House Tour: A Stylish, Vintage-Filled Home in Richmond’s Forest Hill

We recently visited a gorgeous older home in Richmond’s Forest Hill neighborhood that’s become a favorite backdrop for commercials and photoshoots. The homeowner, Wendy, is a professional retail designer and merchandiser who also designs light fixtures. Her talent for styling and creative reuse is evident in every corner of this home, and it was a joy to explore.

The porch sets the tone: a pale blue ceiling, a chippy old door, a cheerful red vintage mailbox and wonderfully wide steps make for an inviting entrance. Inside, a grand staircase leads to the upper floors and a shimmering silver-painted accent wall catches the eye. Wendy created that finish herself with a dry-brush technique using craft-store paint, producing a vertical metallic grain that reads almost like wallpaper. Three exterior-style lights mounted over a piece of art add an unexpected, playful touch.

The dining room, visible from the hallway, mixes charm and whimsy. A pink industrial cart on casters serves as a standout storage piece, topped with a small white duck decoy that lends a bit of personality. Metal star decorations above the doorway and a wall full of casually arranged framed art lend a playful, collected feel. A large, well-worn fireplace anchors the room, while a school-style chalkboard is covered in notes, doodles and letters from visitors—a lovely, lived-in detail.

Wendy enjoys spontaneous projects: to add sparkle for a New Year’s party she and her daughter painted the dining table the same silver metallic as the entry wall, giving the room a cohesive, slightly glamorous edge. Lighting throughout the house is impressive—unique pendants and fixtures, some of them designed by Wendy, give the rooms strong focal points.

Much of the home’s character comes from thrifted and salvaged finds. Wendy frequently shops local secondhand stores and even rescues pieces left on the curb, yet her selections feel refined and cohesive. The pink cart, the duck decoy, and other small curiosities are arranged to highlight their charm without feeling cluttered.

The living room features a large teal sofa—an investment piece Wendy purchased after several visits to the store—and a generous clock above the piano that was a gift from her father, making it both meaningful and decorative. The coffee table doubles as another vintage cart on casters, reinforcing the home’s theme of practical, repurposed pieces. A tripod floor lamp designed by Wendy stands before the fireplace, a design-forward accessory that felt right at home in the space.

The practical areas of the house carry the same inventive approach. Off the kitchen, Wendy fashioned a pair of custom doors to conceal the washer and dryer, using chippy paint techniques and architectural salvage—iron grates, ornate corner pieces and vintage handles—to create unique, functional panels. A second, more informal staircase sits off the kitchen and laundry area, emphasizing the home’s original layout and period details.

The kitchen is centered around an old cabinet repurposed as an island, originally rescued from a school. Long, narrow drawers and a vertically mounted plate rack used to store linens give the room both charm and surprising storage convenience. Small decorative touches—hung baskets, repurposed shutters, and well-chosen textiles—reinforce the home’s curated aesthetic.

Bedrooms and guest rooms continue the theme of thoughtful reuse. One guest room shows off multi-colored, chipped shutters that serve as a backdrop for a tin basket of faux blooms, while an asymmetric wall display of frames, shelving and salvaged lighting hoops creates an artful vignette elsewhere. Wendy’s bedroom features a simple four-poster bed and leads to a light, airy en-suite bathroom. The bath has a peaceful, beach-house feel, complete with half-curtains and a weathered secondhand dresser used for towels and linens.

This house is a great example of how thoughtful curation—mixing thrifted finds, salvaged materials and original architectural features—can create a home that feels both comfortable and stylish. Wendy’s eye for detail and knack for combining unexpected pieces make this Forest Hill residence memorable.

Thanks to Wendy for welcoming us in and sharing her home. She’s currently selling the house, so interested buyers should contact her directly through her own site. Favorite finds from our visit include the pink cart on casters, the white duck decoy, the soft blue porch ceiling and, of course, the oversized clock.

P.S. We recently created an inspiration gallery with hundreds of curated spaces for ideas and color-based searches—perfect for sourcing design inspiration.