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Name: Stephanie Sheldon of Noun, and Thomas Nevarez
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,300 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years; owned

Thomas and Stephanie moved into their 1963 ranch home three years ago and have enjoyed the process of making it their own. By adopting a slow and steady approach to decorating, they have created a comfortable and stylish home that truly represents their personalities.

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As owner of the curiosity shop and gallery Noun: a person's place for things, Stephanie comes across unique and special housewares while scouring local estate sales and flea markets. She admits it can be tough to part with some of the truly exceptional pieces, but she has also developed a skill of curating and editing her own home until everything works together.

Upon walking into Thomas and Stephanie's home, I felt instantly at ease. Everything is beautiful, but in that incredibly unfussy way where you are not afraid to sit on the furniture. They have seamlessly blended new pieces with vintage finds, as well as some higher end items along with more affordable options. They plan to stay in their home for the foreseeable future, so they are taking on larger projects one at a time without rushing into any potentially expensive mistakes. The result is a home full of depth and warmth, created by two people with a shared history and an exciting future.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Thom calls it "turn-of-the-century-grassroots-modern."

Inspiration: I shop estate sales and flea markets for a living, so those have a big influence on our style. I also lived in Japan for a few years and fell in love with the simplicity of traditional wabi-sabi design. And we're lucky to have lots of talented and artistic friends — they're a constant source of inspiration.

Favorite Element: We fell in love with the layout of this house. Unlike many of the houses we looked at, its structure had never been altered, and it just made sense.

Biggest Challenge: We're big on ideas but short on time and funds to implement them. We're at a place now where we can do one big project a year. This year, it's our backyard, next it will be the kitchen, and then… who knows? So we try to remind ourselves that slow and steady wins the race!

What Friends Say: Most say it feels welcoming and personal.

Biggest Embarrassment: Our kitchen is pretty ugly, but at least it's functional.

Proudest DIY: When we moved in, the bones were here, but covered in wallpaper, carpet and garish light fixtures. It's been a labor of love to bring out the beauty of the house by simply following the style and design dictated by the original 60's structure.

Biggest Indulgence: Artwork. As you can see, we will hang anything on a wall and call it art. But we aren't afraid to invest in more expensive pieces either. There is nothing sadder than a home with empty walls!

Best Advice: Be patient and wait for the right pieces that fit both you and your home. When moving into a big empty space, we all have a tendency to want it done NOW. But we've saved money and frustration by planning out our space and not rushing into purchases that we'd just want to replace later. For us, it has always made more sense to put our money into the final product rather than a temporary fix. (Which is why our kitchen is still yellow from floor to ceiling!)

Dream Sources: Faraway flea markets.

Resources of Note:

LIVING ROOM

    • Couch: Mitchell Gold for Crate & Barrel
    • Orange lamp: Crate & Barrel
    • Floor lamp: Restoration Hardware
    • Chrome side table: West Elm
    • Artwork: vintage
    • Fireplace tools/log holder: Roost from Noun
    • Chairs, secretary, coffee table: vintage
    • Rug: Ikea

DINING ROOM

    • Pendant lamp: SLIP from Noun
    • Table: Ikea
    • Rug & chairs: West Elm
    • Mirror: Roost from Noun
    • Plate collage: Fringe from Noun
    • Radio: Tivoli
    • Side chairs & metal credenza: vintage

BONUS/TV ROOM

    • Sectional: Ikea
    • Coffee table & media stand: Room & Board
    • Chilewich from Noun
    • Travertine end table: Crate & Barrel
    • Pendant lamp: SLIP from Noun
    • Artwork: Rachel Ann Austin, Noelle Maline, Amanda Blake, vintage

MASTER BEDROOM

    • Bed frame: West Elm
    • Wool blanket: Pendleton for Room & Board
    • Mirror & rug: Ikea
    • Artwork, end tables, lamps: vintage

GUEST BEDROOM

    • Bed frame: West Elm
    • Wishbone chair: vintage Hans Wegner
    • Tansu, mirror, décor: vintage

OFFICE/MUSIC ROOM

    • Computer table: Crate & Barrel
    • Shelving system: Storables
    • Rug & curtains: West Elm
    • Pillows: Little ByRD Vintage and love, California via Etsy

Thanks, Stephanie and Thom!

(Images: Holly Mueller)

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