An 1800s “Maximalist Disco Cottage” Is Furnished with Upcycled Secondhand Finds

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Credit: Faith McGlothlin

Name: Faith McGlothin and partner, Liz
Location: Kingston, New York
Type of home: Cottage
Size: 916 square feet
Years lived in: Two years, renting

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Credit: Faith McGlothlin

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I am a PhD candidate, and my partner, Liz, is a scenic painter for film. The house is a small cottage from the late 1800s in the town of Kingston, New York, just two hours north of the city. I furnished the house on a BUDGET. All furniture was found on Craigslist or at auctions. The most expensive item in the house is about $100.

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

I embrace decadence, maximalism and think anyone can be a design diva… on a budget! My grandmother sold antiques for years. I learned how to go trash picking with her. When she couldn’t afford marble kitchen counter tops, she painted hers with a faux finish and about 10 layers of shellac paint.

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Maximalist Disco Cottage

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the upstairs bedroom. It has beautiful sloped ceilings, original windows, exposed beams, and a brick wall. It is lovely to see the history of the house from these vintage features. There is a section in the brick wall where you can see the hand imprint of the laborer who originally formed the bricks.

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I found two cane back arm chairs for free on Craigslist. The upholstery was in rough shape, so I ripped up a Target comforter and reupholstered them with green velour fabric. Now they look so luxe and expensive. Not so bad for free?

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

Any advice for creating a home you love? My advice is that there is no reason to ever buy any new furniture or to spend a lot of money. Some of my favorite items of furniture I found in the trash! Anything can be made beautiful with a bit of creativity and some paint…

Credit: Faith McGlothlin

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.