Houzz Interview: Miss Mustard Seed’s Charming Pennsylvania Home

A few weeks ago, I came across several beautiful guest room photos uploaded to houzz by one of the users. I really liked the vintage decor so I was curious to find out who was the designer of this charming bedroom. This is how I found Miss Mustard Seed.

Marian lives in a small town near Gettysburg, PA with her youth pastor husband and their two toddler boys.
"I have always loved decorating and it has been one of my passions and primary hobbies for many years" says Marian in her blog Miss Mustard Seed. "In 2008, my family encouraged me to turn my hobby into a business and thus Mustard Seed Creations was born. When I'm not working on pieces for the shop or custom orders for clients, I am busy decorating my own home, building train sets with my boys, and working in ministry with my husband."

I'm very happy to introduce you today to Marian and her blog Miss Mustard Seed.

Please tell us about your "first meeting" with your house -What was the biggest renovation/decoration challenge you faced?

My home was not a "love at first site" kind of event. It was more of a "this house is less of a dump than the other houses we could afford", so we bought it by default. The original part of the home was built in the 1940s and an addition was added in 2002. The original part of the home had not been updated or cared for at all and the new part of the home was builder grade everything, unfinished, and not at all my taste.

The biggest project we've worked on so far was refinishing the floors in the original part of the house. I was five months pregnant at the time and it was quite an undertaking. One of the toughest challenges we face moving forward is getting a more cohesive look between old & new and defining some rooms that were left with an identity crisis after the addition was put on (like the former kitchen.)

What inspired you when you designed your guest bedroom?

This room was truly a happy accident. I was a part of a design competition and was challenged to design something for my home from a hardware store. The idea of creating the look of an exposed board wall stuck with me, so that became the jumping off point for the room. With no budget for redecorating the room, I had to use what was on hand. That included using a can of "oops" paint I purchased for a $1.00, fabric from a remnant bin, and pieces from elsewhere in my home. As everything came together, I realized that I had perfectly captured my style in one room. It is French Country meets American Farmhouse with a little junk thrown in.

Your favorite styles and colors

I grew up in Germany and traveling Europe as a child definitely influenced my design taste today. I am drawn to hand painted furniture, antiques, and anything French Country. Blue & white is my favorite color scheme, but I love reds, yellows, and aqua as well.

A spot in your house that makes you very happy/proud -What is your most precious accessory/furniture/art

I am really proud of our refinished hardwood floors. We did all of the work ourselves and for under $200 we totally transformed the look of our home and added value to it. I have to say I am proud of my guest room as well. The look is totally "me" and I did everything on my own, from sewing the curtains and pillows to refinishing the furniture, to creating the exposed board wall.

I have a lot of beautiful and special family pieces, so it’s hard to choose one that is my favorite. I think the rocking chair my grandmother had as a child would have to be close to the top of the list. Over four generations of toddlers in my family used that chair, so it's very precious to me.

What is your next house project?

Our next endeavor is making built-ins for the former kitchen to turn it into a home office. It’s basically a glorified hallway at this point, so built-ins are a perfect way to make the room functional.

5 things that houzz readers need to know about your blog -What is your best tip for the remodeling beginner?

I am a real "open book" on my blog. I share all of my tips, tricks and techniques in the hopes of being an inspiration to others.

All of my makeovers, projects, and decorating ideas are executed on a tight budget, but I never want anything to look like it.

I am a "Jill-of-all-trades", so I post tutorials on everything from gold leafing to sewing, decorative painting to woodworking.

I have a weekly link party on Friday where people can share their furniture projects and makeovers. It's a great place to visit if you are a furniture lover.

Lastly, I have two toddlers living in my home and teenagers who come over often, so my home and décor are realistic, comfortable and beautiful.

My best tip for a remodeling beginner is to learn how to paint. Paint is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to entirely change the look and feel of a room or a piece of furniture.

Last but not least: as a houzz friend, Marian has chosen a Pottery Barn giveaway gift card to one of the lucky readers that will share their thoughts about her house and interview.

Thank you for sharing your charming guest room and beautiful home Marian!

For your chance to win a $50 Pottery Barn gift card, comment on this interview by Sunday, May 15, at 5pm EST.