Described as a “type of mutt,” this 1911 home in Salt Lake City has been an perfect match for first-time homeowners and stepbrothers Ian Wade and David Kamp. The group benefited from upgrades done by a former homeowner, who had gutted and remodeled the home after it had been neglected for a long time. Two add-ons raised the living space: a rear room, and also the stepbrothers have since transformed into a lounge area using a DIY bar, plus another floor, which they turned into a guest room.

The inviting, open layout proved to be a major draw for both, who share passions for creating artwork, entertaining and cooking meaningful dishes for family members. Wade, 24, says he’s “filled the shoes of a philosophy student, bartender and athlete”; he is now co-owner of fashion boutique Fresh. Kamp, 25, describes himself as a “decorative scholar and explorer,” and works as an independent designer and a server at a neighborhood pub. During their combined wallpapers, a hybrid minimalist-meets-rustic design has blossomed.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Stepbrothers Ian Wade and David Kamp, and their bichon-terrier combination, Earl
Location: Sugar House neigborhood of Salt Lake City
Size: 2,000 square feet; 5 bedrooms, 3 baths

Lucy Call

Wade and Kamp had been purchasing furniture for three months before they got the keys to their own residence. “We’d all these components which were theoretically going to work together, but we could not really tell, since they were set aside at distinct antique shops and furniture stores,” Wade says.

The stepbrothers maintained all the furniture pieces neutral, so when they’d finally all sit under precisely the same roof, they’d be cohesive and work nicely with the existing tan walls. “Each element would appear in spurts. We got the dining room set up, then the couch showed up, and each of the pieces came together real quick,” he says.

Wade remembers the very first day alone at the home: “After the hustle of moving in and getting things sorted in their proper place, I spent a Saturday night unwinding from this process with a few beers, and it sunk in that this was my property.”

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A sizable reclaimed wood table matches the dining room space, in which Wade, in white, and Kamp love dinner and coffee with friends (not shown). The table is from the early 1900s and was initially used at a farmhouse and then by a traveling salesman.

Dining set: Urban Vintage; pendant light: Elemente

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Wade enjoys pieces that achieve a lasting impact through thoughtful layout, such as this early-20th-century coffee table from Urban Vintage and midcentury green chair from Elemente. “My decorating style is one which adheres to usefulness,” he says. “I really don’t like clutter, and I don’t like things to be there without a real purpose.”

Couch: Lofgrens

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“I’d call my design a rustic fusion of midcentury and turn of the century,” says Kamp. This blend of styles is observed in his pairing a century-old coffee table which initially was an old hay bale cart using a midcentury-style tufted couch. The corner painting, by painter and friend Morgan Richard Murphy, is creatively hung with binder clips.

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Kamp and Wade decided to not hang drapes or blinds on any of those double-pane windows, therefore they’d have to rely on organic light than artificial.

Kamp wishes to finally replace the carpet with wood.

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The stepbrothers discovered this old ladder out an antiques store, and Kamp had the idea to use it as a shelf to balance out the low profile of another living room furnishings. They simply closed the ladder closed and leaned it against the walls, creating shelves on each rung for book display.

“Aesthetics are the largest driving factor in my life, from my home down to my smallest trinkets. I enjoy the world I build to represent me as honestly as possible,” Kamp says.

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Kamp and Wade maintained the kitchen easy, as it is a high-traffic region which will get dirty quickly. However, it soon became Wade’s preferred place. “We’ve got a record player and coffee there. Having the ability to put on an LP and also make good coffee are just two things which give me so much satisfaction,” he says.

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Kamp’s bedroom is full of items that reveal his personality and resourcefulness. The big typographical painting was awarded to him from the artist, Morgan Richard Murphy; it reminds Kamp of if he lived in Portland and went to school together with Murphy, when they were both start to develop their creative talents.

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Kamp cleverly repurposed an older photography enlarger for a shelf.

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Wade repurposed old crates as shelves in his bedroom, to exhibit some of his cherished things at a boutique-like way.

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Wade bought the crates via Craigslist from a set designer. He believes that a bedroom should be a place for sleeping and getting ready for the afternoon, so the shelves were designed with practicality in mind. The bottom shelf shows things that he generally puts in his pockets. The next one holds watches and similar products.

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The back add-on to the first home is where Wade and Kamp like to amuse with their residence pub. The windows look out to the yard, where both plan to put in a garden.

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One of Wade and Kamp’s first projects for their home was the bar, made from repurposed old crates and salvaged transport tractors. The crates function as shelves and are styled with mason jars and bottles.

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This Kamp takes a turn throwing darts at a board set up in the bar space. Both leaning scoreboards have been a DIY project made with scrap pieces of plywood and chalkboard spray paint.

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The stepbrothers found the home through a group of youthful Realtors and designers known as the City Home Collective. Both were attracted to the diverse and growing Sugarhouse neighborhood, filled with new eateries and a healthy mix of young professionals, first-time homeowners and small families. Kamp says, “I love the capacity of my town. It’s young and cheap, and is full of beautiful old buildings and houses waiting for the right owners.”

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