Inside the Home of Mr. and Mrs. Vintage

Kylie and Ryan Durkin take their fondness for vintage stuff seriously. Nearly everything in their 1950 Phoenix, AZ, home—down to the dishes—is older than the couple themselves. Their favorite pieces are mid-century modern, a style they love so much, they opened a furniture shop devoted to the era called Modern Manor. “The quality and the simple, geometric shapes can’t be matched,” says Ryan, who often cherry-picks the store’s inventory for one-of-a-kind pieces he can use at home.

As a result, the Durkins’ four-bedroom place—which they bought and renovated in 2012—features a constantly rotating collection of drool-worthy, history-packed finds, from iconic bucket chairs designed by Eames to an antique cabinet with dozens of little built-in cubbies. “We pretty much cringe if we have to buy something that’s brand-new,” says Ryan. Adds Kylie, “Everything in this house has a story behind it.” 

“You don’t come across something like it very often,” says Ryan of the 5-foot-diameter mirror with a thick brass frame that brightens the dining area. It hangs against grass cloth wallpaper, a fresh-looking foil to the hefty, live-edge oak dining table. The circa-1950s chairs are by mid-century-modern furniture designer Allan Gould. They just needed new seat cushions, so the Durkins had some made in hunter green leather. 

The house’s original etched concrete walls, exposed beams, and copper-hooded fireplace give it a distinctly retro look. Ryan had the 1980s sofa reupholstered in tufted leather and was so happy with it, he had an ottoman built to match. To balance out such bulky pieces, he added a leggy 1960s mosaic-top coffee table. One of the couple’s favorite vintage-market finds is the road sign from when Phoenix had just 700,000 residents (today it’s more than double that). The shaggy rug is from HomeGoods, one of the few spots where the couple likes to buy new things.

The open layout of the kitchen—which Kylie and Ryan added a pantry to last year—gives them plenty of room to entertain guests and cook for their sons, Sawyer, 3, and baby River. Beveled edges put a fun twist on classic subway tiles, which line every wall and even the range hood. The one exception: an inset over the sink (opposite), which features patterned cement squares from cementtileshop.com.

A century-old French pastry counter—topped with glass shelves on a vintage brass stand—works as both a prep surface and a sit-down snack station for Sawyer. The industrial pendants are from a New York shop that sells old nautical light fixtures.

Not ones to go for matching baby-furniture sets, the Durkins outfitted River’s bedroom with a 1960s teak dresser and an Eero Saarinen–designed Womb chair with a matching footstool. The teepee—which typically serves as big brother Sawyer’s hiding spot—was snagged at an estate sale. 

For a bit of space age–inspired playfulness, the Durkins lined a nook with “wall flats,” inexpensive 3-D panels from inhabitliving.com. A daybed from Monte Design and a vintage campaign dresser in crisp white look grown-up enough that Kylie expects Sawyer will be able to use them for the next decade. The swirly rug is from Marshalls. The bright green lamp base is another vintage gem—it was made by the Laurel Lamp Company in the ’50s or ’60s.