My Houzz: Midcentury Style Meets Confetti Party in Kansas City
A textile artist adds eclectic flair to her 1905 Missouri rental home
Fiber artist and textile enthusiast Lauren Stindt describes her style as “a modern take on midcentury and a confetti party.” Stindt’s rental home in Kansas City’s historic Hyde Park neighborhood is a live-work space decorated with her own hand-woven fabrics and tapestries and furnished with thrifted and upcycled pieces.
The original wood mantel displays framed photos that are Stindt’s roommate’s tribute to Dolly Parton. Other items in the eclectic collection of knickknacks include a handmade pompom garland and vases with dried lavender and eucalyptus. Hand-painted antlers sit on top of the firebox. The vignette shows off Stindt’s fun and lighthearted style.
DIY: A Colorful Pompom Garland
DIY: A Colorful Pompom Garland
Stindt found the dining chairs in her grandmother’s basement. “You can’t really fix the vinyl, so I put duct tape on them. I think it works,” she says. “Plus, they’re still cute!” Stindt made the table runner, which plays off the tones of the chairs.
Stindt’s woven pieces, like this hanging tapestry in the dining room, can be found throughout the house.
Stindt’s Jack Russell terrier, Stella, loves to enjoy the natural light from the bay window. The bench was custom-made by Stindt’s grandfather. Its original purpose was to showcase pillows at one of Stindt’s gallery events, but it fits perfectly in this space. The green back cushions are thrift store finds.
Built at the turn of the previous century, the house has quintessential Craftsman features, giving it lots of charm. The original oak staircase, wood trim, built-in bench and colonnade room dividers were what Stindt was drawn to when considering this rental. She’s been renting the home for about a year.
The secondhand finds and vibrant hits of color in the living room capture Stindt’s decorating style. The midcentury hutch is a $20 Craigslist find. The mirror appears built-in but actually is not original to the house. The landlord bought it from a Sears catalog for $49.95 in the 1940s. The colorful throw pillows are all handmade.
Coffee table: Vittsjö, Ikea
Coffee table: Vittsjö, Ikea
Stindt made the pompom garland seen here to match her colorful Ikea bedding. The mirror is a dumpster find. “It needed some serious love. There were cockroaches behind the glass,” Stindt says. With a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of gold paint, she brought it back to life.
In the bedroom, a midcentury modern dresser doubles as a vanity.
Stindt refinished this thrifted chair and re-covered the cushion with hand-painted fabric. An original woven tapestry hangs above it to add color to the white walls.
She converted one of the bedrooms into a home studio, where she makes hand-woven wall hangings, jewelry and home accessories for Fringe With Benefits. This space receives a ton of glorious natural light, which is ideal for her work.
There are two looms for weaving and several bins of yarn and fabric. The taller loom was built in the studio by a friend, but the other, older one had to be moved in, which was a challenge.
There are two looms for weaving and several bins of yarn and fabric. The taller loom was built in the studio by a friend, but the other, older one had to be moved in, which was a challenge.
A sewing machine tucked into a corner allows Stindt to make her home accessories, such as throw pillows.
Typographical postcards and prints create a gallery wall around an original woven wall hanging.
Stindt is pictured here in her workspace. She enjoys being in her neighborhood, which is filled with other artists.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Lauren Stindt of Fringe With Benefits, along with her roommate and her Jack Russell terrier, Stella
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: 1,612 square feet (149.7 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Year built: 1905
“This is my favorite room,” Stindt says. The dining table is from Kansas City’s West Bottoms district, an area known for its antiques shops. “I traded it for a tapestry,” she says.