inspirational abode: niki rosario (first ladies vintage)

    I'm very pleased to bring you Niki Rosario for March's "Inspirational Abode" feature. When Niki contacted me, she stated "I like to keep the girly-ness to a minimum, but there still seems to be sparkles and vintage treasures everywhere...", that is when I knew I'd love to feature her home. Niki is a shop owner, who sells an array of vintage lovelies (many pastels from what I saw so far) and lives with her boyfriend in Chicago. I hope you gather inspirational from the details of her abode, as I did, and enjoy! 

(Lindsey) Tell us a little more about yourself and what you do.  (Niki) "I live in Chicago with my boyfriend, Alex and our puppy, Lucille. I'm a vintage collector and dealer, plant momma, and sometimes costume designer." 

    If you had to describe your decorating style in one word, what would that be? "Second-Hand-Rose! My grandma always calls me that.  Nearly everything in our house is vintage or second-hand.  It makes for a curious mix of objects we've collected over time.  I've been vintage hunting since elementary school!"

    What mood are you trying to create with your space? "Despite our ever growing and overwhelming collections, I like to think we're creating a bright, open space that's fun to be in and interesting to look at."

    What is your go-to spot for picking up ideas to decorate with? "I'm still a fan of The Selby. All the homes that are featured have crazy collections and so do we! It's a good source of inspiration to see how others curate their finds."

    What kinds of things influence your interior design? "Alex's answer to this question was, "Taxidermy! Apothecary! Mad scientists!" So I'll add greenhouses, antique stores and theatre to his list. We both are into a lot of different things but have been able to find a middle ground that satisfies both of us. We definitely influence each other and have broadened our search for cool items that we never would have discovered if we were decorating separately."

    How does your personal style cross over into your interior style? "My clothes and my home are both all over the place. Sometimes I'm in head to toe feminine vintage pieces and other times I go for a more modern and minimal look.  I think our space manages to combine those factors.  I like the clean lines of mid-century furniture with antique mirrors or vintage fabric pillows on a modern sofa."  

    What is the best advice you can give to someone who is re-decorating or gathering ideas for a re-design? "Don't do it all at once. Collections can't be formed in one flea market shopping trip. Take time finding pieces you love and be patient! We found perfect dining room chairs a month before we had the table."

    What is the first thing people normally comment on in your space? "After they take it all in, people usually say something nice about our place being a great reflection of us and our taste." 

    Are you a constant "re-decorator", or does your space normally stay about the same?  "I used to love re-decorating my room! My mom would find me awake at 2am pushing my bed against a different wall just to try it out.  Now I'm much more interested in creating new tiny shrines every time I bring a new trinket home.  Although the peach bookshelf has lived in the kitchen and living room before it ended up in our bedroom."

    No room would be complete without.... "Plants! It feels so refreshing to have a bit of wild green in every room."  

    One color that I could never live without in a room is... "Gold! It makes me feel fancy." 

    Tell us a story about one of your favorite items you featured here. "Every single thing in our house has some funny story behind it. I guess that's why I love vintage.  Let's see... I've had the vintage hair dryer chair since I was in high school. I bought it off my neighbors who were holding on to it for a friend while she was in jail..."

Find more of Niki on Instagram, Facebook, and her shop.

"Inspirational Abode" is a monthly column for Hello, Mr. Rabbit Blog. Do you have a home that you want to share with others? Do you feel your personal space is inspiring? Send me an email at hellomrrabbitblog@gmail.com with a few photographs and a little bit about your home. I cannot wait to be inspired by your personal habitat and have it inspire others.