This Austin Home Was Decorated on a Budget by Mixing Old, New, Cheap, and Quirky
Name: Andie Day, husband, Matt, and puppy, Chaco
Location: Austin, Texas
Type of home: House
Size: 940 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My husband and I met in Austin when we both moved here in 2013. I moved to Austin to pursue a Master’s Degree from UT Austin, and he moved here for work. We love Austin and have lived both on the South side and on the North side.
My husband, Matt, is a software designer, while I’m a college professor and clothing designer. We have an Australian Cattle Dog puppy named Chaco who joined our family this spring.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Minimalist bungalow with auction finds
What is your favorite room and why? The living room is my favorite room. Because the home is small, it’s the most open and inviting space with the home’s original windows letting in light from the south and east.
We live on a creek in central Austin, in an old and overgrown neighborhood, so there’s green coming in from all sides. The house has its original windows and wood floors and nook for a telephone. I love all of those original features.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I have a fun/silly habit of buying furniture and home goods from auctions. Not eBay, but typically auction houses across Texas and someday I’ll venture out of state. Most are estate auctions but sometimes they’ll be business liquidation auctions. I think it’s fun to find pieces that are maybe less popular and therefore a little less expensive. I have a neat collection of furniture, art, and rugs and my first purchase from an auction was when a nursery was liquidating their inventory. I bought a group of 25 house plants. My most recent auction purchase was a vintage runner for the hallway and a small rug in our living room.
Any advice for creating a home you love? I feel like I can take no credit for my interior decorating style. I lived for two years with a roommate that was a set decorator in the film industry. She taught me that you can create a cozy and attractive space on a budget by mixing old, new, cheap, and quirky. The variety is what keeps the place interesting.
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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