secondhand decor – This is my hobby.

Room for More: Making Hoarding Feel Stylish

Last year, one of the parents at my daughter’s school was a librarian.

During a park play date, after talking about our favorite genres and getting advice on what to read next, I mentioned that my husband has a bit of a book addiction.

Vince is actually trying to control his book ordering compulsion and has limited his monthly spend, but there was a point in time when a book would arrive at our door several days a week.

So, naturally, with the sheer volume of books we receive, I’ve integrated them into my decor.

I line shelves with them, most obviously, but I also stack plants on them, tuck them in corners on the floor next to furniture, and lean them together on table tops.

And I’ve found that there’s always room to squeeze in one more.

I’ve actually convinced Vince to start thrifting his books — more economical, better for the planet, and in line with my lifestyle. 😉

And I’ve thrifted some super cool vintage pieces that look great on shelves.

The librarian shared a fun fact: you need 1,000 books or more to be considered a library.

I’m pretty sure we’ve crossed that threshold.

Saying we have a library feels better than admitting we hoard books, so we’re going with that.

Fave Thrifted Outfits Lately:

Necklace from A Timeless Treasure in Northwood

Dress from Furry Friends Thrift in Jupiter

Top and Skirt from Goodwill in West Palm Beach

Top and Pants from Goodwill in West Palm Beach

Top and Tote from Goodwill in West Palm Beach

Maison Majorelle: A 1923 West Palm Beach Home Filled With History

Hanna Marks has lived in big cities like New York, but has always been drawn to the Sunshine State, where she was born and raised.

She resides in West Palm Beach, is the founder of a nonprofit school, and is the mother of three young girls.

Back when she started having kids, she worked in construction and design, and that’s what brought her to Maison Majorelle, a gorgeous 1923 home near Antique Row in West Palm Beach.

Hanna designed a pool lined in hand painted moroccan tile and Caroline oversaw the installation of the lush, tropical landscaping.

When she came onto the project, she instantly clicked with homeowner Caroline, a successful florist based in New York who entrusted Hanna to renovate the property and steward it as a vacation rental.

Hanna designed the home to suit modern living, but both she and Caroline were intentional about preserving its original charm.

Each room is designed around Caroline and her family’s collection of vintage and heirloom pieces, collected over time and from around the world.

Styling pieces like these feels second nature to Hanna — her father was an architect, owned an interior design business on Worth Avenue, and collected antiques.

Hanna was born later in her father’s life, and he loved to teach her about all he knew. So, she gained an appreciation for home aesthetics as a child.

Hanna lost her father when she was nine, and she has carried his wisdom and her inherited talent into the spaces she now creates.

Designing Maison Majorelle made her feel close to him.

The home now has history woven into every room and has become a sanctuary for Caroline’s family and every guest who is lucky enough to stay there.

Enjoy Hanna’s tour of Maison Majorelle on YouTube:

A Moody Boca Raton Home Full of Thrifted Treasures

I met Alacia at an event I attended for work. She complimented my necklace, I loved her dress, and the rest is thrift sister history.

We instantly bonded over our mutual love for secondhand treasures, and when I mentioned my home tour channel, she loved the idea and said I could come to her house.

I’ll admit that walking up to her home on filming day I didn’t expect to be as blown away as I was when she opened the door.

I hadn’t asked for any photos in advance (wild move, I know) so I truly didn’t know what to expect.

But Alacia was so stylish when I met her, and her overall aura was giving chic, so I just went with my gut.

I was confident she had great, if not fabulous, taste.

Luckily for both of us I was right — can you imagine the awkwardness of me trying to navigate the exit if not?! 😉

I walked into a home full of pure whimsy. Moody whimsy — can I coin that?

Alacia’s Boca Raton home is layered in dark woods, warm oranges, cozy patterns, and vintage collections.

When she initially remodeled her space, she thought she’d go with a modern, clean aesthetic and used light, bright paint and materials.

But as she started to collect decor she quickly realized that the place needed to be drenched in old things.

She jokes that a friend of hers comes to the house and truly doesn’t get it — it’s giving grandma.

Grandma or not, it’s her, from the layered tchotchkes to the woodland creatures depicted in paintings and perched on shelves.

When we first met, Alacia was nearing completion of her clinical social work program.

She pursued this career because she’s passionate about helping people, specifically those in recovery. She loves seeing the transformation and healing that happens in the recovery process.

Helping people thrive is her passion in life, far above her passion for thrifting and vintage collecting (she curates and sells clothing and accessories on the side, btw).

Her interest in the power of transformation, though, seems to show up in her home, too — a personal sanctuary that feels like an outward reflection of who she is.

She transformed everything about her home, from the flooring to the paint to the configuration of the rooms.