Melissa Kalbfleisch, a professional church musician and blogger at Hymns & Home, lives with her husband and their three children in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the years, she has decorated their 1960s ranch with thrifted vintage finds, handmade treasures and DIY items. “I enjoy making things myself as much as possible, whether that’s food and baked goods, curtains, reupholstering a piece of furniture or collecting flowers from the garden for an arrangement,” she says. “There is a wonderful satisfaction that comes with doing it yourself. I describe this whole mindset as ‘Modern Cottage Living.’” Since Melissa is highly organized, she doesn’t allow clutter to collect in her spaces. “I find it so important for my family—and for me—to keep things arranged in our home in a simple, calm, but functional way. For example, my corner hutch displays a simple arrangement of ironstone platters and creamers, while the cabinet underneath holds the family board games,” she explains. AN ELEGANT TABLESCAPE Every fall, Melissa creates a different tablescape in her dining room. “Since I like to start with what I already have available to me, I take inspiration from what is growing in the garden, flowers I might stumble upon at the store or my latest thrift store find,” she says. TOP, RIGHT • Get creative. Melissa says you should browse your own décor before purchasing something new.“It’s always a good idea to ‘shop your home’ rst to see what you have to work with!” If you don’t have a vase to use for your centerpiece, it’s not a problem.“Here, I used an antique crock, but the possibilities are endless! I’ve also used things like a vintage kettle, a giant glass kimchi jar or a little teapot on a cake stand.” RIGHT • A smart shopper. Behind her table, Melissa highlights a few thrifty nds.“The sideboard is from the 1920s. I purchased it from Craigslist several years ago,” she says.“The vintage windows hanging above the sideboard were a Facebook Marketplace score for just 10 dollars! I like to swap out the wreath that hangs on them seasonally.” 98 HOLIDAYdécor | 2022
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