Learn how this antique enthusist has created a warm home and growing family business with her passion.
Our editorial team spends many hours scouting for content to share with our readers and when we scroll upon someone like Renee Galbraith and her tastefully styled home, we stop and click around! Renee’s warm and inviting décor, with a healthy dose of vintage creatively layered into every room and vignette is inspiring. We asked Renee to share a bit about her home and style.
FMD: Please tell us a bit about yourself and what sparked your interest in home décor?
Renee: My parents bought and remodeled an old home when I was in late elementary school and I remember loving the transformation process. I still remember the day that my grandpa stripped the old staircase, I was so excited seeing it come back to life. Then I became that teenager that liked to decorate and change her room all the time. When I first got married, I was a big Martha Stewart fan and loved to watch home décor shows. Our first home was where I tried all kinds of different styles and home décor projects and developed my style. I think I painted our bathroom five times in the five years we lived there!
FMD: What inspires your style?
Renee: Over the years I’ve drawn inspiration from antiques, magazines, Instagram, books, and Pinterest. Anything that has an English cottage vibe really catches my eye. I’ve always said that nothing is prettier than nature, so I try to incorporate natural elements as often as possible.
FMD: Please tell us about your home and how you ended up there?
Renee: My husband, Jeremy, is a contactor, so after we bought land from an auction where a farm had been parceled off, he started building our home in 2005. I helped when I could, but our oldest was three years old at the time and she kept me quite busy. We were on a tight budget and while I had dreams of incorporating old doors and architectural pieces into the house, it just didn’t work out that way. So, we made mostly basic builder grade decisions, however, we did make sure that we had a high-quality custom kitchen with solid woodwork and doors. And I’ve always wanted a window seat, so we put a big one in the kitchen. It is and always will be one of our favorite spots in the house.
FMD: Have you made any changes or upgrades over the years?
Renee: All the cabinets, trim, and doors were initially done in a very dark stain, but about four years ago I finally convinced Jeremy to paint the kitchen cabinets white and build a hood over our stove. We also painted all the trim on the first floor white. I think after living with all the dark wood for so long, I just wanted to lighten everything up and now I’m slowly adding color. Our powder room is one of our favorite makeovers and we really love the green! We’re currently working on our mudroom, which will also have a good splash of color.
Next up, we will be updating the second floor. We have never really decorated our own bedroom, so I’m excited to finally give that room full attention. Updating the hallway and giving the bathrooms a bit of love, too, will make our second floor more cohesive with the first floor.
FMD: Do you have a process for creating your breathtaking vignettes?
Renee: I usually start out with an inspiration piece and then choose items that compliment it. And I always follow the rule of three, meaning that I choose three main elements, for example, ironstone, wood, and glass. Then I try to arrange those items in a way that creates balance. I remind myself as I go along that placing items in a triangular position helps create balance. I also try to incorporate natural elements like a plant, faux greenery, some fruit, etc. Various textures also add interest; a basket or a woven item of some type almost always makes it into a vignette.
If you’re struggling with a space, walk away and come back to it later. And when you finish a space, take a photo of it. It’s amazing how a photograph can make you see a space differently and help you see the things that might need some tweaking.
FMD: What inspired your color palette?
Renee: I use green as a neutral in my home. I enjoy changing things up for the seasons, (or whenever the mood strikes me,) and green just works so well as my “main” color. It gives me the freedom to add in other colors like red, yellow, and blue temporarily. There are so many great shades of green, so the options and combinations are endless.
FMD: How do you connect your outdoor décor with your indoor living spaces?
Renee: I try to continue the mix of old and new when it comes to outdoor spaces. We made the sink/potting bench area in our garage out of an antique sink from my husband’s hunting camp and an old work bench that I picked up at an auction. We even added some beadboard in the garage and built barn doors to hide all the “necessary ugly garage stuff”. Now we have a garage that’s functional but that can also be used for entertaining when we need the space.
FMD: We see that you have a business related to home décor, can you tell us about it?
Renee: Six years ago, I opened a small brick and mortar shop with a friend called, Havenberry Vintage. We sold handmade and repurposed décor, along with some vintage and antique pieces. I have always had an interest in old things, (I think I went to my first auction in my early 20s), but when we opened the store we started going to auctions regularly. I started learning about antiques and vintage pieces and I just fell in love the whole world of antiquing.
Jeremy is a good sport about going along with me on my flea market trips, and even my kids have taken an interest in it! They all have their own styles, and all three of them incorporate vintage finds into their bedrooms. Unlike our bedroom, our kids’ rooms have all been decorated numerous times!
In 2021 we closed the brick and mortar, and I moved it 100% online as my friend moved on to other callings in life. At first, I only featured vintage and antique décor, but then added a line of candles. In 2024, I took the jump to offering a full line of home décor. As we, (my husband and kids are now involved,) started adding in the new items, it was important to select pieces that blend beautifully with the vintage and antique pieces that I started out with and still offer today.
Renee’s Tips for Adding Color
My favorite way to add color and pattern is with throw pillows. Pillow covers are even better! They’re easier to store and you can put them on down filled inserts, which make for fluffier pillows.
Window treatments are another great way to add color and pattern. A patterned curtain will literally transform a space.
Lamp shades! Switch out a plain shade with a floral or striped one or add a colored ribbon trim on a neutral shade.
Flowers, of course. A vase of fresh flowers, or good quality faux stems, can never go wrong. A seasonal wreath hung on an interior door, or on the front of a cabinet or hutch, is a great way to add color and a natural element.
To follow Renee visit @havenberryvintage on Instagram.