Magic. Augusta Wheeler mulled it over for a few weeks and decided that’s the word that represents her home.
Then in “one fell swoop,” she said, she spray-painted in pink the word on a canvas that she found on the side of a road. And hocus-pocus, she had instant art above the couch in the living room, which also has a cabinet painted in a jungle green and a black-and-white coffee table that resembles piano keys.
Wheeler, who often posts her DIY projects and bohemian decor on Instagram (@thethriftyhippie), said she channels a classic video game in her decorating habits.
“I love changing things around,” she said. “I play Tetris in my house all the time with the furniture.”
Credit: Text by Lori Johnston/ Photos by Lyric Lewin
Credit: Text by Lori Johnston/ Photos by Lyric Lewin
Snapshot
Residents: Augusta Wheeler, sons Cash and Lennon Wheeler, and cat, Trouble. Augusta is a hairstylist and has an Instagram account, @thethriftyhippie.
Location: Atlanta's Grant Park neighborhood
Size: About 1,200 square feet, two bedrooms, one bath
Year built: 1930s
Architectural style: Craftsman
Favorite architectural elements: 12-foot ceilings, original hardwoods
Interior design style: Bohemian and eclectic
Favorite interior design elements: Most everything in the home is vintage, inherited or a DIY project. She credits her mom and grandmother for giving her a passion for thrift shopping. Being on a budget taught her to create her own style, said Wheeler, who is drawn to Moroccan prints and a mix of textiles. "I just try to incorporate my free spirit into my home, really," she said. "It's an eclectic mix of all the things I love."
Favorite piece of furniture: She found a faux fireplace at a yard sale, hauled it to her home and repainted it. "This home had fireplaces, and at some point, they were covered up," she said. "It's just the focal point for me to showcase anything I want in the forefront of my home."
Resources: Furniture and accessories from thrift shops such as Value Village and Goodwill; kilim rugs from Rich Class Decor; and flowers from Evan Neal. Furniture painted in hues such as Valspar's Northern Hemisphere (china cabinet), Baby Blush and Coral Reef (hutch) and Luscious Green (TV cabinet).
Decor tip: If you keep organized and neat, you don't have to follow certain design rules, she said. "As long as you keep things that way, it keeps everything together," she said.
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