A Finally-Feels-Like Home for a Creative Spirit

Name: Stephanie
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
The basics: 1 year, rented — 750 square feet

Stephanie is putting down roots, figuratively and literally, in her plant filled North Carolina home. She has created a space full of thrift store treasures, DIY pieces and art that helps her feel truly at home.

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve lived in Raleigh for four years and this is the first place that truly feels 100% me. Since moving in last fall, I have obsessed over styling and decorating my duplex. By day I am a graphic designer at a tech company, but in my spare time I devote my personal creativity to my house–it fulfills that other part of my design spirit to turn away from the screen and get my hands on DIY projects, searching Craigslist for unique pieces, and combing through Pinterest–all while consulting with my mom. After years of bouncing from place to place, there’s nothing better than coming home– to an actual home–after a long day to a space that feels so welcoming and comfortable.

What is your favorite room and why? My bedroom. It’s taken me awhile to get it together, but it gives me a huge smile every time I walk in. Hands down, it’s my favorite arrangement and style of any bedroom I’ve ever had. Layers of geometric patterns, hints of pink, gold and gray surrounded in crisp white. The best decision I ever made for this room was taking a chance on saffron curtains. The finishing touch? The headboard my dad made for me. It’s one-of-a-kind, just like him.

If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? So easy: central air conditioning. North Carolina summers are brutal.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A print of a surfer by Matthew Allen from Polu Gallery, a little shop in Oahu. I love everything about the illustration style and vibe, and I love that I could bring back a piece of paradise to put up in my living room.

Which fictional character would be most at home in your place? Phoebe Buffay (from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) is one of my all time favorite (fictional) human beings. While my house isn’t filled with guitars and massage tables, it is furnished by Craigslist and flea market finds. Phoebe valued off-brand, quirky objects that had a story and was emotionally attached to them (just like Rachel’s coffee table from “the days of yore”). Same here Phoebe, same here.

Stephanie’s words of wisdom: Surround yourself with things that make you happy. If you like pink, incorporate it with an accent wall or throw pillows. If you have a collection of pictures or treasures from your recent vacations, hang them in a gallery wall. If your hobby is reading, create a little library that’s easily accessible. More than anything? Give yourself a chance to smile, everywhere you look.

Thanks, Stephanie!

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