Date:  November 1, 2024  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |  

Little Rock collector Rachel Jones invites us into her charming bungalow that overflows with history and intrigue at every corner

Our house is always changing,” says Rachel Jones of the 1915 Stift Station bungalow she shares with her husband, Jordan Wimpy. The ongoing evolution is fueled by her fascination with vintage and antique wares. Large and small, intricately handmade or mass-produced, she has become a keeper of found objects and her home is much like a gallery. “Nothing is perfect because everything is old,” Rachel says, adding that paint loss and decay are part of the story. “I’m not perfect and neither are these items, but I love everything here and have selected it with care. I really think about what I bring into our home—and, of course, space and budget are always issues.”

Although she grew up in Fayetteville, Rachel was heavily influenced by her mother’s parents, who resided in Dumas. “I’ve always been sentimental, so anything that once belonged to my parents or grandparents means a lot to me.” The table that now sits in the couple’s dining room once belonged to them, and Rachel recalls special visits to their home where she would wake up to see her grandfather sitting at the head of the table drinking his morning coffee. “There are divots in the top where my grandmother would crack pecans to share with our family,” she says, pointing out its endearing imperfections. Interestingly, she notes, the couple owned a furniture store and could have updated their furnishings at any point. However, they chose to clean, repair, and care for what they had. “This was a generation that did not have disposable things. I appreciate that,” Rachel says.

While the table is one of many pieces that once belonged to Rachel’s grandparents or parents and is now a part of her home, she fell into collecting less personal pieces without full awareness of the path she was taking. As a child, she was drawn to pig collectibles and later started a globe and map collection, which now sits in the home’s entry (below). These world-centric items along with presidential portraits and busts are a nod to the couple’s love of history and Rachel’s degrees in international relations and anthropology. Yet, other pieces just seemed to speak to her. “It has always been books for me,” Rachel says, noting her collection of different printings of Pride & Prejudice by her favorite author, Jane Austen. “I read her in high school and never put her down,” she adds.

Outside of the den’s Americana focus, folk art, dolls, and numerous other collectibles are dotted around the rooms, inviting a history lesson at every turn. “When people visit, I like to see what they ask questions about and what they gravitate toward,” Rachel says. To this point, she earnestly tries to educate herself on the pieces she brings into the home, learning their use, time period, and more about how or why they were created. “I love to walk around and ponder the things we have collected. It makes me appreciate them,” she says.

The World Stage
Miniature globes are displayed in what Rachel believes to be a religious artifact box. The brass sculptural tree on top was a Christmas gift Jordan gave her from Little Rock antique shop Sweet Home Furnishings & clement, while the sewing table base once belonged to her grandmother. Classroom maps stand in as educational wall art.

Studious & Fun
While many of the collections—and the overall home as a result—have an Americana feel, it is the pronounced flavor in the den. The walls hold portraits of past presidents and the bookshelves are lined with favorite tomes accented with presidential busts and other finds that fall into the camp of purposeful or playful.

Vintage Charm
The display shelves that flank the sink are one of Rachel’s favorite features of her kitchen. At the moment, they hold pieces of silver, a grouping of alabaster eggs, and mother-of-pearl flatware. The scallop trim, a working 1940s stove, and a café curtain her mother sewed add to the room’s endearing feel.

Portrait of a Lady
On a trip to Jordan’s native Harrisburg, Rachel was drawn to a portrait of a woman at a vintage shop in nearby Jonesboro. The red-headed lady (seen near the bottom right) began a hunt for elegant, vintage additions to add to the walls. “With collections, you think you need one more and then you get another,” she says with a laugh. “With art it’s easy to stack them away, and I didn’t realize how many I had until we went to hang them.” This gallery ranges from commissioned pieces by formal artists to works lovingly created by family members. Rachel notes one has an inscription reading “Happy 90th Birthday, Grandmother,” leading her to believe it was done by a child as a gift. “I find it fascinating that people would take the time to sit for a portrait,” she adds.

“I’m not perfect and neither are these items, but I love everything here and have selected it with care.”
—Rachel Jones

Room with Many Views
Similar to the ladies who fill the dining room walls, landscapes seemed a natural fit for the primary bedroom. After finding a vintage brass king-sized headboard (a bed size that is practically unheard of in terms of older furniture), Rachel began by hanging one piece and using her eye to fill in with others as she went. “I have always loved pastorals and landscapes and looked for ones in moodier colors to group together,” she says of the wall’s evolution.

Souvenir Shells
Souvenirs are one of Rachel’s favorite things to collect. Known as “sailors’ valentines,” these shell-bedecked boxes likely started as folk art with sailors collecting shells and affixing them in eye-catching patterns. “I love the natural element. They remind me of going to the beach with my grandparents,” Rachel says.

Hunting & Gathering
A few of Rachel’s favorite places to shop for vintage and antique finds 

LOCAL SHOPS
Fabulous Finds Antique & Decorative Mall (Little Rock), Crystal Hill Antique Mall (North Little Rock), Jenifer’s Antiques (Conway), and South Main Creative (Little Rock) are more traditional antique/vintage shops with vendors selling in different booths. You get an array of items from different sellers. Sweet Home Furnishings & clement (Little Rock) is an absolute favorite. The space is curated with beautiful unique, unusual items that you are unlikely to see anywhere else.

ESTATE SALES
For estate sales, I highly recommend using estatesales.net to find options in your area. Roy Dudley Estate Sales in Little Rock are always fantastic and a personal favorite; I rarely miss a sale there.

THRIFT SHOPS
Thrift shops are great if you are on a budget; plus, you never know what you are going to find. You do have to go on a regular basis. Sometimes you might leave with a cart full and sometimes you leave empty-handed, but the hunt is always fun. I like Habitat for Humanity Restore of Central Arkansas (Little Rock). There, you can find antique and vintage furnishings, lighting, art, and knickknacks. I have spotted several high-end designer pieces there.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE
This one can be frustrating, but you can find some amazing deals if you are willing to check daily and train the algorithm to your likings.

ONLINE SITES
If you’re looking for a specific item, Etsy, eBay, and Chairish are great options. These sites are also good for research: You get an idea of what the price point for a specific item might be, and you can also find valuable information about the history of a piece.

See more of Rachel’s collections by following her on Instagram (@thebookerbungalow).