Photos by Ben Clasen
When Lucy Dahl attended the open house for a 1958 rambler in north Minneapolis, she immediately felt drawn to its quirky, vintage charm. But as she walked through the home, it was clear not every prospective buyer shared her appreciation. “Everybody was looking around almost in disgust, talking about what they were going to have to redo,” says Dahl, who recalls her realtor also suggesting how to update and replace bar cabinets with an IKEA version. “I was like, ‘No, get out of here—this is my house!’ Most people didn’t appreciate it.”
Dahl, however, saw something special. Originally designed by the late Florence Ulrich, the 1,800-square-foot rambler had only ever been owned by one individual, who lovingly preserved its details. “I was definitely looking for a time capsule-type, vintage house,” she says. “It has always been my style. I was very excited about the aesthetic.”
Despite multiple offers, she secured the three-bed, two-bath property nearly 8 years ago and has since made it her mission to respect its roots. “We’ve left it as is for the most part,” she says. “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
In fact, the house still features many of its original elements—from the tile and curtains to the appliances, curtains, and wallpaper. The latter, one of the home’s most striking elements, decorates nearly every room. “One of my favorite things is that the wallpaper matches on the light switch cover in every room,” Dahl says. “It’s a random little detail, but that’s the level they went to. The wallpaper even goes up on the ceiling. I feel like it speaks to the quality of what was designed back in the day. This wallpaper has lasted for 60 years—that just doesn’t happen anymore.”
Today, Dahl lives in the home with her partner, De’Antye Mickel, and together, they have carefully added their own touches, blending their love of inherited treasures with the home’s midcentury design. “Everything is from an estate sale, garage sale, or thrift store,” Dahl adds. “We’ve had some things changed in and out, but we’re more so improving and curating the house as we go.” The couple even designed a lower-level dive bar, which Midwest Home featured in its fall edition, with the same approach and design principles.
For Mickel, the house reflects an innate, deep-seeded creativity. “When I was in high school and in adolescence, I wanted to be an interior designer, but I was always intimidated,” he says. “I have a natural eye for it.” While Mickel now works as a chef for the Minnesota Timberwolves, his design instincts are evident throughout the home. “The living room has great light,” he says.
The couple’s playful personalities shine through in every corner of the house. Dahl’s side 
business, the restoration of vintage troll dolls and other collectibles, is one of the many ways she expresses her love for all things eccentric. “[The home is] very reflective of D and I, for sure,” Dahl says. “We collect things. We like to go thrift shopping and find new unique items. We’re fun people, and the house is playful, too.” (Check out @vintagetrollqueen on Instagram and Etsy for some early holiday shopping for the collectors in your life.)
Sans ripping out some old carpet to reveal a beautiful wood floor underneath, the home’s original charm remains at the forefront of their design philosophy. “We’re both really passionate about keeping [the home] original and embracing the past and everything,” says Mickel. “We have passion behind it, and we have fun doing it.”
