Name /// Mark Salvie
Age /// 26
What would you call your decor style?
Quirky, modern, comfortable, curated, and cheeky.
How long have you lived here?
Since November 2012.
What is the square footage?
A little over 2,000 square feet.
Favorite room in the house or where you spend most your time?
With two roommates, a dog, plus all our friends/families/neighbors/lady friends/supper groups/couchsurfers/etc constantly visiting, my home usually feels like a frat house or youth hostel. So I'm VERY grateful my bedroom is so calm and relaxing, as it provides a temporary retreat from the glorious insanity of the rest of my house!
Where do you gather inspiration from?
My mom, traveling, cool restaurants, old photographs, Wes Anderson's color choices, my hip friends' Instagrams (especially instagram.com/sarakatestudios), Liz Lambert's hotels, the internet.
Favorite Design Blogs or Magazine?
I don't really read these too often anymore, but when I first bought my house and felt pretty overwhelmed, the following few websites were lifesavers and/or great inspiration:
What is your biggest challenge in decorating?
A lot of my walls have curved edges, which makes multiple paint colors rather tricky. Also, my ceilings are fairly tall so scale is really important to consider when purchasing art and furniture.
Do you follow any rules when shopping for your home?
I have a few general rules. First, everything I buy needs to either a.) serve a very specific function or b.) spark curiosity, creativity, or whimsy. Second, I try to buy from a lot of different sources. Nothing feels more sterile than walking into a room and everything's straight out of a Ikea or Restoration Hardware catalog. Finally, I try to always buy original art. Original art doesn't have to be any more expensive than the mass-produced junk from Target or Pottery Barn, and it has a much greater impact on a space's identity.
Go to places to shop for home goods?
Reeves Antiques is by far my favorite store here in Houston. The owners are honest, hilarious, and have impeccable taste, plus two Jack Russell Terriers hang out at the store most days! I also like Native Citizen, The Guild Shop, and Kuhl Linscomb here in Houston, although the secret of the Guild Shop is officially out and the selection is pretty picked over these days and I can't really afford anything in Kuhl Linscomb.
Every time I'm in Dallas I'll pop into We Are 1976, an effortlessly cool store that sells awesome screenprints, custom lighting, and random knick knacks.
I shop online fairly often at CB2, Joinery NYC, Etsy, and Amazon.
Finally, I really like buying art and "home goods" as souvenirs when I'm traveling. Shipping and transport can be difficult sometimes, but I enjoy seeing little reminders of fun vacations scattered around my home!
