Tim and Dawn Saltsgaver’s Jeffersonville home features repurposed furniture and decor.
Louisville Courier Journal
A reading room at the home of Dawn and Timothy Saltsgaver in Jeffersonville, IN. Oct. 22, 2018(Photo: Frankie Steele/Special to the Courier Journal)
Tim and Dawn Saltsgaver moved into their Jeffersonville, Indiana home in 1999. Once their children were grown and living in homes of their own, Dawn knew it was time to revamp the house and change the bedrooms “into what we wanted.”
A few years ago, they repainted the formerly hunter green walls to red and ivory — which Tim affectionately refers to as “crimson and cream” for Indiana University — but most of the home’s changes started just last year.
It began with a porch sign Dawn got as a gift from friend Monica Samuell for Christmas. The word “joy” was printed on the wooden gift, and Dawn adored it. But more than liking the present itself, she was enthralled with the fact that something she admired so much was one-of-a-kind and handmade with love.
“I thought, ‘my friend’s got talent,’” she said. “’What else can we do?’”
Original Furniture
The most distinct items in the Saltsgaver home are the unique furniture pieces. In the living room, a yellow and brown coffee table sits in front of a black sectional; Dawn and Monica fashioned it out of six crates that Tim brought home one day.
“I was going to put a piece of glass on it, but I like the rustic look,” Dawn said. Aside from it being an original piece — and quite a conversation starter — the table is extremely functional. The crates turned on their side create extra storage space for books, blankets, and occasionally, the Saltsgaver’s cat, Winston.
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The round kitchen table is an old piece that Dawn retrieved from her mother’s basement. She painted the pedestal to give it a fresh new look, then added coins from their travels under a glass top. Now more than simply a place to dine, the table serves as a sort of scrapbook for the places she and Tim have gone together, including Jamaica, Cozumel, and Costa Maya in Mexico, to name a few.
Samuell created the accompanying stool seats out of pallet wood, with small accents provided by one of her old belts.
DIY Details
Signs of Dawn’s motto, “Repurpose is our purpose,” are just as evident downstairs as they are upstairs. Empty wine bottles covered in mirror paint decorate the stairway to the finished basement, where Samuell and her dogs, Atticus and Apollo, are staying while she awaits her new apartment. Wooden décor in the downstairs living area — also crafted by Samuell — feature the pooches’ profiles.
In her room, she has taken a birdcage Dawn acquired during her travels and transformed it into a one-of-a-kind lamp, giving the space a soft glow. A piece of driftwood found near the Ohio River sits on the dresser, a resting place for moss and succulents.
“I keep everything,” Dawn explained, “because I just repurpose!”
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Natural Elements
The Saltsgaver’s backyard epitomizes Dawn’s goal of creating a place for tranquility and relaxation. On the deck, ample seating surrounds the fire pit, which is a under a pergola.
“It retracts, which I like, because you can see the stars,” Dawn said. “It’s great for when company’s here. All our friends get together, and we just hang out by the fire pit.”
To the right, a handmade arbor — a project completed by Tim and Samuell — decorates the stone pathway and nearby in-ground pond. Toward the very back of the yard, another of their creations: a wooden swing with the words “sit and swing a while” carved into a sign hanging above. Dawn and Monica also started gardening this year, growing everything from sweet potatoes and corn to tomatoes and peppers.
“We’d just take pallets and turn them upside down, and fill them with good dirt and soil,” Dawn said. When the weather is nice, she also keeps what she calls a “relaxation station,” which is a cozy area with a bed outside in the far back corner.
“It’s not just four walls and a roof to me,” Dawn said of her Seilo Ridge house. “I’ve made it personal. It’s my favorite place — if I could be anywhere in the world, it would be home.”
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nuts & bolts:
Owners: Timothy and Dawn Saltsgaver. Tim is the co-owner of Saltsgaver Construction and Dawn is the owner/operator of a small cleaning service. Also living in the home are 8-year-old black Labrador retriever Jet; and 4-year-old gray housecat, Winston. Monica Samuell, the Saltsgaver’s friend and temporary tenant, is an aerator/materials handler for a custom printing/folding cartons company.
Home: This is a 3-bed, 2-bath, 2-car garage, 1,200 square-foot, ranch-style home in the Seilo Ridge neighborhood of Jeffersonville, Indiana. It was built in 1999 and has a fully finished basement with a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and Steelers sports room.
Distinctive Elements: Eclectic décor and furnishings crafted from pallets (recycled wood), scrap wood, drift wood, cigar boxes, corks, metal, and other materials have been utilized in almost every room.
Applause! Applause! Neighbors Bob Rhoten and Mark Tribbey for contributing pallets and scrap wood; neighbor Ken Kehres for tools; Menards and Home Depot for paint and hardware.
Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/home-garden/home-of-the-week/2018/11/01/jeffersonville-indiana-home-tour-tim-saltsgaver/1653758002/
