gift 40 years before and had taken good care of them! And did you notice that glass on my counter in photo 15. It's a teal pinecone glass!
postfacto: glad you like...there's also a framed rock that's the shape of Indiana...one of my favorite things in the whole house...not pictured..but see it here: http://tinyurl.com/3rcvm2w
I love how in love you both look as much as I love how cosy and amazing your place is. I want a loving boyfriend and a gorgeous vintage mash-up apartment too *pouts*
Sigh...I love every detail of this place :D
I love your use of colour! What a warm and happy place to live!
Okay so I might be biased but this is one of my favorite house tours!!! Everything is so unique, in the Cline's apartment and it all makes a cheerful relaxing place to call home.
I enjoyed this tour so much, was a little sad when it ended! Looks like a lot of love and thought went into furnishing your home. My favorites are the green armoire in the living room and the chests (+photos). Thanks for the tour!
Oh and I love the "Except Sunday" print in your kitchen!
@ Restoration Hardware: eat your heart out.
aaaaw... this beautiful home makes me feel so much better about all of my beloved 'stuff'... if only i had the ability to put everything together the way stacey & john have!! the use of colour on the walls is just stunning! my inability to declutter is feeling like a gift now... xox
Is that turquoise corner shelf upside down on purpose?
So in love with this home! It's just the style I love: personal, vintage, lived in, full of emotion. And now I have a new etsy shop to add to my favorites :)
I saved this tour for the morning b/c I was just too tired at 12:30 last night to fully appreciate it, and I'm so glad I did- your house is absolutely lovely, and your notes to AT are totally charming- this was the most welcoming, un-sterile house tour I've ever seen!
So lovely! I so love it. It oozes with love and personality...
foxymardy: the key is to collect stuff you love *before* meeting the boy....then he doesn't have as much chance to veto the stuff you love...he's just stuck with it! j/k...sorta! ;)
jettsam: yes, somehow it seems more "right side up" to me like that....if it were closer to the floor, I'd flip it over! Plus, it works better aesthetically--more balanced--with the bookshelf on top of my refrigerator (not pictured) which is just across from it!
everyone else: thanks so much for all the super sweet comments!
Love to see St.Louis on house tours! We have so many beautiful old homes and this one is no exception. Love it.
aaawwwww...so cute! I love it all!
The shelf above the couch is genius.
I adore the eclectic feel of this space. The quilts and floral adornments are beautiful. This inspired me to sew some quilts of my own!
Most of the actual decorations and patterns in this house are totally not my style, and yet I LOVE the overall effect. I feel like I just want to hang out with these people. Nice job!
I can only echo all the praise, especially for the turquoise pots and can opener in the kitchen. And a special vote of thanks for the lampshade hanging above the bed. Your home (and I choose the word carefully) is intimate, beautiful and surprising in the best way.
Your home is SIMPLY AMAZING!!! I sometimes wish I was a minimalist, but then I think of the sheer boredom I would face :) Love what the two of you have done with your place. Keep up the great work!!
Really special and heartfelt. This is my favorite house tour in a long time.
Beautiful, warm, inviting, inspiring! I love everything about this home.
Love this! The color! The pattern! I think my favorite is that gorgeous cloth hanging over the bed. My husband and I both went to Wash U (many years ago); it's so nice to see an apartment from the old neighborhood.
Now THIS I really like! Yes, I am a maximalist.
FAVE.
This place is very interesting ..I really like how colorful it is--especially the green cabinet..
Very Anthropologie..but obviously more creative and thrifty..
At the beginning of this piece it said minimalists avert your eyes --- I had to look anyway. I love it. Even though I'm not a clutter person I'm drawn to all the vintage, chippy paint pieces. I have one of those type setting drawers filled with little items from my childhood that I find at antique fairs. Until I saw yours, I had forgotten about the wall hung can opener we had when I was a child, I think it was red. Now I'm on a search to find one for me. Love your place and your style and glad I didn't avert my eyes.
Gosh, I love how you make pieces that could be sad and dated fun and fresh. I'm thinking in particular of the orange sofa-- it looks fantastic, but could you imagine it alone with beige wall-to-wall carpeting and a lonely poster or something? Great layering, too.
wonderfully cozy.
I love Stacey and John's home! So many interesting, inspiring, vintage gems. A house with personality is more inviting than one with sparse furniture-LOVED today's featured home!
I adore this crazy, colorful house. Wouldn't want to clean it, though!
love yr style.
i could wander there for ages, looking and touching. such a happy place.
Did you get that "Except Sunday" poster from Etsy? I was eyeing on exactly same thing on etsy for long time! Crazy to see it in here.
Your house is fantastic. It's full of love and warmth.
Yay for bookshelves that hold actual books! I betcha these folks drink really good yet really unpretentious wine. Love the house! It'sthe kind of place where love grows. Really wonderful job!
I want to steal that green glass cabinet in thebliving room. It reminds me of a clothing armoire my grandma had in Mexico...down to the wooden latch at the top meant to keep the door closed.
I think I'll be stealing that bit with the Scrabble tiles.
I love the "Try a Little Kindness" stitched thingy; I've seen it on another house tour here, too; wheres it from?
mslewis: thanks for the *constructive* criticism. we try to stick to new where it matters...mattresses, toilet paper, and toothbrushes...but who knows...maybe i'll broaden my horizons someday...possibly new bedsheets or one of those trendy lamps from Target, via Goodwill of course! ;)
Teigi: ha, well, you were probably eyeing it in my shop, HappyGoVintage. I had a few to sell, but kept one for myself! If I run across any others, I'll put them in the shop!
a.hidden.bird: I got it at an antique shop here in STL....a bit of a splurge, but still under $20 (!), I had to have it for the colors...and the kindness!...haven't had time to paint the frame yet. I think Mandi (old AT contributor) of the blog 'Here's Lookin at Me Kid' has the same one in her kitchen!
perfect.
This spot is so inspirational! All of the fabric choices are darling and mix splendidly with the wall colors. A little slice o' heaven!
I so absolutely love this house tour! This home feels so welcoming... I was suprised to read this is a second floor apartment, because these pictures somehow make you feel like there will be a wonderful garden to exlore somewhere behind a door in this house!
Wonderful place! Feels so welcoming and full of personality.
What a comfy and interesting place. This is what I love about Apartment Therapy - so many interesting styles and tastes to savor.
For a second there I thought the picture with the corner shelf in the kitchen was upside down until I realized...nope, it's just hung that way. Cute. Whole place is cute!
Not my style but I bookmarked it anyways! I think your home is gorgeous. I particularly love the last photo of the reading nook.
This tour made me feel the love in the home. I adore it!
Such a lovely house tour. It has just the right balance of nick knacks.
Great moody dining room color and wall collage. I've always wanted to hang beautiful fabric over my bed. I love the simple way they did it. Inspiring.
I love, love, love this apartment! Everywhere you turn there's something to see! So cool, the upside-down shelf, the Scrabble tile welcome, and the window shelf (or shelf window)! And I crave that reading nook, too! BTW, are you misplaced Hoosiers like I am?
And whitepeacock - maximalist! I love it - that's what I am!
Fab.Cute, cosy and stylish. I love the vintage fabrics and clever use of space. Fairytaleish in a good way.
Oh, my oh my oh my!! this is by far my favorite house tour and I've been a creeper on this site forever. I would move in and not change a thing! That kitchen! Wowza.
Purple walls! Love it!
Great windows of course. Would (almost) kill to have those in my place.
Great use of color. Love love love. Well done.
i LOVE this place!
my favorite house tour! So so beautiful!!
Love everything about this home!
WARM, COZY, FUN, WELCOMING--WONDERFULLY DONE. Love everything about this even the upside down corner shelf! :oD
instantly pulled me in. vibrant, colorful, everything was arranged in a visually stimulating way. it had the warm sensibilities of grandma's house with a touch of the eccentric collector. a place like that makes me want to kick off my shoes and eat fresh out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies while listening to some warm 45s on the record player. maybe radiohead's "everything is in its right place".
I was hooked at "It's kind of what would happen if Martha Stewart did good drugs and got lost on the way home to Connecticut." Love it.