This Vintage Seller’s Dallas Home Is a ’70s and ’80’s-Inspired Maximalist Showcase

Name:My name isAarica(pronounced like Erica) but I go byAarica Nichole. I live with my partner of nine years, Christian, and our adopted pug named Bruce.
Location:Dallas, Texas
Size:2,023 square feet
Years lived in:2.5 years, owned

Vintage sellerAarica Nicholesays she finds a lot of home decor ideas from places like Instagram and TikTok. “I follow and find a lot of amazingly talented independent artists that create the most fascinating decor items and artwork; it’s so inspiring to have pieces like that in my home to keep me inspired,” she writes. But those aren’t the only two things she looks to. “My favorite things to do when I’m looking to feel inspired are: browsing through vintage interior design books that I buy secondhand, reading blogs, rewatching old movies, traveling, Pinterest, YouTube videos — I love watching home makeovers and house tours.”

Now her own tour — of the Dallas, Texas, home she shares with her partner, Christian, and their pug, Bruce — can serve as inspiration for others. The home’s first floor features an open floor plan and lots of white walls, and how she’s styled the living and dining spaces will make you want to take notes; the space feels both like a cozy home and a chic decor boutique. “My last job before becoming anentrepreneurwas a site merchandiser at a high-end department store,” she explains. “I first started working in the furniture department, which was not my first choice. At the time I didn’t have much enthusiasm, but as I learned more I really became intrigued. I loved searching for creative inspiration for our email marketing team and gawking at the beauty of our competitors. My passion for fashion and style has always been front forward and once I realized how the fashion and furniture and decor industry coincide so closely it clicked for me!”

My Style:My style is a curation of multiple different styles that inspire me.As a vintage sellerI love mixing vintage with new. This gives me the ability to cave into the things I truly love but also allows for a unique harmony while maintaining focus. When I bring any new items into my home I first consider “is this something that brings me joy and makes me happy?” I draw my inspiration from the ’70s and ’80s, Hollywood regency, mid-century, Scandinavian, maximalism styles.

Inspiration:我真的开始磨练与我家的样式last year during quarantine. I took advantage of my extra time at home to indulge in interior design and making my “dream house” a reality. Being at home made me reflect on how I wanted my house to make me feel. I wanted a space that was joyful, not too serious, and filled with personality.

Favorite Element:Our front door is my favorite element in our home. It’s one of the first things that caught my eye. Last year I had an idea to paint the interior of our front door. I liked the idea of painting the interior of the door instead of the exterior so when I’m hanging out downstairs I get to glance at it. After I took a trip to Palm Springs a few years ago I became obsessed with bright fun colored front doors. So, naturally I painted our door a bright sunny yellow because it just felt right.

Biggest Challenge:I think moving from years of renting apartments it was a huge adjustment to not only having more square footage to decorate, but also getting used to the idea that I have the freedom to do literally whatever I want and really dive into all of the decorative fantasies I’ve had over the years.

Our downstairs area has a very open floor plan, so creating division and maximizing the space has been like solving a very thrilling puzzle. I have a lot of fun making each nook feel like like its own while still functioning in the bigger picture.

When I originally moved in I wanted all vintage furniture and decor. After about a year I realized that was super unrealistic for myself, because I had only collected maybe three pieces of vintage furniture. Now I’ve learned that the pieces I really want are worth the wait and adding in new items in between was the perfect concoction.

Proudest DIY:One of my favorite DIYs is my hanging disco ball. I had been wanting a disco ball for quite some time so I finally decided to purchase one. It ended up sitting on the ground for awhile because I was unsure how I wanted to hang it. I knew they were traditionally hung with a metal chain. I then took a trip to Lowes and discovered the most obnoxious yellow plastic chain that also happened to match my yellow front door perfectly. I also found a pink and green color block clasp to attach the chain to. I instantly knew all of these fun colors would be the perfect addition to accompany my disco ball.

My other favorite DIY is my set of matching vintage cane chairs I just reupholstered. I purchased them at an estate liquidation warehouse sale. When I bought them I could tell that someone else had already reupholstered the seats, but I was not a fan of the fabric. I was really excited to turn it into a project, because I’ve collected a lot of dead stock fabrics when I’m out sourcing. I will never pass up a fun retro colorful print. I think reupholstery is a great way to recycle furniture and give it a new life, and I’m not the most savvy with tools and found it to be pretty simple and empowering.

Biggest Indulgence:The biggest cost would definitely be our couch. Ironically we got an incredible deal on it, but it is still one of the most expensive pieces we have. We went into it knowing that we wanted to invest in an amazing couch after much trail and error. I would say it’s worth it because it meets every requirement we had and it fits all of our guests when we have friends and family over.

What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why?My favorite piece of furniture is our coffee table hands down. I swear I pinned an identical coffee table on my Pinterest a long time ago as inspiration so I could find something similar. Little did I know I would eventually stumble across the exact table at an old antique mall that’s located outside of Fort Worth that has been around for decades. If you’ve ever been to an antique mall you already know how chaotic and overfilled the vendor booths can be. Somehow I found a booth with nothing in it but my dream coffee table just sitting by itself on the ground and my jaw dropped. It was out of my budget so I took to Instagram Stories to share what I had just discovered. Instantly an influx of my followers encouraged me to go back for it. The next morning I called the antique mall to see if it was still there — and it was! I remembered I had seen some damage on it so I was able to negotiate the price to my budget. I don’t think I will ever not be in love with my coffee table.

Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have:Rugs! Rugs! Rugs! My living room, dining room, kitchen, and entry space are all mixed into an open space concept. I like using rugs to separate and give each space its own identity. Plus, the different patterns of my rugs adds texture and depth.

Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice?Buy what you like! Buy what feels true to you! I find sticking to one style can feel constricting so I like to listen to my intuition. If you have a small budget try window shopping online or in person and then check out thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace for similar or exact items. I’ve learned that the furniture industry cycles just like fashion, so most likely something you find brand new that’s really expensive you can find the original vintage version for less in most cases.

• Front door — Clare Paint’s “Golden Hour“
• Rug —Ruggable x Jonathan Adler
• Locker Console —- Mustard Made,The Lowdown, Lilac
• Artwork —Moonlight Movie Posterby Sara Wong
• Planters — The Sill
• Lamp Shade — D&W Lights
• Candelabra —Cloudwares

• Couch — Zuri – discontinued, hence the amazing deal we got.
• Checkered Pillow —KJP
• Side Tables — West Elm, Mitzy Kids Night Stand
• Blanket Rack — Crate and Barrel
• Checkered Rug — Etsy,Berber Stuff Artisanat
• Dog Bed — DusenDusen

• Dining table — Target, Hearth and Hand
• Bench — West Elm

Thanks, Aarica Nichole!

This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

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