Though it is historic and southern by reputation, Savannah is also modern, artistic, and creative without abandoning its vintage charm. From the people and food to the art and education, Savannah is a city of eclectic influence and is just as charming and romantic as it’s ever been.
The same can be said of Stephanie and Jason’s bungalow. From the romantic elements sprinkled throughout their home to the vintage heirlooms in every corner, their home reflects the classic spirit of Savannah that one need not only experience in the historic homes or modern mansions characteristic of the South.
As transplants from Indiana, they fell in love with Savannah when they relocated so Stephanie could study illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. By the time she finished her graduate program, Jason had already fallen in love with his job, and as Stephanie puts it, although they’d moved here for her, “We stayed here for him.” Not a bad compromise!
They share their new and wonderfully curated home with their pup, Billie Holiday, and cat, Dot. Check out their vintage vignettes below!
Dot, Stephanie and Jason’s cat, makes a cameo for the first photo!
Jason and Stephanie’s living room.
The entryway is decorated with Jason’s hats on a coat stand and a gallery wall of beautiful mirrors.
The gallery wall of mirrors in the entryway.
Stephanie’s artwork goes perfectly above the fireplace. From Left, “Barcelona,” “Paris,” and, “London.”
Their airy living room is filled with things they love and cherish like this coffee table Stephanie refinished that belonged to her grandmother.
This Indiana pillow is perfect for Stephanie and Jason’s home and was purchased in Savannah!
Jason purchased this beautiful grandfather clock in Greenfield, Indiana.
Tell us about your home! What’s your favorite element?
This is the first time we’ve owned a home and we just purchased it last spring. We fell in love with the kitchen remodel, so that is definitely our favorite room. We both enjoy cooking and it’s just the nicest kitchen we’ve ever had.
Stephanie and Jason’s kitchen is both modern and classic.
A happy succulent sits on the window sill in the kitchen.
A view of the backyard from the kitchen window.
Stephanie and Jason’s modern kitchen has vintage charm with this silver tray and heirloom silver teapot.
Tourist or Local, Perc Coffee is a Savannah Favorite!
White canisters complement the white subway tile in the kitchen.
A blue canister by the kitchen sink complements the potted succulent on the window sill.
This adorable open-mouthed whale dish was purchased from World Market.
What inspired the design of your home?
Much of the design elements of the house itself were already done by the previous owners–they just happened to have the same taste as us! We didn’t have to paint or anything. There are a lot of inspirations for the decor– I love the show Fixer Upper on HGTV for some of the trendier elements, but love to have a style that’s rooted in classic elements.
View of the dining room from the kitchen.
Jason bought and re-purposed this 1920s dresser for Stephanie! He also wrote the poem 🙂
The kitchen and dining room gets beautiful natural light.
You’re both from Indiana. Tell us about what brought you to Savannah and what you love most about the city!
We decided to move here so that I could go to graduate school for illustration at SCAD. After I graduated, Jason realized how much he enjoyed his job and wanted to stay. So he moved here for me, and we stayed here for him. We have really found our happiness here– in new friends we have made, our new home, and of course, being near the beach!
A look-through to the master bedroom.
A glamorous yet simple nightstand.
The master bedroom.
We love the vintage pieces in your home! How would you describe your home and its style?
I would describe our style as Modern Vintage. Many of our pieces are quite old or redone (like my grandmother’s coffee table that I stripped and refinished), but we also have some newer pieces to help bring the style into the current times.
A look-through to the guestroom.
The guestroom nightstand.
Wine Spectator and Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States sit on the guest room nightstand.
A pale yellow desk and an heirloom white chair with satin upholstery.
A vintage upholstered chair with a gold, glittery pillow.
It’s awesome to see libraries in homes these days. Tell us about your book collection!
Jason and I both love to read, so the books are our combined collections from childhood all the way through college and recent years. I love historical fiction, biographies, & classic literature; Jason is a Shakespeare fan and loves dense historical books.
We love this photo album with a vintage camera on the cover.
Books, photos, and mementos on the built-in bookshelf.
The built-in in the hallway is a home for books, photos of pets, and heirlooms and mementos.
The built-in in the hallway houses both Jason and Stephanie’s collection of books and mementos.
Tell us about your artwork and Petite Pen Studio! What inspires your art?
Petite Pen Studio is my freelance illustration business. I do any and all types of artwork & design– from wedding stationery to fashion illustration, to hand lettering and chalk art. I’m inspired by Art Deco style & illustrators like George Barbier, as well vintage travel posters and the classic style of women like Audrey Hepburn.
Stephanie’s bright and creative office space.
This chic, blue filing cabinet sits beside Stephanie’s desk.
Stephanie’s office walls are adorned with art from her friends.
Chih-Yung Wang’s “The Gift Box Series No. 1” also hangs on the wall in Stephanie’s office.
The two prints on the left are “Scarecrow” and “Blondie” by Michelle Willows.
This water color is based on a wedding portrait of Stephanie and was gifted to her by Daniel Velasco.
We love the organization and inspiration in Stephanie’s office space! “Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air that we make could come true?”
Romantic photos of Stephanie and Jason are all over their home!
You have lovely little vignettes in your home. Which detail makes you smile the most and why?
One of my favorite details is always the built-in bookcase. Our books tell so much about who we are. I also love that our bookshelves display photos and paintings of beloved pets that we have had throughout our lives. Our fur babies are all so special to us, and I love remembering them.
A peek inside the bright bathroom.
Bathroom vignettes with modern and vintage elements.
A chest of drawers in Stephanie’s office on which sit two framed photos of their wedding.
Another of several happy moments sprinkled throughout Stephanie and Jason’s home.
A couple of framed photos of Jason and Stephanie’s wedding can be seen on a chest of drawers in her office.
Jason and Stephanie at their dining room table.
Thank you, Stephanie and Jason!
Index
Art:
Above the fireplace are Stephanie’s own illustrations, “Barcelona,” “Paris,” and “London.”
www.etsy.com/shop/petitepenstudio
“Scarecrow” and “Blondie” by Michelle Willows
www.facebook.com/lonesome.daughter
Twitter: @lonesomedaughterillu
“The Gift Box Series No. 1” by Chih-Yung Wang
www.chihillustration.com
Water Color Portrait of Stephanie by Daniel Velasco
www.velascodan.blogspot.com/
Notable Elements:
Vintage Desk & Chair in the guestroom:
“The desk is from Vintage Woodworks on Victory Drive in Savannah & the chair was Jason’s grandmother’s.”
Wine Bar:
“Jason bought this 1920’s dresser for me for Christmas a few years back and transformed it into a bar himself. It’s one of my most cherished possessions!”
Dining Room Table/Chairs:
“The table is from Two Women & a Warehouse and the chairs are from World Market.”
Grandfather Clock:
“Jason bought the clock long before we lived together at an antique shop in Greenfield, Indiana.”
Indiana State Pillow:
“Kitchen on the Square on Barnard right before they moved to Arizona. Nicole and her husband (the shop’s owners) were great people. I worked as a wine and canvas teacher at her shop for awhile, and we wanted to have something from them.”
(vSav note: We’re excited to learn that Nicole and Johnny opened a store in Tuscon! Check out Mabel on 4th here and here!)
Blue & White Mermaid:
“My friend Sue bought that for me. I think she got it from Modcloth.”
Vintage Silver Teapot and Serving Tray:
“The teapot was Jason’s grandparents,’ and is real silver. The tray is from Home Goods.”
Open Mouth Whale Dish:
World Market
