Do you know Lesli? She lives in the country near Greenwood, Virginia, and she’s an incredibly talented painter and a longtime friend. You might recall our giveaway with her, and she also runs a lovely blog about her old house. Her home is full of original 100+-year-old details, soaring ceilings, and relaxed, lived-in style that makes an old farmhouse feel both special and welcoming. We visited recently and couldn’t wait to share photos and stories from the tour.
Lesli has a knack for bringing secondhand pieces back to life. The bench in her entryway was a $50 thrift find that she painted a fresh teal color, and the mix of framed art above it gives the space a casual, beachy energy despite being miles from the coast. The house sits with mountain views outside, but inside nothing feels precious or untouchable—kids can be kids, and the family can live freely. Fun detail: the vintage suitcase that Clara is standing on came home with her as a gift from Lesli’s daughter.
Left of the entry are two generously scaled rooms with enviable high ceilings. The front room serves as a living area, while the rear room, once a formal dining room, became a relaxed family sitting room. Lesli realized her family used the space better as a cozy reading and lounging area, so she moved the dining table elsewhere and created two complementary casual rooms—one for curling up with a book and the other for watching TV.
Color is one of the house’s strongest assets. Bold patterned curtains, bright pink mats framing kid art, and colorful soft toys make the living areas feel joyful and personal. Lesli actually designed the curtain fabric herself by repeating a horse painting to create an ikat-like pattern—an example of her creative approach and how she customizes pieces to suit the home.
The room that replaced the formal dining room highlights practical creativity. Lesli repurposed a former kitchen table into a round coffee table by shortening its base, which is a smart, resourceful way to adapt what you already have. The layout emphasizes comfort and family use over formality, and it suits their day-to-day life perfectly.
A gorgeous antique mirror above the mantel is original to the house and acts as a focal point in the room. Throughout the home, Lesli mixes found and inexpensive pieces with restored antiques, proving you don’t need a huge budget to create a layered, meaningful interior. Everything reads approachable and comfortable rather than precious.
Another painted thrift rescue is a small cabinet brightened with cheerful yellow accents. A wooden fish sign with the family’s town painted on it adds personality, and a bolt of fabric casually leaning in a corner shows that Lesli isn’t afraid to let creative materials live in the open. The overall effect is easygoing and unfussy.
Upstairs, the bathroom blends antique and modern touches—a carved mirror paired with a geometric bath mat and bright textiles keeps the space fresh while respecting the home’s historic bones. Lesli mixes thrifted and new finds to keep rooms light and lively without feeling over-styled.
Her bedroom was mid-project when we visited, but we caught a corner of the room that showed a graphic-upholstered chair, a nonfunctional fireplace filled with books, and a custom fabric-and-foam-core cornice Lesli made herself. She recovered a floor-model chair inexpensively and had it professionally upholstered for around $100, which is a great example of inexpensive, high-impact updates.
One of the standout rooms is Lesli’s daughter Phoebe’s bedroom, which recently won a kids’ room contest. It features a colorful crystal chandelier, a bold blue wall with a pink border, patterned fabric cornices, and a geometric rug found on clearance. The playful combination of scale, color, and pattern gives the space charm and personality.
The thrifted beds in Phoebe’s room are a favorite detail. Lesli bought them cheaply and painted and upholstered the head panels herself. The upholstered panels pop off for easy re-covering—she added batting and fabric, pulled it tight, stapled it, and then reattached the panel. It’s a simple, effective DIY that looks custom and luxurious on a budget.
The boys’ shared room is equally delightful, with bright orange accents in the oversized ceiling shade and curtains Lesli made herself. One clever idea in that room is the use of fillable glass lamps: Lesli filled one with tiny toys and another with old toy cars. It’s a sentimental, creative way to display keepsakes in everyday objects and sparks ideas for countless other playful displays.
Lesli’s house is a wonderful example of resourceful decorating: custom fabric, thrifted and repurposed furniture, and whimsical personal touches all come together to create a warm, lived-in home. We left inspired by her creativity—from the DIY curtain fabric to lamps filled with toys—and grateful for the family’s generous hospitality. What’s your favorite part of the house? I’ll stick with those brilliantly reworked thrift-store beds in Phoebe’s room.
Psst—If you want to see more house tours, check out other House Crashing posts.