This Atlanta Bungalow Is Decorated With Salvaged Wood and Upcycled Furniture

Tour a stylish historic West End Atlanta bungalow loaded with upcycle inspiration thanks to two endlessly creative homeowners.

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March 17, 2020

By: Felicia Feaster

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Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Upcycled Home, Rescue Pets

Recycling is a cornerstone of Atlanta homeowners Hélène Ross and Eric Connolly's lives. This historic West End bungalow is their latest pet project, an upcycled marvel that had been in serious disrepair when they undertook the substantial job of refurbishing it themselves. (The couple actually live next door with their five rescue dogs and three cats.) "It was the problem house of the neighborhood," Eric says. The couple used salvaged goods from the local Lifecycle Building Center to complete their project without spending a fortune. A non-profit salvage yard with a mission of rescuing historical elements and keeping them out of landfills, Lifecycle rescues appliances, millwork, doors and anything else you can think of from properties that homeowners can then purchase at a deep discount. A number of businesses and film productions also rely on Lifecycle for vintage design elements. There's always the chance that the vintage wooden door or mantel customers pick up at Lifecycle once made a cameo in a Hollywood film production.

Porch Guards

Atlanta's historic West End neighborhood is experiencing a growth phase with many first-time homeowners buying spaces in the neighborhood. Homeowners like Hélène Ross and Eric Connolly bring fresh, mod style to their historic home with the addition of cheeky Chinoiserie figurines on their front porch, boldly colored planters and industrial-style railings.

Subtle Industrial Touches

Though the house was built in 1921 and retains its historic vibe, subtle additions of metal like the band across the vintage front door and the stainless steel restaurant table used as a plant stand on the front porch keep the energy hip, young and eclectic.

DIY Water Feature

Eric turned a livestock feeding trough into an industrial-chic water feature planted with waterlilies in the backyard.

A Ceiling With a Story

The wood beams used in the living room and kitchen ceilings were sourced from an old Georgia farm.

Righteously Repurposed

Eric turned a luggage cart into living room seating in one of his many clever reimagined vintage elements in the couple's home.

Rescue Couch

A master of creative reuse, Eric salvaged the handsome Restoration Hardware leather couch in the home's living room from a smoke-damaged home.

Contemporary Art

Abstract artwork fits perfectly in this very modern, industrial home decorated with finds from eBay, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Facebook Marketplace and Atlanta's salvage hub, Lifecycle Building Center.

Captains of Industry

Eric and Hélène's kitchen is a beautiful medley of old and new with salvaged wood used to craft the base of the cement-topped cabinets, which came from an 1800s farmhouse and were sourced at Lifecycle Building Center.

Fridge Hack

Eric created the look of a very expensive double door fridge by using a Frigidaire kit to join two single refrigerators into one.

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Ingenious Touches

A mirror hides the electrical panel in Hélène and Eric's kitchen. The gorgeous floor-to-ceiling cabinets were sourced from an old Georgia farmhouse.

Floating Bed

Industrial style is a big focus of this Atlanta home which blends the warmth of wood and historic details with lots of metal and salvaged industrial materials. Eric is lucky enough to have a welder sister Magdalena O'Connor who helped him create this steel cantilevered bed in the home's master bedroom. The metal bookcases were salvaged from NASA offices.

Street Art

Eric used upcycled metal street signs to ornament the sliding door that separates the water closet from the rest of the bathroom. Classic subway tile with gray grout adds to the cool, industrial vibe.

Creative Headboard

Two distressed, salvaged doors make for a funky headboard in this Atlanta bedroom.

Teal Appeal

Eric and Hélène used key teal details like this bathroom door and sink to enliven this chic all-white bathroom also featuring shiplap and a nautical-style mirror.

Bed in Traction

Clever industrial steel elements like this guest room bed lend big city charm to this vintage bungalow. "They love working with steel because it can take a beating" Hélène says of her husband Eric and his sister Magdalena who have designed this home to be welcoming and well-designed, but also with details that can stand up to Airbnb and long-term rental guests.