My Houzz: Online Finds Help Outfit This Couple’s First Home

Mia Thomsett and Oliver Tomas love the thrill of finding unusual stuff on Craigslist. Thomsett, a creative director in advertising, and Tomas, who calls himself a “closet design historian,” focused on secondhand finds from the classifieds website to renovate and furnish their family’s 1964 home in East Vancouver.

The two have fully embraced their collective skill in finding stuff online when tackling the renovation of their home. But Thomsett explains that they choose Craigslist shopping not just for the value. “The thing we like the most about Craigslist is that it’s a greener option — you buy something new and, yeah, it’s flawless, but it’s going to have a lot of packaging. You’re going to have a lot of Styrofoam and cardboard to deal with,” Thomsett says. “With Craigslist you pick something up and it’s ready to go.”

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Mia Thomsett and Oliver Tomas, baby Matylda (2 weeks old) and their cat, Pudding
Location: East Vancouver
Size: 2,000 square feet (186 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Year built: 1964

Thomsett and Tomas bought their house two years ago from the original owners, and the interior was a 1964 time capsule. The house is a simple box, with glass bottle stucco covering most of the house, and a band of lapped cedar siding. It’s a style that can be found throughout the city. “These houses have a lot of potential. They are comfortable, efficiently laid out, and they work well with a modern decor. Most people just tear them down and build a monster home. But it’s more sustainable to work with them,” says Thomsett.

To brighten things up, they painted all of the interior walls and ceilings white except for one feature wall of original wood paneling in the living room, which they kept for a bit of ’60s flair. The resulting space forms the perfect backdrop for their collection of Scandinavian-design furniture, eccentric art and vintage stereo equipment.

Candlesticks on mantel: Festivo, Ultima Thule series for Iitala by Tapio Wirkkala (1968)


BEFORE: When Thomsett and Tomas moved in, their first step was to remove the heavy metal security bars that covered all of the windows. “That really improved the feel of the house,” says Thomsett.


BEFORE: The next step was to strip everything down. Every surface, including the walls and floors, had been covered in layers, whether wallpaper, wood paneling, carpet or another protective material. They discovered that the previous owners laid carpet over pristine hardwood without nailing anything down. “So we lifted up the carpets and there was, like, sparkling new hardwood underneath,” says Thomsett.

“There was wallpaper on every single square inch of wall, of all varieties, mostly of the extremely sticky kind that you had to chip off one inch at a time,” she adds. “Under the wallpaper was more wallpaper in some instances, and in others there were cracks and a lot of wall repair to be done. There were also, like, five layers of curtains on the windows — we stripped it all down.”



Spending time on Craigslist can yield highly unusual stuff at a reasonable price. “This coffee table, it was designed by a German sculptor. It’s from 1964, the same year that our house was built,” says Thomsett.

When the couple went to look at the table, they saw that it had a really heavy glass top. “I started to think that it wasn’t very child friendly. With a baby around, maybe it wasn’t the ideal table for us,” she says. “My hemming and hawing caused the woman to drop the price by several hundred dollars, and she threw in a teak coffee table at the same time. So that was a bit of a score.” They’ve since realized that the top is heavy enough and round enough to not pose a danger.

Coffee table: Propeller by Knut Hesterberg for Ronald Schmitt, Germany (1964–1967); bowl: Ultima Thule by Tapio Wirkkala, Iittala


Grouped collections can be found throughout the living room. A small set of Heath Ceramics stoneware, including a miniature teapot and small vessels, sits on top of the bookshelf. Other items include an Orrefors glass piece (top left) and various ceramic and glass finds from the local flea market and the Salvation Army thrift shop. Tomas likes to collect design books during the couple’s travels or on eBay, and part of his collection can be seen here as well.

Teak and brass wall-mounted bookshelf: made in Denmark (1960s); teak bookcase: made in Denmark (1960s), from Vancouver Flea Market


The couple found black and white photos by photographer Ansel Adams at a secondhand shop, including this one that hangs in their living room. They love the photos even though they don’t know whether these prints have any value.

Vintage stereo equipment is displayed atop teak furniture with curatorial precision.

Turntable: Delphi, Oracle (1980); chair: Butterfly (1970s)


The original homeowners kept the kitchen in immaculate condition, so most of the cabinets could be salvaged. “We kept the original plywood cabinets because you just can’t buy cabinets in that quality anymore,” says Thomsett. “We thought they were quite nice. We still have to do something with the handles. We might put in holes, or we might get new modern handles. We’re not sure yet.”

A new sink, faucet and white solid-surface counter give the kitchen a bright new look.

Faucet: Riobel; soap dispenser: Birillo for Alessi by Piero Lissoni; wall calendar: Perpetual Calendar for Nava Milano by G. Confalonieri (1975)


New matte white subway tile was used for the backsplash. A stacked application gives it a more modern look. Light gray vinyl composite tile was chosen for the flooring in keeping with the era of the house.

An empty wall in the kitchen was converted into a storage and pantry area, accommodating a new fridge and a full wall of glossy white Ikea cabinetry.

Refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel; range: BlueStar; hood fan: Venmar; 9093 Kettle for Alessi by Michael Graves; floor: Bio-flooring in Pumice Gray T3502, Armstrong


A carpenter friend modified existing lower cabinets to accommodate a much-needed dishwasher.

Wine rack: Set-Up for Koziol by Wolfgang Hints (late ’90s); dishwasher: Bosch; wall art: “La Conica” print by Aldo Rossi (1984)


The nursery decor for baby Matylda is simple and bright. Teak dressers, found on Craigslist, store baby clothing and supplies.

Thomsett also found an Ikea crib on Craigslist. When they started to put it together at home, they found that it was missing some of the hardware. “If you buy Ikea stuff on Craigslist, make sure the thing comes with all the hardware,” says Thomsett. “But if it is missing something, Ikea in Sweden will actually mail you the missing parts, at no charge. Though keep in mind, it can take several weeks for the parts to arrive in the mail.”

Crib: Sundvik, Ikea; purple chair: Eames for Herman Miller (1960s)


Both Thomsett and Tomas went to art school and made this gallery wall with miscellaneous artworks from their collective art-school days.

Lamp: Miss Sissi by Philippe Starck for Flos (1991)


A vintage school-issued wall map adds educational decor to the whitewashed nursery.


The bed was a riskier online purchase. “You gotta be careful with beds on Craigslist! You need to be an expert,” says Thomsett. If you live in the city, bedbugs are a common threat that should not be ignored.

Ceiling light: Riplisse by A. Castiglioni for Flos; duvet, pillow covers: Kivet pattern by Maija & Kristina Isola for Marimekko (1956)


Craigslist also helped the couple save money on the renovations. “I think that people see Craigslist as a place where you can buy furniture. But there are a lot of things that you can buy on Craigslist that can actually make a reno more affordable,” Thomsett says.

One Saturday morning they found a toilet for their main bathroom on Craigslist. “Often a builder will buy an excess — like, four toilets — but in the end they only use two of them. Or people will do their own reno projects and will have too many tiles, say. So you can get really good prices on stuff that people are trying to get rid of,” she says. “You know, nobody wants a sink or toilet sitting around that they don’t need. So often you can buy really high-end stuff for at least half the price, which is great.”

The warranty may be an issue when you’re buying stuff on Craigslist. “That’s the risk you take [not having a warranty]. But … think about how much you are saving in the long run, and are you really going to use a warranty on a sink?” says Thomsett.



The couple kept the original vanity in the bathroom, but a new solid-surface counter with an oval undermount sink freshens things up without completely eliminating the ’60s flavor.

Floor: Bio-flooring in Basalt Black T3500, Armstrong; hook: Graffetta by Marie-Anne le Corre for Alessi; toilet: Kohler; shower curtain: Umbrella, Danica Studio; soap dispenser, container: Birillo by Piero Lissoni for Alessi


A graphic poster decorates the wall at the top of the stair landing.


The basement is where the most extensive renovation work was done. The half-finished basement was completely gutted, allowing the couple to add significant insulation around the exterior walls.

This floor features a large family room. “This room was all compartmentalized, covered in wood paneling and shag carpet. We took out a bunch of walls to really open it up. It doesn’t feel like a basement anymore — because really, it’s mostly above grade. It just needed a bit of attention,” says Thomsett.

A large piece of found driftwood serves as an attractive yet practical scratching post for Pudding the cat.



Glass pendant lamp: Bubblan by Carl Fagerlund for for Orrefors (1970s); round teak table and chairs: R.S. Associates, Montreal (1960s)


BEFORE: The original basement bathroom featured a bright orange plastic laminate counter along with a purple toilet and sink.


AFTER: White finishes throughout took the room from dark to bright. The tile and toilet in this bathroom are Craigslist finds. “We got the tile from some guy that had extra, in boxes, just the right amount. And the toilet, a contractor had ordered it for a job, but the clients changed their minds — so we got a nice Toto toilet for a great deal. He helped us load it into the trunk of our station wagon,” says Thomsett.

Thomsett explains the fun aspect of the online hunt for stuff: “When we were looking for a particular faucet for our basement sink, we wanted to match the shower hardware. So we were looking for a very specific American Standard model. One morning we were both combing through Craigslist at the same time. Suddenly it popped up and we were like, ‘Bingo, there it is!’ We ended up driving way out to buy it, but we ended up saving $300.”

Vanity, mirror, sink, faucet: Ikea; toilet: Toto; tile: ceramic hexagonal; trash bin, toilet paper holder, towel holder, knobs: Menu


Oliver Tomas and Mia Thomsett, seen here, consider their secondhand online shopping a preferred weekend sport. “We will have breakfast on Saturday morning and sit with our coffees and our iPads, and we will scour Craigslist,” says Thomsett. “I think both of us have been big Craigslist users for a long time, but we probably stepped it up over the last year while we were doing our renovations.”

Their decor continues to be a work in progress. Thomsett says, “When you get bored of something, or you realize you just don’t like something, just put it back on Craigslist.”

Sofa: Saratoga, Massimo Vignelli (1964)

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

URL: My Houzz: Online Finds Help Outfit This Couple’s First Home http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-26076.html