An Artsy & Eclectic House Tour

Who is in the mood for some house crashing? This vivid old home is in the Forrest Hill area of Richmond, and we could not wait to scope it out for you. Because, get this, Wendy’s house is used for commercials and photoshoots! As in, it is such an remarkable backdrop, the house is practically famous. Cool huh? And she’s a professional retail design and merchandising pro who simply happens to design light fixtures when she’s not styling spaces. In other words, she’s got mad skillz (more on her here) so we could not wait to snoop around. Oh look, here is Wendy out on the porch to welcome us in:

Her porch was especially charming with everything from a fairly light blue ceiling to a chippy old door and a glad red vintage mailbox. And you know I enjoy those extra wide porch steps, right?

Once inside there is a grand staircase that leads upstairs and a lively shimmering silver wall that Wendy painted herself with craft store paint when she was bored. Naturally we hit it off since I am known to go a little crazy with craft store paint too (as seen here). Wendy said she simply pulled it up and down the wall in sort of a “dry brush” method, so it looks like lively metallic wallpaper with a vertical “grain.” We also thought those three exterior lights over the art were truly lively and unexpected.

If you look to your right while standing in that subtly metallic hallway, you see the dining room. And yes, John and I were utterly smitten with the cool pink industrial cart on casters. See the white duck on the top shelf? Yeah, in short I said “I am home” and ran in and geeked out about it. Composure is a striking thing to lose. Anyway, check out the lively metal stars above the doorway with the small framed art dancing around up there. So playful and cool. Of course Clara enjoyed the doggie too.

When you walk further into the dining room there is an excellent old fireplace and a school-sized chalkboard that is jam-packed with scribbles, notes, and letters to and from visitors. It is truly remarkable. Oh and do you notice that the table is also the same metallic color as the entry hallway? Wendy was having a New Year’s party and thought her dining room “needed something” so she painted the table silver with her daughter – simply for lively. Coolest mom ever? She’s certainly in the running.

Wendy had some of the most stunning lights we have ever seen. Check out this handsome guy:

It was truly inspiring to learn that Wendy has hunted down nearly all of the stuff in her house from places like local thrift stores and secondhand shops (she loves Trash To Treasure on Lakeside Ave). She even finds things on the side of the road, yet her place looks so elegant and – well, pricey. Here is my beloved pink castered cart up close and personal. And my white duck friend. Is he not the best looking wood duck you’ve ever seen? I like how he slyly tucks into the top shelf looking dapper.

When you enter you can also turn to your left to see the living room, complete with a giant teal sofa that Wendy saved up for after “visiting it at the store a bunch of times” (it is from La Diff here in Richmond). Wendy’s in short me in another (more stylish) body. I visited Karl The Sectional for months before we got him. So I understand the deep sofa enjoy that she described. And look- more lively metal stars over the doorway:

I was immediately drawn to the giant clock over the piano. It was in fact a gift from her father so it is truly meaningful along with being simply plain cool. And do you notice something about the coffee table? It is another old cart on casters. So plain yet full of character. This was simply one of those houses that you feel so comfortable and casual and “welcomed” as soon as you step inside. It is a wonder I did not flop down on the big teal sofa for a little afternoon nap (well, it is in fact not a wonder because Clara does not let me get away with that sort of thing).

And now for a clock close up:

Here is the view from the piano looking into the entryway and the dining room beyond:

Oh and this is the view from the teal sofa. Yup, there is yet another excellent original fireplace. And see that excellent tripod floor lamp in front of the fireplace? That is one of Wendy’s designs. It was so vivid in person- this photo does not do it justice. I could totally picture it in a Candice Olson room or something.

Beyond the stairs that lead upstairs was a pleasant spacious washroom. Are not those old doors cool? Wendy made them. Yeah- she brought in a chippy paint technique along with some architectural salvage finds (the iron grates, the handles, and even the ornate corner pieces) to create two one of a kind doors that obscure her washer & dryer.

This was one of those excellent old homes with tons of character, so this is a shot of her second staircase. Yup, she has two. The front one and this one, which is right off of the kitchen and the washroom. So cool. And I enjoyed that she hung a basket on the wall like that. It kind of looked like a faux tortoise shell. And you know how I get about animal decor…

Here is her excellent kitchen with an old cabinet in the center of the room. She got it from a school that was getting rid of it and remagined it as a kitchen island. John and I fawned over all those long skinny drawers. I also truly enjoyed how she hung what looked like a plate rack vertically and stuffed it with napkins and linens. Sweet.

Here is a guest room in the back of the house. Once again Wendy wowed us with her use of charming old items in new ways.

This time it was those chipped multi-colored shutters, where she hung a little tin basket of faux blooms:

Wendy was a truly inspiring “curator” (which is likely why she gets paid to style things for a living, haha). John and I especially enjoyed this asymmetric wall of frames, shelves, letters, and even old lighting hoops that Wendy had on hand.

Here is Wendy’s bedroom with a charming four poster bed that called my name. Do not worry, I restrained myself and did not try to swan dive into it. But Clara tried. Twice.

And here is her light and airy en-suite bath. Does not it look like a beach house out of a magazine? I enjoyed the breezy little half-curtains and the weathered old secondhand dresser that Wendy uses for linens and towels.

So there you have it. A local home here in Richmond that we are still talking about. Thanks so much to Wendy for letting us poke around! And get this, Wendy is selling her vivid house. So if anyone’s interested, you can contact her through her site. Now let us play the go-to part game. I am dying for the pink cart on casters, the cutie pie white duck decoy, and the soft blue paint on the porch ceiling. Meanwhile John will not shut up about the giant clock. But is anyone truly surprised by that?

Psst- Check out our lately created inspiration gallery (where you can search by color or room) with over 330 other stunning spaces!