Emma Shay and her husband have focused on pouring love into their starter home, a little 100-year-old bungalow in Metro Detroit. You can follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook – where they share ongoing projects and life. Emma told us she wants to inspire others to love where they live, even if it’s not their forever home, and viewers can see she always tries her best to encourage others to save old houses. We partnered with Emma to update the door hardware throughout their home to ensure it was faithful to the original style of the antique house. Read on for a glimpse of how it all turned out!
Please give us some more details on By Emma Shay. How did you develop it, and what sets it apart?
In 2020, my husband and I set out to buy our first home (terrible time for first-time homebuyers, we know). We didn’t have our eyes set on any particular age of home, but after 7 failed offers on various houses, our 8th offer was accepted on an 876 square foot bungalow about 20 minutes North of Detroit. We knew immediately why all of the other houses didn’t work out. Over the years, we have fallen in love with decorating, honoring, and renovating our little old home, and I’ve shared our journey on By Emma Shay on social media. We are known for bringing character back to our little old home through simple yet impactful DIYs and decor and embracing all of the creaks, cracks, and scratches that come with the territory.
Did you remodel your entire home? If so, were there specific rooms that were more challenging than others? Why?
We were lucky that our house was move-in-ready. After looking into our home’s history, it seems not to have been in any one family for long. As a result, nobody spent much time undoing the home’s history. The original oak floors are intact (albeit tarnished), the wide craftsman trim is still there (albeit painted), and the plaster walls are going strong. The biggest challenge we’ve encountered was in our office. At some point, someone painted latex paint over oil paint. It was peeling off in sheets all the way down to the plaster. After months of turmoil (and plaster repair), we could finally repaint the room.
How did you choose the hardware featured in this project? What attracted you to Nostalgic Warehouse?
Our home had a myriad of different door knobs throughout the house. Some truly old, some reproductions, and some run-of-the-mill hardware store knobs. Since our home is craftsman-inspired and was built in 1924, we wanted to honor its era with new matching door hardware. I searched the internet for 1920s antique knobs and found a lot of Mission style, Arts & Crafts, and Art Deco influences. It was hard to find enough antique knobs for our entire house, but my search led me to Nostalgic Warehouse’s reproductions. To mimic some of the antiques I found in my search, I chose to mix the Mission backplate with Deco knob in antique brass.
We purchased just ONE Nostalgic Warehouse door knob for the bathroom door and were sold on the quality and craftsmanship. We were saving and buying one knob every few months. Then, I had the opportunity to work with Nostalgic Warehouse to finish the rest of the house’s doors. I have been so grateful for this partnership!
How long did this project take to complete?
We’ve been working on making our house a home slowly but surely since August 2020. Swapping our knobs was a small yet impactful project that we completed over three months. Some of our old doors required some finessing to get the new knobs to fit, which was a challenge. It was one of our many decisions to honor our home’s character, and it was well worth it.
Will you use this hardware again in other projects/areas of your home? If so, why?
Oh, in a heartbeat. The sets we chose feel like they are original to our 1924 Craftsman-inspired bungalow. Now that all of our interior doors are dressed with Nostalgic Warehouse hardware, we will focus on two doors that lead to our mudroom and sunroom. These two doors are original and solid wood, and they will deserve some Nostalgic Warehouse jewelry after we refinish them.
Did you learn any tips and tricks about door hardware that would benefit others?
Take your time, use the templates, and test fit as you go. Some of our doors are old, and some are new, and each one presented a new challenge (especially the old, wonky doors). But, the guidance Nostalgic Warehouse provides online was key in helping us quickly install the knobs once we figured out our individual door issues.
What is your design style, and how do you incorporate those decorating decisions within your home?
I always want my home to feel cozy and welcoming, and my design style can be summarized in three words: vintage eclectic cottage. We love to be home and love to host, so first and foremost, I focus on comfort and conversational layouts. Whenever possible, I try to shop secondhand, and I especially love it when I can find Craftsman/Mission pieces for our home. I also despise empty walls, so that’s where my eclecticism comes in. I have been lucky enough to inherit some Mid-Century Modern furniture, so you’ll also see some of those influences. But somehow, it all comes together to make this place we call home special!
Where do you find design inspiration?
Within the walls of our own home, I’ve been inspired by the wide craftsman trim, original wood floors, and few original craftsman doors. I love finding old books at the library to see what my home might have looked like 100 years ago. I watch shows like Restored, Diary of an Old Home, In with the Old, and Who’s Afraid of a Cheap Old House. I scroll Pinterest for eclectic vintage decor and follow many people on Instagram who restore old homes. There’s so much to learn about old homes, which excites me!
When starting a project, how do you organize and plan for it?
I’m a visual person but not a planner, so I tend to make a mood board and then jump in head first. I like to figure things out along the way!
How did you choose a house to buy and renovate?
We weren’t necessarily looking for an old house when we bought our first/current house. However, now that we’ve had the opportunity to get to know our little old home, we’ve fallen in love with the idea of our next house being an old house as well. We don’t mind some grunt work but cannot handle a complete fixer-upper, so we’ll be looking for something with great bones and no structural issues, yet needing some loving caretakers. It would be a huge bonus if original architectural elements have been maintained!
What are some tips for readers who wish to transform their homes?
Paint can go a LONG WAY. We haven’t done any significant renovations in our home, but if you look at the before and after photos, you’d think we have! Also, remember that your home should represent YOU and make you happy. Quiet the noise of what’s trending, and listen to what you’re drawn to. And if you need a little help, interior designers are worth the money! (I offer entry-level design services if you’d like my help!)
What is next?
We currently have a list of “95% done” projects we’re tackling. We worked so long on various DIY projects that we moved on too quickly and left things unfinished. It might be boring, but catch us caulking, filling holes, and doing paint touch-ups. A necessary evil! Outside of that, I always have a new design board brewing, so it’s just a matter of time before I jump at the next project. For instance, I’m dying to wallpaper SOMETHING. I never have before.
Thank you to Emma for giving us a few peeks at this lovely home!
*Note fron Nostalgic Warehouse: The products shown in these photos are mortise sets which are a special order and can be purchased by calling our customer service line directly: 1-800-522-7336.
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