In the past, figurative painter and interior designer Amy Lind has been the mastermind behind her and husband Josh’s homes. When they moved into this charming, 1930s-era bungalow, however, Josh asked to be in on the decorating. With that in mind, the couple set out with a clear plan of action, eager to work together on finding their combined aesthetic. Using Pinterest, Josh collected homes and decorations he liked, then passed them off to his wife to get her thoughts. By the end of the design planning process, the couple had defined their style as “rustic, modern and simple” and were ready to put it to work in their Savannah, GA Craftsman.
Amy is a proud penny-pincher, and she’s made a game out of finding stylish steals that fit their newly-defined style. She doesn’t discriminate on where the pieces come from either. Dressers from garage sales, thrift shop chairs or the occasional dumpster-dive gem are all welcome in her home, and these found objects greatly outnumber the newer pieces. Many of the decorations she’s snagged are centered around travel, something she and her husband hold near and dear to their hearts. They even have a scratch-off map hanging in the living room that helps them keep track of everywhere they’ve been. The theme continues into the at-home studio where a plaster piece picked up on a trip to Florence serves as a stylish reminder of Amy’s time abroad. Even toddler Forrest’s room is outfitted in the look. Globes, maps and outdoorsy accessories in primary colors paint a scene perfect for letting his imagination run free.
All of these vintage finds are set against a backdrop of charming original details that you’re hard-pressed to find in newer construction. Near the downstairs phone, a quaint seat folds out of the wall, offering a little respite while you chat. This treasure alone would be enough to sway me into buying the home, but that’s not all. Behind the upstairs bookcase sits a secret room. When Forrest turns four, his parents plan on letting him see the room for the first time. Talk about a big birthday reveal! They aren’t sure how they’ll decorate the space yet, but if the rest of their home is any indication, I’m sure it will be colorful, fun and barely cost them a dime. Click through to see all of the thrifty goodness for yourself. Enjoy! —Garrett
Secondhand frames hung all the way to the ceiling accentuate the guest bedroom's height, and the room's neutral wall color allows for colorful accessories to pop. Most of the furniture is secondhand, the rug is from HomeGoods and the curtains are from IKEA.
Amy and Josh met while studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design, then moved to California together. Four years later, a job at the school brought Josh and his family back to Savannah, where they've settled into a 1930s-era Craftsman.
Amy loves a steal, and most of her and Josh's home is full of affordable finds she has snagged at yard sales and vintage shops. The map (available here) above the IKEA sofa keeps track of where the family has traveled through a scratch-off system. "We love exploring new places, and it’s fun to not only keep track of where we’ve been but also look forward to future adventures with Forrest in other parts of the world!" Amy tells us.
A is for "Amy." She painted the old shop sign a bright red to give it more of an impact. It sits next to the fireplace, a cozy home for birch branches brought back from Josh's parents' house in Vermont.
When the Linds moved in, the kitchen was the first space to get a makeover. A new backsplash, lighting design and open shelving did wonders for the outdated room. Filling those open shelves are thoughtful gifts Amy has collected over the years from friends.
Josh and Amy's bedroom has the home's best view, that of the yard's flourishing Sycamore tree. In another stroke of garage-sale luck, Amy snagged this dresser for a steal. She then gave it new life through a coat of paint and updated hardware.
An attic remodel allotted Amy enough space for an at-home studio. Now she has a comfortable place to work in from home while taking care of toddler Forrest. This part of the attic in particular got refinished floors and new skylights. It's here where Amy devised the charming artwork for the children's book "Marcel the Shell," among others.
Extra tubes of paint and other supplies are kept tidy thanks to these flour and sugar tins. Above them hangs a plaster cast of Bernini’s St. Jerome. It was a souvenir from Amy's time studying abroad in Florence, Italy.
Forrest's nursery is decked out in travel- and adventure-themed accessories. A vintage camping chair acting as an ottoman, a Peruvian hanging mobile, and a map bring the theme to life. Most of the family's time in this room is spent on the floor playing, so a nice rug was a must. Unable to spend a small fortune on the perfect option, the Lind Family opted for this great design from Rugs USA instead.
Josh is currently renovating the room behind this "secret door" for their son Forrest to discover when he turns four years old. "[Josh] is always inspiring wonder, creativity, and adventure," Amy says. "We will decorate the room based on what Forrest loves at the time. Perhaps the theme will be outer space, dinosaurs, Legos, the outdoors, a library full of books, or maybe a little bit of everything."
Thanks Kate! I found them all at different times (each for a steal!). I couldn’t believe it when I realized they were the same size and fit together perfectly in the space!! The rug-gods were definitely in my favor! ;)
I agree with Kate above. The three rugs is amazing! I have had trouble finding a large enough vintage rug in my price range but 3 smaller rugs could be a unique solution. Great idea!
It was a lucky find at Goodwill for super cheap! However, it was an ugly shade of red and really rough around the edges. Nothing a bit of wood filler and a fresh coat of paint couldn’t handle, though!
Chris, I do think there are better cities than others to find things! I have had a lot of luck, but I have also been collecting things over the course of many years in several different cities and on my travels. It’s not every day that I step outside and find treasure in the trash. ;)
This is easily one of the best home tours I’ve ever seen — it’s creative, interesting and a very cool mix of styles. Plus, it’s affordable! I only wish there were more photos to enjoy!
Wow, Jessica! Your incredibly sweet words make me one happy gal! ;) Feel free to pop on over to my website to see many more photos of my home: http://www.amylinddesign.com
Thanks Lindsey! I’m assuming you’re referring to the guest bed with the minty green accents? The duvet/shams are old Restoration Hardware from 9 years ago when we got married. They were on clearance at the time… I’m assuming the exact one is long gone, but I’m sure you could still find something similar there! The colorful throw pillow was a Target clearance find. The master bedroom white bedding is Fieldcrest from Target. The “euro” shams with ties are from Ikea, the striped pillow is from Target, and the chartreuse lumbar pillow was an Anthropologie clearance find several years ago. Hope that helps!
they have a secret room! nothing is cooler than that.
seriously, i agree
A secret room — how cool! Does Amy have a blog/instagram? I’d love to follow along and see more!
Thanks! ;) You can follow my “amylind” instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/amylind/
The three rugs in the living room was a clever idea and works surprisingly well!
Thanks Kate! I found them all at different times (each for a steal!). I couldn’t believe it when I realized they were the same size and fit together perfectly in the space!! The rug-gods were definitely in my favor! ;)
I agree with Kate above. The three rugs is amazing! I have had trouble finding a large enough vintage rug in my price range but 3 smaller rugs could be a unique solution. Great idea!
Thanks Greta!
A secret room!?!?! I’d have loved that as a child!
Love the rugs, love the secret room! Mostly love the creativity!!
I appreciate it!! ;)
Absolutely gorgeous!!!
http://www.iliketomakestuff.com/secret-door-bookcase/
My son was showing me this video on youtube few weeks ago
I like the style. I have the same couch and my boys have the map of Europe in their room.
Beautifully done.The folding chair and surrounding area is amazing as is the “secret room”!
Where did yall find the white chest?
It was a lucky find at Goodwill for super cheap! However, it was an ugly shade of red and really rough around the edges. Nothing a bit of wood filler and a fresh coat of paint couldn’t handle, though!
Just once i would like to find a piece of furniture on the curb that is worth taking home. I must live in the wrong place.
Chris, I do think there are better cities than others to find things! I have had a lot of luck, but I have also been collecting things over the course of many years in several different cities and on my travels. It’s not every day that I step outside and find treasure in the trash. ;)
Really super home.
Thank you Flora!
Amy really did a great job on this house. I salute her for the fold-out seat idea, that is so clever. Thanks for sharing this great post Garrett.
Thanks, Lisa, for your kind words! I can’t take credit for the fold-out seat, though, as it is original to the house that was built in 1930.
This is easily one of the best home tours I’ve ever seen — it’s creative, interesting and a very cool mix of styles. Plus, it’s affordable! I only wish there were more photos to enjoy!
Wow, Jessica! Your incredibly sweet words make me one happy gal! ;) Feel free to pop on over to my website to see many more photos of my home: http://www.amylinddesign.com
Where is Amy’s bedding from? It’s beautiful!
Thanks Lindsey! I’m assuming you’re referring to the guest bed with the minty green accents? The duvet/shams are old Restoration Hardware from 9 years ago when we got married. They were on clearance at the time… I’m assuming the exact one is long gone, but I’m sure you could still find something similar there! The colorful throw pillow was a Target clearance find. The master bedroom white bedding is Fieldcrest from Target. The “euro” shams with ties are from Ikea, the striped pillow is from Target, and the chartreuse lumbar pillow was an Anthropologie clearance find several years ago. Hope that helps!
I love the colors of the walls in your house! What is the paint color?
Thanks, Erin! There are different paint colors throughout. Is there a particular room that you are referring to?