Tour an Antique Collector’s Funky Birmingham Home With its Dash of Tropical Decor

Antique-hunter, owner and curator of Mary and Wilma, Beth Hubrich lives among her curated collections and uses a tried-and-true method of design: follow your gut. “I'm always looking for great pieces, that might not even work in my home, but I know they really deserve a great second story," Beth says. "I really feel like if you’re drawn to a piece in an antique store, or there’s something you just fall in love with, I think there’s a reason — so buy pieces you love, and if it speaks to you, I think it will definitely work."

You wouldn’t be in Beth Hubrich’s home if there weren’t tropical wildlife on the walls, as framed art or wallpaper. “I’m from Florida, so I’m always finding things that remind me of Florida — and that definitely influences my decor,” she says. "I’m drawn to things that look more like the sea or the ocean or coastal areas.”

Beth's passion for palm trees extends to her powder bath and actually fueled an idea for other creative projects in her home: DIY wallpapers. “I really wanted some great palm wallpaper in this powder bath, and so I thought, maybe I’ll just give it a go and see what happens," Beth explains happily. After a few practice rounds with a paintbrush, she was off and running. “The nice thing is, I got to pick out the exact color of green I wanted, so that was a real advantage,” Beth says.

Her DIY doodling trend continues into one of the most trafficked (and often most boring) rooms in the home. “This is the laundry room. And this is where we used a Sharpie to create this wallpaper effect,” Beth says laughing. You read that correctly — she drew on her walls with a Sharpie. “I took a few pieces of paper and practiced drawing with a Sharpie, and making these doodles and birds and things, and then I thought, ‘OK. I’m ready!’"

“So I just started drawing on the wall,” Beth continues. “And my daughter came in and was like, ‘We get to draw on the walls?!’ And I said, 'Only in this room! Do not draw on anything else!’”

With a knack for drawing on the walls and DIY, Beth says, "Each season I get an itch to make a change within my home, and one way I have done that in the past is with different wallpaper throughout my home." Much like the black-and-white Sharpie marker pattern in her laundry room, Beth says she used a similar technique, but with one secret tool. "I created the paper in our upstairs hallway using a Beautyblender to create the pattern."

When designing kids' rooms, it's always important to get their input — even if it means clashing styles. "My girls share a room, so we talked about colors," Beth says. "I have a daughter who is 7 and one who is 13. One is a huge fan of pink and one is not-so-much a fan of pink."

Beth continues, "So I think doing the blue walls and adding in the pink accents really serve to appease both of them." And very likely preempts a lot of fighting.

But let's not forget about Beth's fun, wildlife decor fascination. Even the small bathroom attached to the shared sisters' bedroom reflects a very bird-forward wallpaper, perfectly patterned in pink and blue. Can you spot it in the mirror?

It goes to show, themed kids' rooms don't always have to be blatant advertisements with bold colors and clusters of logos and gear on the walls. "My son asked for a garnet and gold room, because we're Florida State fans and he loves Florida State," Beth says.

So after some vintage hunting and piecing together a fabulous gallery wall, Beth mastered her son's design challenge. "You know, it was really fun, because [my son] ended up with a red dresser, and I found this great bamboo [and] gold lamp," Beth says. "I’m like, there we go! We’ve got your Florida State in there!"

You may have noticed the gallery wall in her son's room, and that's because Beth loves art—all kinds of art. Here, a cluster of framed family photos are paired with vintage, meaningful art pieces on the staircase walls. "I think [a gallery wall] makes for a point of interest for guests in your home by having so many different types of art," Beth explains. "People are able to learn more about you through the items you display throughout your home, and you're able to showcase your style in a way that is unique to you."

Beth admits she has to be reined in when it comes to playful patterns. Her kids' playroom is no exception. "If you're thinking about designing your own bedroom, you know you want to come into a space that feels welcoming and feels good," Beth explains. "Same thing for children. Children won’t hang out in a room if it’s not practical ... And I definitely want to get their opinions because I want them to love their playroom."

Marrying her love of art and wallpaper, Beth came up with a clever solution to an age-old parenting dilemma. "It is so overwhelming, especially when you have multiple children, to know what to do with their artwork," Beth says. "I think [the art] sort of creates its own wallpaper in a way, just using black tape, and it's very graphic. It makes the space very whimsical and fun for them to walk in and see the things they've created."

Beth is a big fan of blues, greens and basically anything Florida. "I have always loved all-white kitchens, and that was my original plan for the space," Beth says. "However, that quickly changed after I received a copy [of HGTV Magazine] in the mail that had a kitchen on the cover with black cabinets."

Beth continues, "I fell in love with the look and decided that a deep green and blue would achieve a similar effect, but still work within the colors I loved."

Just steps from the kitchen, the cozy home bar keeps the green theme going. "I found a Cotton & Quill wallpaper for the bar and wanted to play off the blues and greens in the kitchen," Beth says. "It all just seemed to come together!"

Even the dinnerware is vintage. "I’m a fan of using a mix of both new and old, and I'm also a fan of using what you love," Beth says. "The dishes that we use for everyday are white dishes that we picked out when we got married; we then mix those dishes with other items that have been passed down along the way, including our amber glassware and crystal passed on to me from my grandmother."

Some of Beth's favorite vintage collectibles are perfectly displayed in this dark green dining room hutch. The open shelves hold antique cups, plates and framed artwork, along with items she uses every day.

At first glance, this bright and spacious living room might not scream vintage, but if you look a little closer you'll see that antique pieces can blend perfectly with the new.

"We have some swivel and rock chairs in the living room that are super comfortable," Beth says. "My in-laws inherited them when they bought a beach condo and were going to throw them out. I asked them not to and I'm so glad."

Beth's collection of Mary and Wilma goods live upstairs in her highly organized attic, all tagged and ready for sale. But just like her desire for secondhand goods, there's more to the story with the name of her company.

"Mary and Wilma is the name of my company, and it’s actually named after my maternal and paternal grandmothers, both of whom were very different, but also very special to me," Beth says. "Really, I’m devoted through Mary and Wilma to finding antique, vintage and funky finds that hopefully bring joy to people in their homes."