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This Emily May home tour explores a nearly 100-year-old house in Covington, Kentucky, where thoughtful decorating and flexible rooms make the most of about 900 square feet. From the stained-glass roses in the front window to spaces that serve more than one purpose, the home offers practical inspiration for living comfortably in a small footprint.
Emily May’s historic Covington home
For much of its life, the house was neglected. A pair of house flippers restored it in 2007, and Emily purchased it the following year. The stained-glass roses in the front window caught her attention first. Roses were also a family nickname, making that detail feel especially meaningful to her.
Over time, the house became home to Emily, her husband Aaron and their two dogs, Biggie and Suge. Having a place of her own also helped spark her interest in decorating, do-it-yourself projects and crafts. The home has changed alongside its residents, reflecting the way their needs and style developed.
A decorating style shaped over time
Emily’s approach to decorating has evolved since she moved in. In the early months, she experimented with wall colors including blue, green and black. Later, she found that she especially liked bright rooms, white walls or very dark walls, natural wood tones, and touches of color and sparkle.
This mix shows how a home’s style can take shape through experimentation rather than a single fixed plan. For a similar approach, try changing one element at a time, such as a wall color or a small accent, and notice how it works with the room’s light and existing materials. That makes it easier to refine a space without committing to a complete makeover.
Making 900 square feet work harder
In a home of about 900 square feet, several rooms serve multiple purposes. The second bedroom works as both an office and a studio. The kitchen supports everyday cooking as well as crafting and laundry, while the bedroom sometimes provides extra seating when friends visit.
These arrangements show how useful it can be to plan a room around the activities it needs to accommodate. In a compact home, movable seating, clearly defined work areas and storage that keeps supplies organized can help a multipurpose room feel more manageable. Emily also notes that small-space living can sometimes be inconvenient, but it encourages the household to keep the things it truly values and leaves more financial freedom for other interests.
What this Emily May home tour shows
Emily’s house combines historic character with a personal, evolving interior. Its stained-glass roses provide a memorable architectural detail, while the adaptable rooms demonstrate how a small home can support work, hobbies, daily routines and guests. The key takeaway from this Emily May home tour is that practical layouts and meaningful details can make a compact space feel distinctly personal.
