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We're as nosy as the next person about the insides of people's homes. That's why we bring you a great property pick each issue. This month we get in seasonal spirit with a home full of vintage treasures and faraway finds. Story and photos by Rachel Miller.
This 1930's home is "like a soup", full of gifts, family treasures, and vintage and faraway finds.
Who needs softly falling snowflakes, toboggans and chestnuts roasting on the open fire to capture that cozy, intimate Yule time feeling? We found our own kind of 'hygge' amid the palm trees, pines and saguaros in the Catalina Vista neighborhood in central Tucson. The 1930's home of Wendy and Ash Scheder Black bubbles with laughter and festivities. This is a home to sink down on the sofa in, wine glass in hand and enjoy the company of good friends surrounded by stories of lives richly led.
On a Tucson evening in the winter, the cup of mulled wine in front of the mesquite fire is just as welcome as the ability of the children to run rampant in the back yard, albeit bundled in jackets. This is a home created for living in, emphasized by the choices of furniture pieces that reflect their seven year old son Julian's interest in mid century and vintage technology - including items he has helped choose and restore to working order. Was that an early computer we saw in back half dismantled?
About the home: The 1930's three bedroom home is in the Historic Catalina Vista neighborhood. Surrounded by pines as well as cacti, the neighborhood was developed over about four decades and the mix of architectural designs is reflected in this lesser known gem of a neighborhood.
Their son's love of vintage electronics led them to buy this working wireless.
Describe your style: Ash: "We've pieced together the nice things that have been produced in the last 100 years or so that are not mass produced. We've never ever wanted to say 'Let's have a colonial theme'. We're not consciously doing [a style], we're saying 'That' s really pretty because it's rare.'"
Wendy: "Our style is like a soup. It's filled with gifts and love and experiences and travel. We find beautiful pieces and blend them together. A big part of it is inspiration from our son Julian [7]. He has a fascination for vintage technology and it inspires us to buy pieces when we see them. That led us to buy the radio and get the record player rolling again.
"When it comes to Christmas, it's like sensory explosion time. I'm not so much into the commercialism of it but I like the home experience, the smells and lights. This house is very conducive to it, with the curved walls and low ceilings. So we just max it up.
"My parents used to collect miniature houses. The had hundreds of those that they put up every Christmas. When they died I kept less than ten, just for nostalgia. I brought them out after Julian was born and he loves them."
Your fave thing about your home: Ash: “Its location. It's central, close to the University, where I work. We have massively big pine trees."
Wendy: "The curved ceilings."
Biggest splurge: "Our custom-made furniture, done by our friend Ian McDaniel [a carpenter and furniture maker, also the guitarist in The Pork Torta]. He custom designed our bed, he built Julian's bed, he designed a walnut frame for a Cambodian temple rubbing we have, and he made a walnut stand for some antique Javanese puppets a friend brought us from Indonesia."
Best bargain: "The $130 we spent on records a couple of days ago at The Girls' Estate Sale store. It was from the estate of a Tucson conductor and we got 130 records, from classical to musical ethnography to a record of sound effects of London from the mid 1950s."
Antique Javanese puppets stand by the piano.
My DIY Moment: "We don't do DIY because we suck at it. We're not handy. Ash can fix anything related to technology but when it comes to household repairs we look outward."
Favorite resources: “The Girls' Estate Sale store. We go there every weekend. They take the previous week's items and discount them so it's like a game. Julian adores it. He finds treasures. Plus they have home made cookies and sweets."
Wendy bought this dried wreath at Michael's and wrapped it with fairy lights.
Tucson treasures: "Ian McDaniel, who makes our custom furniture (520-488-8597), and my friend Sarah's father Bill. He is a collector of mid century modern furniture and decor, much of it from the White Elephant in Green Valley, and he passes on treasures to us."
Take-away lesson: "We find things we love and if it doesn't match with anything else in the house we get it!" says Ash. This might seem like the antithesis of an interior decorating approach, but curating a collection of items that have meaning to you can fill your home with more warmth than those that match.
Are you digging these digs?
Get the look locally:
- The Girls Estate Sale is a regular source or treasures for Wendy and Ash.
- While receiving items as gifts or picking up objects while on exotic travels is probably preferable, many of us don't have that option. For something a little different and with a little international flair try the UN UNICEF shop in the Monterey Village Shopping Center or one of the colorful stores in the Lost Barrio.
And try these lookalikes we found (contains Amazon Affiliates):
From left to right: Crosley Turntable , $100 from Amazon; Lexington Queen Love Seat $829.99 from Temple Slug on Amazon; Pine Cone Garland, $16.99 on Amazon
* 3 Story Magazine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
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