Home & Living
Amy Langrehr Shows Us Around Her Warm, Minimalistic Home
Langrehr—known as Charm City Cook around town—is equal parts sentimental and practical at home.
HOME SWEET HOMES: I grew up in Kingsville. My mom had six boys before having me. Our house was small, but we had a nice, big backyard, perfect for wiffle ball. I still remember having purple feet from the mulberry bushes. My family didn’t have a lot, but our house was happy. I lived in a rowhouse in Hampden for 20 years until I decided to downsize and moved less than a mile away to Whitehall Mill. It’s a converted 18th-century mill that sits along the Jones Falls.
BE GONE CLUTTER: My home style is warm minimalism. I like to be comfortable, and I also don’t want a lot of stuff around. Most of my belongings carry some story of meaning with them. I like that. Nothing fancy, just things I’ve collected along the way.
A COLLECTION IS BORN: When I moved into my new place, I wondered how I would ever address the huge walls in the main living area. It seemed like trying to fill them would be ridiculous, so I decided to leave it alone for a while. Eventually, I reached out to my friend Bree Rock, the former visual designer at Trohv. We chatted and texted, sharing photos and inspiration ideas. Bree suggested that we start from where the two walls meet and go out and up from there. It was the most amazing thing watching it come together. I still marvel at the process and how free it was. Every single piece means something to me—past lives, travel, family, food, and more.
GREEN THUMB: I always struggled with plants in my old house. I am pretty sure I killed them with kindness—overwatering. When I moved into Whitehall Mill, the tall windows with deep sills were just begging to be filled. I started out with about six plants and now I have somewhere around 50.
AN AFFECTION CONNECTION: My dining room table was made by two childhood friends and the wood is from old, fallen trees near where I grew up. It’s uneven and imperfect and I love that. My bedroom furniture was my grandmother’s. I feel so lucky to have it. I never met any of my grandparents, so it’s nice to have reminders of them around.