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Step Inside: At home with interior designer and creator Wendy Bull

The article introduces Wendy Bull, an interior designer and creator behind Little Bird Design. Bull's journey into design began at a young age, displaying an early inclination towards artistry and making, highlighted by her childhood fascination with a homemade dollhouse, which she meticulously decorated with wallpaper and carpets made from remnants, showing little interest in the dolls themselves. Her background as the only girl in a junior high shop class further shaped her hands-on approach and appreciation for the smell of fresh-cut lumber, cementing her natural ability to work with her hands. Creativity is central to Bull's identity, a trait she attributes to her mother and grandmother. This innate creativity and improvisational spirit are evident in her diverse design projects, which range from creating sensory-friendly spaces to decorating an apartment in Tavira, Portugal, an endeavor that was featured on HGTV's “House Hunters International.” Bull's personal home serves as a living portfolio, immediately greeting guests with a "perfect first impression of me" – a vibrant, eye-catching wallpaper just inside a Caribbean-blue front door. This choice reflects her simple, fun, and no-fuss approach to design, characterized by the use of peel-and-stick wallpaper. Her living room is a homage to Dorothy Draper, a pioneering female interior designer known for her bold style. Bull admires Draper's unconventional thinking during a time when interior design was more rigid. Bull's interpretation, described as "Dorothy Draper with a twist," incorporates her personal handmade touches, such as hand-painted cabinet doors and curtains crafted from a queen-sized duvet. The eat-in kitchen area further showcases Bull's eclectic taste and passion for mid-century pop culture, particularly her enthusiasm for Doctor Who. This space features a curated collection of intriguing objects, including a 1930s optometrist cabinet, a printmaker's tray displaying her collection of "tiny things," a Kate Spade table lamp, a bright canary yellow Cosco cart, and a vintage red Batman rotary wall phone – her latest acquisition. Bull's home is a continuously evolving design laboratory. Having resided there for over 11 years, she constantly reconfigures spatial requirements, experiments with textures, and refreshes rooms with new paint colors. Her collections, ranging from large furniture pieces to small decorative items, are thoughtfully curated to adapt with the seasons, test new trends, and cater to the changing tastes of her two growing boys. Throughout her home, Bull's artistic flair is evident in her thrown pottery, paintings, drawings, and decoupage, each adding a personal touch to every corner. Bull also emphasizes her ability to work within various budgetary constraints, proudly noting her skill in assisting clients with modest budgets. She expresses her current plan to redesign her dining room with a more autumnal theme. For Bull, design is an ongoing process of tweaking, moving, and adding color, reflecting her belief that art is never truly finished, only released. Her home is a testament to this philosophy, a dynamic space that embodies energy, memory, freedom, and communication through her eclectic mix of purchased and self-created art, which she frequently rotates based on her mood. #InteriorDesign #WendyBull #LittleBirdDesign #HomeDecor #EclecticStyle #DIY #WinstonSalem #ArtisticHome #DesignProcess #InteriorDesign #WendyBull #LittleBirdDesign #HomeDecor #EclecticStyle #DIY #WinstonSalem #ArtisticHome #DesignProcess

45 months ago

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