Caroline Pinney Doesn’t Regret Spending $23,000 to Furnish Her Soulful Austin Living Room
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After moving with her boyfriend to Cherrywood, a mellow neighborhood in Austin, in April, Caroline Pinney knew she was looking for a home with character rather than the renovated residences taking over the city. “I stand by the fact that a super old home is just built better,” the artists says about her one-story house on the East Side. “Austin has a mix of old yet beautiful and historic homes, but modern homes feel very sterile.”
Featured in her 1950s abode are crown moldings, French doors, and rich wood paneling, a huge draw for the 31-year-old painter. It has a solid structure and no echo (a bonus as her partner works in music). It’s spacious enough to fit all of her canvases and art supplies—and its large bay windows garner lots of light with just the right amount of tree coverage. “I needed a studio space that was substantial in size, so we looked for a three-bedroom home and immediately fell in love with this one,” Pinney tells AD. Best of all, she only pays $3,500 in rent.
Comfort and coziness were a top priority as a full-time artist who “works from home 99% of the time.” She relies heavily on her visual intuition to hunt for decor—mainly second-hand finds and abstract paintings—which stems from the intention to connect to something more deeply within her relationships and her life. “When I’m collecting pieces for my home, I always think about how it brings me closer to myself or the people I love,” she says.
Aspects of the home, especially her dining room, were curated to emphasize memories with her loved ones that would manifest in the space. “Our connection as a family was built around a table, often around food. I wanted this room to feel very comfortable but in consideration of myself and the people I love.”
For Pinney, a home should be an authentic reflection of herself—and it means collecting based on what you love rather than trying to follow trends. “It makes for a more interesting and inspiring space and one that you’ll ultimately feel the most at home in,” she says. “I believe our environment deeply influences our mood and creative output, so why not foster a space that encourages that?”
Ahead, Pinney shares more about splurging on art and decor, the vintage chair her dog can’t get enough of, and the custom coffee table she can’t wait to receive.
Architectural Digest: What about this home drew you in?
The two ends of the house are connected by the largest room, the living room, and the front hallway. I love the layout of this house because it flows nicely from room to room but offers privacy in any room you’re in. It also has large windows, French doors, and wide entryways from room to room rather than an open concept, which I’m not particularly drawn to. I love that the back deck has three entry points, allowing me to “cut across” one end of the house to the other. The sound is beautifully controlled throughout, which is nice because my boyfriend is a musician, and we often both have music playing. His studio is on the opposite side of the house as mine, so when he’s playing guitar, I can still hear my music while I paint or catch up on sleep in our bedroom across the hall from my studio.
What was you vision for the space?
Much like my approach to working on a painting, my vision for the space relied heavily on intuition. I trusted that in my search for a home, I would know it was the right fit once I was inside. As far as filling the space and making it my own, I enjoy collecting pieces over time that speak to me—mostly second-hand furniture, decor, and books. If I buy something brand-new, it’s likely from an artist I admire or something that’s the perfect fit for my home.
How has your work as a full-time artist influenced your taste in decor?
A huge part of my painting process celebrates human connection and comments on social interaction with an understanding that our bodies communicate well with us. I replicate that same sentiment within my home as it makes me feel connected to those that I love and to those I never got the opportunity to meet. I would also say that as an artist, I’ve not only had to think about the price of my own work but also have to be cognizant of the design market in general. I rely on my gut when decorating and resist collecting art just to fill space because it feels dishonest and leaves me with junk in the long term.
Did you have a budget?
I would like to say yes and sound responsible, but not really. I’m of the school that if you can imagine something living with you for years, it feels like a reflection of you, and it’s not going to financially put you in a tough space, then collect it. I also don’t have kids, and I’m not a homeowner just yet, so I believe that at this stage of my life, I should use this time to splurge on things now while I can.
What were some of your biggest splurge items?
Besides my couch, which I bought from Four Hands, a partner company of mine, for around $6,000, it would likely be a tie between my Danish dining chairs from 1stDibs ($2,000) and my Helle Mardahl collection. Helle is a Copenhagen-based designer whose mouth-blown glass sculptures are elegant and bold. I have several of her “Bon-Bons,” which total around $2,000. Her pieces lovely contrast the earthy greens and browns I’m typically drawn to in my paintings and throughout my home.
Do you have any items in your home that you consider a “steal?”
My biggest save has to be the vintage wood chair with patterned velvet upholstering in front of my fireplace. I bought it second-hand for about $250, and it adds a nice pop of rich red to complement my green rug. When considering size, I had my dog, Bowie, in mind. He may love it even more than I do—it’s kind of his chair.
Do you have favorite standout pieces in your home?
I have many. I love all of my coffee table books because they cover artists, musicians, and designers I love. I don’t think my home would be complete without the art I collect. I have several pieces from Kevin Sabo, an artist from my hometown in Richmond, Virginia. He’s had a notable influence on my work. Perhaps my largest and growing collection is that of artist Bella McGoldrick. She’s an Australian artist and friend whose work I am in awe of. I love her ability to hyper-realistically capture iconography from travels and the arrangements of her subjects—loved and used objects—each time she takes a trip.
My favorite piece of hers is a framed print of the Principle of Forgettery, a drawing made honoring her travels to Japan. This piece perfectly sums up my appreciation for the history of objects and keepsakes. She notes: “The Japanese pay homage to the history of an object, showing delicate respect in their way of bringing the past into today...the respect these materials harbored only tempted me to pay my own.”
Two of Bella’s food-centric pieces, Puglia and Le Beurre, are appropriately installed in my dining room. I think if you’re drawn to a piece of art enough to want to live with it, the price is right. In my opinion, it’s also important to connect with and understand the artist behind the work. On the opposite side of the bay windows is a vintage lawyer’s cabinet ($450) that was given new life and some legs by Austin local Carla Garthwaite of Vintage Blueprint. The midcentury piece is filled with an overflow of glasses, matchbooks I’ve collected, and various personal keepsakes.
Do you have any purchase regrets?
I have a pillow from Target that I can’t stand on my couch. I hide it whenever someone comes over but use it for extra comfort. I know you don’t have to break the bank and find a super nice pillow, but there’s nothing special about the one I have. It doesn’t feel like me. It feels very out of place. I have some plants that I shouldn’t have bought because I can’t keep them alive—I’m not a green thumb girlie, that’s my mom.
I would also say my coffee table, which is this glass waterfall coffee table from Amazon. It’s way too small for my living room. I’m actually swapping it out for a custom piece by Jordan Goetz of Growler Domestics, a designer in Austin. He’s making a four-and-a-half foot walnut waterfall coffee table ($3,000) with a black stone on top, and a quarter reveal between the wood and the stone. His craftsmanship and attention to detail is unmatched. These additions will make the space more dynamic and cohesive. It’s going to make the space look so much better and I’ll be able to put books on it.
Do you have any items left on your shopping list?
I’ve since added a midcentury-modern 1960s Danish teak credenza ($1,200) from a vintage shop based here. I bought this piece knowing it would complement my new coffee table currently being built. I’m also excited to work with an artist I’ve admired for years, Kristen Giorgi, on a custom painting to go above my fireplace. Right now, I use the space to prop up my own paintings which helps me envision what they’ll look like in a space, but Kristen’s work will be the “final” touch to the room.
Caroline Pinney’s Room Receipt
Shop pieces inspired by Pinney’s living room
Bon Bon Medi
$615.00, Helle Mardahl
Arrel Speckled Wool-Blend Rug
$88.95.00, Rugs USA
Caroline Pinney “Felt It With You”
$575.00, Tappan Collective
John Stuart Walnut Dining Chairs
$2800.00, 1stDibs
Avrilynn 120'' Upholstered Sofa
$650.00, Wayfair
How to Live with Objects: A Guide to More Meaningful Interiors
$60.00, Amazon
Victorian Salon Chair 1870
$1875.00, 1stDibs
Ela Alabaster Stacked Table Lamp
$349.00, Ela Alabaster Stacked Table Lamp
Painted 25 Series- Vessel II by April Johnston
$500.00, 1stDibs
Danish Design Teak Sideboard, 1960s
$1361.00, Chairish
This story is a part of Room Receipts, a series where we get real about the costs behind one well-designed room. From big budget spenders to thrifty thinkers, we’re talking to people from different worlds about their worth-it splurges, budget hacks, and purchase regrets. We’re always on the hunt for cool homes with a unique story, so if you’re interested in being featured tell us more about your space here.
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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