Megan (a.k.a. contentedsparrow{meg an} on Flickr) filled her home with colorful one-of-a-kind and re-purposed vintage finds. Her style is…very Megan. From what we can tell of Megan, this means upbeat, friendly, and positively adorable. Let’s explore her space and get to know the gal who lives there.


What was your inspiration when creating this space?
I decorate with things that make me smile or laugh or squeal with glee when I see them in a store. Things nostalgic, things colorful, things handmade, things that exude history, definitely things that are NOT perfect. Chipping paint is a plus in my book. Also, items that I can transform simply by slapping on a coat of turquoise paint. That said, I do find “inspiration” from places like Etsy, Flickr, blogs and the now-defunct Cottage Living magazine. Inspiration for me is….a visual and heartfelt affection for something that I store in my mind…taking bits and pieces from here and there to make my own as I feather this nest we call home.

What is your favorite vintage piece in the space & what is the story behind it?
My taste is always evolving so something that may be my favorite today may not be in a couple of years. That said, right now, I’m smiling every time I see my blue painted console table that is center stage in the living room…right under three big windows.

When we moved into our home a couple of years ago, there was a 94-year-old man living behind us. After he passed away last summer, his daughter had an estate sale. The table wasn’t for sale…it was just being used to display things on. It was rickety and water stained and chipping but I loved the scallopy detail on the apron. I could picture it with a coat of colorful paint in my space. The daughter said that her dad had made it. I could just see him carefully using a jigsaw to cut out the scallop. She was surprised that I wanted such a shabby old piece and when I inquired about a price, she asked if $5 would be OK. So, I gleefully toted the table home through the backyard and I think it’s happy here! :)

Where do you prefer to hunt for vintage?
If the mood strikes, or I have a few spare minutes on my hand and am out, I’ll stop by a thrift shop nearby. It’s very hit or miss…but when it’s a hit, it’s a BIG hit as everything is $.50 or $1.00. There is an antique mall very close that is NOT great but I do find small items like linens and books there sometimes. Also, there is an antique/flea market an hour away that I go to once in the summertime for larger things like benches & furniture.

My best friend and I used to love going to farm auctions before we had kids and we still frequent garage and estate sales when we can. Once in a blue moon I’ll buy something off of Craiglist and I find Ebay frustrating with so many people bidding on the same things I want. It sounds like I’m constantly shopping but that is definitely not the case….more like a popping in, checking in here and there kind of thing.

How would you advise our Vintage Addicts in decorating with vintage or re-purposing their vintage finds?
I don’t necessarily feel equipped to advise anyone on their own decorating…because their space is THEIR OWN. Like I said, I fill our nest with things that make ME smile. I don’t like to decorate with items solely from one time period or even solely vintage. Old and new mixed together is more interesting in my taste. So, I guess I would say, go with your gut.

  • Don’t worry about things matching.
  • Use a 40′s tablecloth on a modern table.
  • Don’t feel like you can’t paint that side table red because it’s made of beautiful, dark-stained wood (unless, of course, you prefer unpainted wood!).
  • Don’t hesitate to chop up and refashion all those linens that are gathering dust in the closet.

And, lastly, from my humble perspective, don’t hold tightly to your possessions. Buying a coffee table is not a life-long commitment. If after living with something for a bit and deciding that maybe it’s not quite right, sell it on Craigslist or give it to a friend or charity store. Of course, beautifying your home is well and good but it is the people who really matter.

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