1800s Maximalist Disco Cottage Tour Photos

Name: Faith McGlothin and partner, Liz
Location: Kingston, New York
Type of home: Cottage
Size: 916 square feet
Years lived in: Two years, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I am a PhD candidate, and my partner, Liz, is a scenic painter for film. The house is a small cottage from the late 1800s in the town of Kingston, New York, just two hours north of the city. I furnished the house on a BUDGET. All furniture was found on Craigslist or at auctions. The most expensive item in the house is about $100.

I embrace decadence, maximalism and think anyone can be a design diva… on a budget! My grandmother sold antiques for years. I learned how to go trash picking with her. When she couldn’t afford marble kitchen counter tops, she painted hers with a faux finish and about 10 layers of shellac paint.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Maximalist Disco Cottage

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the upstairs bedroom. It has beautiful sloped ceilings, original windows, exposed beams, and a brick wall. It is lovely to see the history of the house from these vintage features. There is a section in the brick wall where you can see the hand imprint of the laborer who originally formed the bricks.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I found two cane back arm chairs for free on Craigslist. The upholstery was in rough shape, so I ripped up a Target comforter and reupholstered them with green velour fabric. Now they look so luxe and expensive. Not so bad for free?

Any advice for creating a home you love? My advice is that there is so reason to ever buy any new furniture or to spend a lot of money. Some of my favorite items of furniture I found in the trash! Anything can be made beautiful with a bit of creativity and some paint…

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.