Lovely Homes: Heather S. Thompson from Gathering Spriggs

I decided that I wanted to create a feature on this blog showcasing beautiful homes of creative and crafty individuals and ask them a few questions that may help you with your home! So I am very excited today to give you a sneek peek into Heathers beautiful vintage modern styled home. You may know her from her wonderful blog Gathering Spriggs where she posts dreamy gorgeous items every day. I am especially fond of her home because it feels so comfortable, practical, beautiful and if you are a reader of her blog you will agree that you can also see Heathers style in there! I have been thinking about collecting more vintage pieces and I definitely got some great tips and ideas from her! See my questions and her answers below.

Q. I love your vintage finds and I am wanting to find more old things to make my home feel more lived in. Do you have any advice for me?  
 A. Aww, thanks. Well, I typically scour second hand shops, boutiques and other etsy shops looking for my favorite colors - i usually stick to the same palette of items and that keeps a cohesive look despite the age or era of an item. Buy what you love and it will always work.

Q. What is your favorite DIY project or clever use of furniture?  
A. Honestly, I am not a great DIYer. But I do know how to paint and I typically use paint to solve a lot of problems. I've painted both my mantle in this house and the tile fireplace surround in my old house to conceal design flaws and create a warmer focal point. I also, like to change out and mix up furniture from room to room. For example, I like using dining chairs for nitestands and utilizing a dresser as a dining or kitchen hutch.

Q. Biggest challenge in decorating your house?  
A. Besides time and money, I think that my biggest challenge is working with a newer home to create a more nostalgic atmosphere.

Q. Were things handed down to you or have you mainly purchased your furniture and decor or is it a mixture?  
A. Ohh, I love this question!! Thanks for asking! It is a mix, but I love pieces that have history, a story and better yet a personal story. I come from a long line of collectors. I grew up going to garage sales and flea markets for weekend fun. My grandparents have a large collection of fine antiques, and although they live in Texas and still have things waiting for me in their storage shed, I have inherited some pieces from them. And I've acquired vintage pieces on my own (in which I create my own story for them). Recently, I started shopping at Ikea and incorporating some streamlined pieces in the mix. I'm beginning to like the mix of vintage modern.

Q. Where do you find your inspiration for decorating and what are some of your favorite places to shop?
A. I find inspiration from many sources: anything from the produce aisle to a miniature landscape painting (that was once my grandmother's) and became the color inspiration for my whole house. I do have some favorite places that never cease to inspire : The Cottage in Chicago, ABC home in NYC, Anthropologie, the Habitat for Humanity Home Stores, Curious Sofa in Kansas City. (and of course fabulous blogs, magazines and catalogues- oh and movie sets: my dream country home would be the Dashwood home featured in the Ang Lee version of Sense and Sensibility.)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114388/ Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! Thank you Heather for your insight and sharing your home with us today! You can also find Heather on her Blog and her Etsy!