This Charming 1930s Texas Cottage Is Packed with Vintage Character
Word to the wise, antiques lovers: A weekend shopping trip to historic McKinney, Texas, can turn into far more than you bargained for. Behold, the ultimate "Look What I Bought!"
Over a decade ago, while antiquing in downtown McKinney, Texas, Cindy Williams (@puddlesandsquirt) made a left when she should have taken a right. That led her to a street just off the historic town square and her best antiquing score to date: a charming, 1,200-square-foot cottage built in the 1930s. She relocated from nearby Dallas, moved in, and adjusted to small(er)-town life. The home improvement urge surfaced in 2012. "I challenged myself to a kitchen remodel," Cindy says, "and I did it on my own in 14 days." That inspired additional projects to make the space more practical while adding vintage character. "When you're living in a house while you're renovating, you really understand its strengths and shortcomings," she says. In her downtime, she hunted for just the right pieces at local antiques stores and the Round Top Antiques Fair, which she attends, without fail, twice a year. Cindy says she couldn't be happier with the results. "I call it my Continental American farmhouse."
Finders Keepers
Cindy Williams, a telecommunications executive, stands on the porch of her 1930s McKinney, Texas cottage which is located just off the historic town square.
Living Room
In the living room, white planked walls offer a bright and airy feel, patterned pillows from Kuhl-Linscomb add a pop of color.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Simply White by Benjamin Moore
Dining Room
Cindy scored the perfect farmhouse table for a mere $65 on Craigslist. She fell in love with the set of sailboat prints during one of her shopping sprees at Bayberry's Antiques in Burton, Texas, located just outside Round Top.
Kitchen
Cindy initially installed sailcloth as a frugal way to conceal pots and pans, but it has become one of the things she loves best about the space. "The panels offer a subtle nod to the other coastal references throughout the house," she says of the easy DIY project that only required sewing buttonholes into the fabric and using antiqued brass hooks found on Amazon. Wood accents (open shelving, kitchen island) in varying tones warm up the all-white palette.
Cindy found the vintage table at Bill Moore Antiques in Round Top and repurposed it as an island. The antique reproduction stools are from Aidan Gray. She found the 150-year-old French farmhouse window at her favorite downtown McKinney antiques store, Chase Hall (now closed). Pendant lights featuring cloth-covered cords and Sheffield shades made of milk glass hail from the era when the home was constructed.
RELATED: All-White Kitchens That'll Inspire Your Next Remodel
Guest Bedroom
Rustic shiplap walls are the perfect foil to the sweet pink, red, and white color scheme Cindy chose for all three bedrooms. Small-scale chippy furniture—much of it purchased at local antiques shops—fits the compact spaces perfectly. She skipped traditional headboards and opted instead to tuck the beds under windows outfitted in gauzy cotton draperies. "Old houses were designed to make the most of breezy days, and nothing pays homage to that more than simple cotton curtains dancing in the wind," she says.
Guest Bedroom
In another bedroom, a tiny lampshade crafted by Etsy's "Lampshade Lady" adorns the dresser. The bedspread is a vintage find from eBay (search "vintage Bates blankets" for similar).
Bathroom
In the downstairs bathroom, Cindy added pops of green including the vintage jadeite towel bar, which she found on eBay, and a mirror from Antique Company Mall in McKinney.
Master Bathroom
Prior to the home's renovation, the master bathroom was just a landing. To make best use of the small, 5-foot-wide space, Cindy had a 1930s washstand powder-coated white and modified to fit a simple bowl sink. A wall-mounted faucet, soap holder, and towel storage keep clutter at bay. Her mother picked up the shield-shaped mirror for $3 at the World's Longest Yard Sale.
Main Bedroom
To brighten up her bedroom, Cindy installed a door sidelight horizontally above the bed. She repurposed a monogrammed vintage linen as the horizontal curtain.
RESOURCE GUIDE: Consulting designer: Vince Maggio. Architect: McReynolds Designs; mcreynoldsdesigns.com. Renovator: Integrity Custom; integritycustom.com. Various architectural salvage and antiques: Antique Company Mall, antiquecompanymall.com; Bayberry's Antiques, facebook.com/bayberrysvintagefab; Town Square Antique Mall, 903-438-0286, townsquareantiquemall.com; Patina Green Home and Market, patinagreenhomeandmarket.com. The Maid Place; themaidplace.com.
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