Elizabeth & Her Home
When Elizabeth Jindrich and her fiancé, Whit, relocated to Florence, Alabama, the pair decided not to settle for a small, cookie-cutter house. Instead, they put the YOLO adage to the test and found a 5,600-square-foot fixer-upper with more than 12 rooms. Yes, you read that right! Every room in the house needed updating, including the outdoor living spaces and the grounds themselves, but Elizabeth and Whit were enthusiastically up to the task.
To document their home renovation journey, Elizabeth launched a blog, which she aptly dubbed The Sourced Home. Peruse the many before-and-after posts and you’ll see why we think this savvy homemaker deserves her own HGTV show! Her knack for expertly combining multiple aesthetics into one cohesive style—not to mention her DIY skills—are the stuff of our team’s design-obsessed dreams.
We invite you to step inside Elizabeth’s stately home below to witness for yourself how this thrift store queen has managed to successfully blend old-world elegance with modern charm to create the perfect Southern abode. We guarantee you won’t be able to look away!
Your home looks like it’s straight out of a movie! Tell us how you and your fiancé, Whit, found such an idyllic fixer-upper.
Thank you! I basically just stalked all of the top real estate websites out there once I started interviewing for the job I have now. I used a few filters that helped to narrow search results. My top filters are 2+ bedrooms, built prior to 1990 and 1+ acre of property. I used these specific filters as I know the lots I can choose from in Alabama are much larger than a typical property lot in a city. When I saw this house online, the pictures were fuzzy, so I went to see it in person, and it was love at first sight. Funny story—we actually put an offer on this house without Whit seeing it in person. What a guy, right?
How have you prioritized which rooms and projects to tackle first?
We prioritize by tackling the rooms we will use the most first, which turned out to be those in the worst shape. Our first project was the kitchen. It was not in a usable condition, and we enjoy cooking at home, so we knew that was first. Next was the kitchen nook where we hang out most often, and then it has just become a room-by-room domino effect. We are really only about halfway through!
What projects have you found the most challenging and rewarding so far?
Definitely the kitchen and kitchen nook. The wood trim required two coats of oil-based primer alone. In between those two areas, we used 17 gallons of paint—and did it all ourselves. It is so rewarding though, being able to entertain in these areas and have a nice area to cook. We are very pleased with the results!
Funny story—we actually put an offer on this house without Whit seeing it in person. What a guy, right?
Where do you find your design inspiration?
Probably like most people, I love design and home magazines and Instagram accounts. However, I am most inspired by visiting home shops, thrift stores and people’s actual homes. I feel it is less intimidating than a magazine cover or a designer’s Instagram account. I love all styles—modern, mid-century, country, minimalism and eclectic. I should mention, I have a few design books I go back to all the time because they are just so inspiring. They are all different, but amazing: Absolutely Beautiful Things, Habitat and domino (both old and new). I am pretty sure every page in those books has a Post-it note marking something I need or want to incorporate in our home.
I love things that big cities have to offer, but I would have to say my heart is in the country. I like the slower pace of life and being able to look out my front and back windows and only see trees.
We adore the artwork hung throughout your home. Are most of the pieces thrifted? Tell us about some of your favorite resources for fine art.
Thank you! Most pieces are thrifted. Some of the art I have was painted by my dad when he was in high school or by my sister, who is super talented. I have been collecting art since 2010 when I graduated from college and lived in Kansas City. A great source to buy fine art is One Kings Lane. It has so many types of art and a wide price range. I have also purchased some digital prints from Kate Lines and Society6.
Mountain or beach vacation?
Mountain. I am not chill enough to stay at a beach for a week at a time. A weekend? Sure! I also grew up going to national parks on family vacations, so I guess it has stuck with me.
If money were no object, what would you splurge on for your home?
I can name about 100 things I could splurge on, but my top three things would be a Lacanche range, a king-sized canopy bed and four of these tufted armchairs set up in the kitchen nook.
Does your sweet pup Frank have a favorite room or place in the house?
Yes! He loves sleeping in our bed under the sheets curled up in Whit’s legs—even in the Alabama summer! He is such a snuggle bunny. He really loves anywhere that he can curl up and be cozy.
You’ve lived everywhere from LA to Dallas. Do you consider yourself more of a country or city gal?
Hard question! I love things that big cities have to offer, but I would have to say my heart is in the country. I like the slower pace of life and being able to look out my front and back windows and only see trees. Living in the country does take some time getting used to, and fortunately I have friends that live in Nashville and Chicago I can visit!
What is your favorite Craigslist or thrift store find to date?
Too many to name because I have so many favorites that I have thrifted, but probably the rug in our dining room or the old settee in our kitchen. They are staple pieces that I know we will have forever. I must say though that our bed frame (which we painted flat black) was traded for a case of Michelob Ultra, so that may have been my best “deal.”
I like the idea of a fresh start and goal setting! Getting married and eating more vegetable-based meals are our top two resolutions.
Any tips for how to best approach the hunt for quality thrifted items?
You must visit stores often. Once a week during lunch I hit up my two favorites: Habitat Re-Store and Salvation Army. When I lived in LA and Dallas, I found that going to older, more established neighborhoods had the best stuff. I have also scored some really great stuff for free. People know I like vintage and used things of good quality, and many have given me things they simply do not want or don’t have a need for.
What are some of your home-entertaining essentials?
Whit would say his Big Green Egg, Yeti and cast iron skillet. My essentials are cocktails, music playing in the background and yummy-smelling candles. This candle from Billy Reid is my all-time favorite.
Are you one to embrace new year’s resolutions? If so, what do you hope to do more (or less!) of in 2017?
I like the idea of a fresh start and goal setting! Getting married and eating more vegetable-based meals are our top two resolutions. I recently picked up The Love & Lemons Cookbook and I can’t wait to try some of the recipes.
What do you love most about living in Alabama?
The people are friendly, the winters are not freezing cold and the cost of living is fantastic! We really love living in Florence, Alabama. There is a lot of history and culture, not to mention we have made some great friends just in the short time we have lived here.
Favorite way to unwind after a day of DIY home renovating?
Pour a glass of good wine and take Frank on a walk with Whit down our country roads—the area is so pretty.
Resources:
Great room sofa // Great room rug // Great room lamp // Mid-century chairs (similar) // Great room ghost chairs // Kitchen nook chairs (similar) // Kitchen subway tiles // Butcher block kitchen island // Dining room table (similar) // American flag // Master bedroom art and frame // Master bedroom bed frame (similar) // Bedding // Outdoor Adirondack chairs (similar) // Kitchen rug (similar) // Entryway chair (similar) // Library ladder (similar) // Outdoor cushions
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