Is this condo, full of pieces from Spain, Italy and Paris, the most eccentric in Louisville?

Rick Morehead is no Home of the Week rookie. His St. Matthews condo was featured in November 2019 — but at the time, it was decked out in glittery decor and chock full of collectibles.

Today, the former interior design instructor’s home is still bursting with one-of-a-kind artwork and unique antiques. But the pieces are now more of a curated collection from his recent travels.

“I have a lot of new things because I’ve traveled a lot since (my home was last featured),” Morehead told The Courier Journal. “We went to Italy, Florence, (and) Amsterdam. I also went on an antique binge.”

Realistic revival

Just through the front door of Morehead’s condo, there sits a 100-year-old Louis XIII revival cabinet that Morehead picked up in Charleston, South Carolina. The large marble piece features tortoiseshell inlaid with metal.

“This is very special,” Morehead said, adding that it took up so much space in the car, he and his partner had to pack all of their belongings in it on the way back to Louisville. “It’s considered the epitome of cabinet making. The original would have been (from) 1740 or 1750.”

He explains that it is a bourgeois, upper-middle class copy from Paris — and any originals still intact today would be sitting in a museum.

In the living room sits another detailed reproduction. Morehead describes the ladies' desk as a Louis XVI revival antique. It features a veneer and leather top, as well as curved legs and decorative details that were handwrought and applied by a blacksmith.

“When I bought it,” Morehead said, “(the seller explained that) it’s a French piece — the whole world was copying France (at the time). However, (the decorative details depict) German figures, so it’s a German interpretation of the French.”

Tailor-made themes

In addition to building his antique collection, Morehead has also been creating themes in some of the rooms. “We tented the (kitchen) ceiling,” he said. “I got this feeling of Morocco or Turkey.”

The blue and white chevron fabric is accented with large tassels. A matching tablecloth complements the ceiling, as do the matching plates displayed on the wall. Just above the dining table, a brass-colored monkey lamp from Amsterdam adds a bit of whimsy.

Morehead also has a new theme in the primary bedroom.

“We created an Egyptian room,” he explained. “I’m very enthused about it. It’s my favorite transition.” A large pharaoh bust faces the bed, which is flanked by two large columns and accented with a faux zebra cowhide.

In the second bedroom, built-in cubbies line the tops of the walls. Each space boasts its own theme, featuring travel mementos that have been acquired over the years. “Those are the little things I collected around the world,” Morehead said.

Handmade with heart

On the walls below the cubbies, there hang framed assemblages that Morehead created. Each one represents a place he has visited, including Italy, England, Austria, and the Alhambra in Spain.

“They’re all little things that I gathered and put into a collage,” he explained, pointing out an opera mask and a photo of the Grand Canal on the Italy assemblage.

On the other side of the room, behind a leather screen, there is an extensive collection of necklaces. There’s one he found in Nashville, Indiana; some he bought from the St. James Court Art Fair or Work the Metal; and a large imitation jade rosary he purchased in Rome. Some pieces were acquired during travels, while others were crafted by Morehead.

“I had a foot injury and (after I was) operated on, I had to sit still for two months,” he said. “That’s when I started (making jewelry).”

Most of the necklaces Morehead created are also themed. There’s a blue velvet one he made as a tribute to Oxmoor University; a patch of the school’s crest is complemented by buttons, ribbons, and other small pieces. Another is a tribute to China, crafted with pearls and a colorful fabric fish. Though they can serve as decorative accents in the room, Morehead makes it a point to wear them when he’s out and about.

“I wear them to River House, and now they know me — they know I’m going to make an entrance,” he said.

Next up on Morehead’s schedule is a trip to The Greenbrier in West Virginia. And in the spring, he and his partner will be heading to Greece and Istanbul. There’s no doubt they’ll discover new furniture, art, and more to bring back and add to his collection.

“I’ll have no money left,” he said with a laugh. “But we’re living it up like there’s no tomorrow. I’m very happy.”

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.

nuts & bolts

Owner: Rick Morehead, who is a former instructor of interior design at Morehead State University and former visual merchandiser at Stewart’s, Bacon’s Department Store and Bittners Interior Design.

Home: This is a 2-bed, 2-bath, 1,350-square-foot condo that was built in the 1960s in St. Matthews.

Distinctive elements: Leaded glass in the front bay window; stone Tudor features around the entry doors; hardwood flooring and crown molding throughout; built-in bookcases; 100-year-old Louis XIII revival cabinet; red rug from Persia; antique French desk, circa 1850, from Trace Mayer Antiques; hand-painted, English pastoral screen by Maitland-Smith; crystal chandelier in dining room purchased on Royal Street in New Orleans; pair of black, lacquered Venetian-style chairs from Colonial Designs; Chippendale sofa by Sherrill Co.; custom rug from Bashian Brothers New York City.

Applause! Applause! Louisville stores: Trace Mayer Antiques; Colonial Designs; Digs Home & Garden

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Interior designer Rick Morehead gives peek into St. Matthews condo