A Leopard-Print Stair Runner Is Just One of the Bold Patterns in This Renovated 1920s House
Name: Gwenn Frederick, husband, Golden Doodle
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Size: 1600 Square Feet
Type of home: Tudor Style Single Family
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 purchased this 1926 home in February of 2018. We gutted the kitchen and the upstairs bath and renovated them from the studs out. We also had all the floors refinished, reworked all the built-ins, put new flooring in the main floor hall and bath, had the hearth tiled, and painted almost every room. We have also updated all the light fixtures, which makes a huge difference in how a room feels. I painted the staircase black and added a leopard carpet runner.
I love wallpaper and am so glad it’s coming back into style! I have added bits here and there throughout the house. I currently work as a real estate agent and before that I was an autism specialist. My husband is a radiation therapist and has been since 2005. I love renovating and decorating homes. Even though I love this home I sincerely doubt this will be our last (it is #4).
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Colorful vintage boho.
How long have you lived here? About a year and a half in the house. We have lived in Asheville since September 2016. We moved here from St. Paul, Minnesota.
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the TV room which used to be the formal dining room. I love the old wainscoting (which we painted a cream color) and the way it contrasts with the black walls (Benjamin Moore’s Midnight Oil). I love the view from the vantage point of the couch.
The way you can see into the living/dining rooms and seeing the wallpaper in the kitchen makes me happy. I also enjoy being able to see a bit of the leopard carpet that is on the stairs.
If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? I would have a larger kitchen with more windows. If I could choose two things I would make the room behind the fireplace larger because we have made it our bedroom now that our 13-year-old doodle can’t make it up and down the stairs.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A large faux air plant from Hobby Lobby using a 40% off coupon! It is living in a hanging brass planter from World Market.
Which fictional character would be most at home in your place? Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Any advice for creating a home you love? Make sure it reflects you as a person and how you want to feel when you spend time in a space. Make sure what you put in your home makes you feel happy every time you walk by it. I have wallpaper I had put up a year ago that still makes me smile. Lastly, leave room for your style to evolve as it naturally will.
This submission has been edited for length and clarity.