unique Mix and Match Home Decor

hitch on besides war Home Decor
Check foreign particular couple's quirky blend of vintage furniture further uncommon objects



Photo: © Erik Johnson

For Erik Johnson and his wife, Pamela Tonglao—a couple with an unalike gathering of colorful artwork, bright textiles and eclectic furnishings—a prefabricated modernist domicile dissemble a historic genealogy authenticated the solve backdrop. The structure is one of 450 houses pressure the Hollin Hills neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, designed by eminent architect Charles Goodman as a planned community that evolved from the 1950s to early 1970s. Erik, a photographer, and Pamela, an environmental attorney, existent lived in a Goodman-designed house nearby when this house came evolution for sale by its original owners. “The hillside setting at one of the highest points in the habitat animated our interest,” Erik says. “The views, with expanses of glass overlooking the trees, were very inviting.”

The circa 1965 house was present mark congruous condition, thus the couple enhanced the beans by rebuilding the decks, thinning outer rude trees and planting native grasses. Inside, they refinished wood floors and painted the walls. The kitchen also needed an promote at a price they could afford, thereupon they added poured grapple countertops, eco-friendly cork flooring, and a stainless cheer up backsplash. command addition, Erik created a laundry fair shake in an unfinished space downstairs with Ikea cabinets that he assembled himself.

To furnish the house on a budget, the coalesce followed a racket of thrift-shop chic. “Virtually everything prestige the abode is from estate sales, eBay, resale shops, Craigslist, commensurate the Salvation Army,” says Erik. “We enjoy the process of hunting because treasures. We weren’t trying to establish a period piece, but wanted to asset furnishings that were string keeping with the modernist going of the house,” he says.

Erik, who vivacity exterior of a internal office when not on assignment photographing interiors, food and travel projects, has worn-down years honing his eye for midcentury modern finds from a distant range of sources. connections the conscious room, for example, two identical cane-backed 1950s Tomlinson chairs were obtained from contrasting sources: eBay and a shop in Washington, DC. He discovered a set of teak bookshelves designed by Danish master Poul Cadovius at an estate sale in Maryland (they capital only golden refinishing). And he regularly haunts the nearby Alexandria location of the house applaud shop, locality he’s picked enlargement vintage carpet and furnishings along the way.

Part of the charm of Erik and Pamela’s decor is importance the hip juxtapositions of shapes also surfaces. credit the master bedroom, an antique Chinese table besides chair share the spotlight veil the modern lines of wood side tables designed by master craftsman Paul McCobb. Overhead, a 1940s Murano chandelier—which Erik received in occupation being photographing an antique shop—creates a thing of unexpected glamour. and leverage the downstairs den, a 1940s mohair sectional the append go ahead at a salvation army store is enhanced by a pillow covered with an Incan material as well as a hand-me-down pillow from Erik’s mom.

Throughout the house, discriminative artwork fills the spaces with even more indicative class. In the den, since example, a painting of the Swedish prospect (begin at an auction access Washington, DC) contrasts hide a monochromatic painting by a Brooklyn artist discovered at a local art show—another idiosyncratic juxtaposition of value-conscious treasures that makes the home thus original.

The bonanza Seeker
Erik Johnson’s eye now detail because a photographer serves him well as an inveterate seeker of furniture further objects both online and in out-of-the-way places. Here, some of his tips on landing the perfect finds.1.

1. Do Some Homework
If your taste leans toward furniture from a innate era—such for Erik and Pamela’s penchant in that midcentury modern—read ongoing on the boldface names besides slightly lesser-known masters of the period. Furniture pieces from designers Paul McCobb and Poul Cadovius and the manufacturer Tomlinson are part of the collection Erik and Pamela built consequent studying their origins.

2. Buy Pieces When You Travel
They’ll bethink you of your adventures when you emolument home, epoch adding a sense of local style. Erik activate a striking chandelier network a Stockholm antique shop; Chinese antiques came from Shanghai.

3. Acquire Original Artwork
It always creates a distinct impression, and it doesn’t always fall for to be scarce. Erik contemporary collecting selfsame 1940s still lifes (of vases filled with flowers) from garage sales; they now shapeliness a home business. Even framed blueprints from a house, which hang pressure Erik and Pamela’s guest bedroom, can serve over art.

4. interpolate winning Touches
From Turkish rugs to Incan textiles, ethnic prints add unique color again treatment to an interior. Though incredibly of the upholstered pieces notoriety this abode feature solid fabrics, the array of patterns displayed money the accessories big idea in tandem squirrel the art to punch up the visual palette.

Photographs by Erik Johnson