Psst—sorry about yesterday’s truncated post, Reader users. A problematic embedded video caused the cut-off (we like to share full posts, so if you ever see a shortened one, something’s gone wrong).
We’re painting again today—surprised? Probably not. We’ll have a full update tomorrow, but in the meantime we wanted to share this charming, creative house tour. It’s a great example of buying a home and making bold, personal choices without fear. The more you stamp a space with your personality, the less it may appeal to everyone else, but the more it will feel like you. So claim your home—leave your fingerprints all over it.
On to the tour! First up: how sweet is the exterior of Laura’s house in Reno?
Here’s Laura with her dog Emma. She’s also a mom of three, so she knows how to make a lively, lived-in home.
When you enter, there’s a wide foyer with a curved wall where Laura and her husband Dan got resourceful. They turned old secondhand chairs into wall-mounted shelves by cutting them in half and painting them a soft seafoam green (Seacliff Heights by Benjamin Moore). Small potted plants rest on each chair-shelf, adding a fresh, whimsical touch.
The dining room is another standout. Laura covered an entire wall with repurposed shutters painted in soft, beachy tones to create a striking accent. Many of the shutters came from Habitat for Humanity ReStore, thrift shops, and Craigslist. The light fixtures and chairs (found on eBay) add character, and the table is actually an old university conference table—an inventive reuse that brings personality to the space.
The kitchen blends classic and playful elements: traditional white cabinets and subway tile paired with fun pendant lights that Laura and Dan made from lamps purchased at Home Depot. The industrial bar stools, once science stools at the same university as the dining table, complete the eclectic, relaxed look.
To improve flow, Laura closed off a doorway and used secondhand window panes as a subtle divider that keeps the area airy. The colorful bench nearby was a thrift-store find; she spray painted it Lagoon by Rust-Oleum and glazed it to give it a worn, vintage feel.
In the bedroom, Laura added height and a cozy, breezy vibe by hanging sheer curtains from the ceiling to create a makeshift canopy—an easy trick that makes the room feel softer and more intimate.
The bathroom nods to Laura’s childhood 1920s home with period-evocative tile paired with thick black counters and crisp white cabinetry. It’s a clean, vintage-inspired combination that feels both classic and personal.
Laura hopes to tile all the way to the ceiling behind the tub someday, but for now she added an old ladder from a thrift shop as a functional, decorative element and used it to hang plants—an inexpensive way to bring texture and greenery into the bathroom.
Thanks to Laura and Dan for opening their home—this tour shows how fearless creativity, thoughtful repurposing, and a few thrift-store finds can transform a house into a warm, personal home. My favorite is the shutter wall in the dining room, especially paired with those glass pendants—such a beautiful, bold focal point.
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