Some people multitask. Alaya Sheardon has a multipurpose mindset for decorating her home.
She converted a piano bench from a thrift store into an end table, by painting it with a black semi-gloss spray and adding upholstery nails around the border for an extra touch. If she sees a desk, she thinks about how it can be used as a buffet. She’s also not turned off by the paint or finish on a piece of furniture.
“I ignore usually how it cosmetically looks, because that can be changed with paint or stain,” she said. “If it fits your overall style, you can easily update it to look even better.”
Her home previously was a foreclosure, but also a model home in her Douglas County neighborhood. They didn’t have to renovate or make major changes after moving in, which allows Sheardon to focus on the decor and rotating the color palette inside and out.
Snapshot
Residents: Alaya Sheardon, Brandon Harper, daughter Rhyan Harper, 7, and dog, Cici, a Yorkie. Sheardon blogs at BehindtheBigGreenDoor.com and works as a CRM (customer relationship management) campaign analyst; Brandon is an airlines ramp agent.
Location: Lithia Springs
Size: 2,200 square feet, three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 2004/2008
Architectural style: Traditional
Favorite architectural elements: The windows. "This was the first home that we looked at when we were house shopping. We were immediately drawn to the lighting. There is a lot of natural light," she said. "We actually saw more houses after this one. We came back to the original house that we loved."
Interior design style: Cozy chic
Favorite interior design elements: Using metallics, such as silver, gold and brass. "I also like to mix big cozy furniture with chic metallic items to kind of give it that look," she said. "I do like to mix palettes; I am not afraid to do that."
Favorite piece of furniture: Kidney bean-shaped coffee table in the living room.
Favorite outdoor elements: When they bought the home as a foreclosure, the front yard was filled with overgrown bushes. They removed many of those bushes and planted grass and annuals. "Our daughter can play in the yard now," she said.
Decor tip: When looking in thrift stores for furniture to redo, look for items with the shape and style that catches your eye. She looks for good bone structure and avoids items that have rotted wood.
Resources: Furniture and accessories from Ikea, Bargain Hunt, World Market, Hobby Lobby, HomeGoods and Goodwill.
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