My Houzz: Flea Market Glamour in Texas
A crafty design blogger transforms her suburban ranch home into a free-spirited space with reimagined secondhand treasures
Brandi and Scott Powers turned their Texas ranch house into an eclectic, elegant home filled to the brim with unique flea market finds, colorful upholstery and artful DIY projects. The house is still a work in progress, and Brandi is content to let it evolve. "People are always amazed at what I find," she says. "But if you comb the Craigslist dailies like I do, you're going to find something wonderful too."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brandi and Scott Powers; dogs Atari and Akira; cat Meowser
Location: Carrollton, Texas
Size: 1,700 square feet; three bedrooms; two baths
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brandi and Scott Powers; dogs Atari and Akira; cat Meowser
Location: Carrollton, Texas
Size: 1,700 square feet; three bedrooms; two baths
Brandi doesn't mind waiting for the right piece of furniture to present itself, such as the vintage burled wood coffee table she found on Craigslist.
"Like many other pieces in our home, I wanted our coffee table to be special," Brandi says. "I knew finding it would take time." Because many vintage coffee tables are so short, Scott built a riser to lift it up; they then covered it in gold paper.
"Like many other pieces in our home, I wanted our coffee table to be special," Brandi says. "I knew finding it would take time." Because many vintage coffee tables are so short, Scott built a riser to lift it up; they then covered it in gold paper.
Brandi's aesthetic is heavily influenced by designer Angie Hranowsky. "I love everything Angie does," she says. "I also really love Meredith Heron. And I find the best DIY projects at Little Green Notebook; Jenny's blog posts are so thorough with great photos. They're projects that people can actually do."
Wingback chairs upholstered by Steven's Upholstery; suzani fabric: High Fashion Home
Wingback chairs upholstered by Steven's Upholstery; suzani fabric: High Fashion Home
The vaulted ceilings and beams were two of the features that drew the couple to this home. "I love the feeling of open space in this home," Brandi says. "I also fell in love with with the dining room windows."
Brandi made the colorful accent pillows from vintage scarves.
Brandi made the colorful accent pillows from vintage scarves.
Canton, Texas, hosts what is called the world's largest outdoor flea market on the first Monday of every month. Many of the items in the foyer are treasures from Brandi's trips to Canton.
"It's like a pilgrimage," she says. "I love Canton and try to go as often as I can. Sometimes I know what I'm looking for, and sometimes I come home with surprises."
Paint color: Pillow Mint, Valspar
"It's like a pilgrimage," she says. "I love Canton and try to go as often as I can. Sometimes I know what I'm looking for, and sometimes I come home with surprises."
Paint color: Pillow Mint, Valspar
Brandi's dining set is a mishmash of collected pieces. She bought the dining table on clearance from Pier One Imports, but the chairs were another Craigslist find. Brandi painted them white and hired Steven's Upholstery to recover the seats in a black and white striped fabric from High Fashion Home.
Paint color: Purple Basil, Martha Stewart; light: Home Depot; drum shade: Dallas Market Center
Paint color: Purple Basil, Martha Stewart; light: Home Depot; drum shade: Dallas Market Center
Brandi found the vintage bar cart at Canton, scrubbed it down to reveal the brass finish and lined the tray with new paper.
"I rarely buy items new if I can help it, and I love things that need work because then I can make them my own," she says.
"I rarely buy items new if I can help it, and I love things that need work because then I can make them my own," she says.
The couple would love to remodel the kitchen to include an island. Until then, Brandi has a wheeled kitchen cart that provides a little extra prep space. The vintage Turkish rug is another Craigslist score.
The wooden Native American statue in the corner of the breakfast nook is a family heirloom. Scott's family used to own a furniture store and the statue sat at the front doorway for years. Now it oversees a gallery wall topped with a vintage aqua-face clock.
A white tulip-style table and four Danish cane chairs make up Brandi's breakfast set. She recently reupholstered the seats with a suzani-style fabric.
Brandi is passionate about collecting glassware, pottery and vintage dishes. She purchased the pitcher and dessert tin during one of her trips to Canton.
Brandi is passionate about collecting glassware, pottery and vintage dishes. She purchased the pitcher and dessert tin during one of her trips to Canton.
Horizontal stripes in the hallway provide a sense of architecture to an otherwise pedestrian space. Brandi unified the gallery wall by painting all the frames in a cool mint blue. The photo to the far left is from the couple's wedding day in 2009.
Paint color: Nimbus Cloud, Martha Stewart
Paint color: Nimbus Cloud, Martha Stewart
The master bedroom boasts a bold mix of luxurious ethnic prints, antique furniture and modern accents. Brandi was inspired to purchase the gold leaf sculpture above the bed after seeing this photo by Domicile Interior Design.
Bedding: CB2; bedside lamps: Target; gold leaf wall hanging: Lula B's
Bedding: CB2; bedside lamps: Target; gold leaf wall hanging: Lula B's
A careful mix of pattern sits against a backdrop of cool gray walls. Brandi covered the headboard with a Bengali Kantha cloth that's similar in weight and texture to the one draped at the end of the bed. The dhurrie rug is a discontinued style that Brandi bought at Wisteria Flea.
Paint color: Valspar
Paint color: Valspar
What's better than paying next to nothing for flea market treasures? Finding furniture for free! Brandi picked up both of her bedside tables while driving around her neighborhood during bulk trash weekend.
Bedskirt: Anthropologie
Bedskirt: Anthropologie
The vintage credenza in the master bedroom was a hand-me-down from Brandi's former boss. She repainted it to match her bedroom scheme and installed antique sconces to complete the vintage look.
Instead of installing a full-length mirror in her dressing area, Brandi found a rustic door from salvage and propped it up in the corner of her room.
When the couple first moved into the house, the master bath was in terrible shape. The only functioning plumbing was the sink. "The house didn't feel like ours until we remodeled this bathroom," Brandi says. "My husband did a lot of the work himself."
Towel: Target
Towel: Target
This rustic white cabinet in the master bathroom is another Canton find. Brandi lined the back of the hutch with rice paper from Paper Source, and the shelving provides the perfect place for extra linens and jewelry.
The former guest room now is Brandi's home office. "I used to share my husband's office, but he likes to keep it dark to reduce the glare on his computer screen. Plus, his stuff was everywhere," she says. Brandi found her desk at a neighborhood garage sale.
Rug: John Robshaw from One Kings Lane; vintage chandelier: Canton; screen: JC Penney Sample
Rug: John Robshaw from One Kings Lane; vintage chandelier: Canton; screen: JC Penney Sample
A pink lacquered bamboo dresser gives Brandi's home office a feeling of old Hollywood glamor. She salvaged the dresser and transformed it from a brittle, buttery yellow has-been.
The Blanc de Chine lamps were purchased at an antiques store in Huntsville, Texas. The abstract art is one of Brandi's own pieces.
Paint: Gray, Benjamin Moore; bamboo dresser: Canton
The Blanc de Chine lamps were purchased at an antiques store in Huntsville, Texas. The abstract art is one of Brandi's own pieces.
Paint: Gray, Benjamin Moore; bamboo dresser: Canton
Brandi's favorite spot in the house is behind her desk, where she documents flea market adventures and home improvement projects on her blog, Flights of Whimsy.
Mirror: Ikea
Houzz call: Do you live in a colorful, creative home? Share it with us!
Mirror: Ikea
Houzz call: Do you live in a colorful, creative home? Share it with us!
Comfort and functionality are Brandi's priorities. "It doesn't matter how beautiful something is; if my dogs can't take a lazy nap on it or I have to use a coaster to set my glass down, I won't be happy," she says.
Paint color: Nimbus Cloud, Martha Stewart; rug: Wisteria; sofa: Best Slipcover Company