Inside a small brick home in the heart of Church Hill, nothing is what it seems. Homeowner David Allan Ballas has mastered the art of adaptive reuse and has turned his home into an imaginative display of ingenuity.

In the living room of his 1886 house on Church Hill Interior designer David Allan Ballas uses found objects to amazing effect. The pine mantelpiece is original to the house. Victorian lady's slipper chairs are upholstered in a stripe fabric by Duralee.

Ballas' home is full of furniture and knickknacks, all of which have been reincarnated to serve new functions. Take, for instance, his downstairs powder room. The shower curtain is crafted from a fabulous toile tablecloth. The window curtain was once a decorative table runner. Even his sink basin rests in an old, gutted sewing machine table.

The result? An air of elegance, creativity, and comfort seldom achieved in a traditionally decorated home.

It doesn't hurt that Ballas' home is a truly sophisticated palette; a stage just perfect for the array of eclectic furniture, colors, fabrics, and whatnots he displays. The 1,600-square-foot brick row house features a traditional English basement with full dining room, original oak floors, and brick fireplaces in just about every room.

Plus, Ballas is no amateur designer. Owner of David Allan Ballas Interior Design, he has been in practice since he earned a bachelor's degree in interior design from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1985.

Years before earning his degree, Ballas knew he was destined to design. As a child, he rearranged his parents' furniture when they went out on Friday nights, always to their delight. While other kids were playing cops and robbers, he was turning his mother's shoe boxes into scaled models of elaborately decorated rooms, complete with upholstered furniture, light fixtures, and accessories. (Perhaps he developed his skill for repurposing old items at the same time.)

Since his auspicious start, Ballas has moved on to decorating actual-sized rooms and houses, much to his clients' delight. As a professional designer, he is committed to following his customers' tastes and whims. But in Ballas' own home, it's all about him.

David Allan Ballas and Ollie enjoy personal time on the back porch, which overlooks an enchanting city garden.

"I have eclectic taste," Ballas said. "I love all kinds of clothes. My hair is always changing. Life's too short to do the same thing over and over again."

Ballas' home is a physical manifestation of his personality and lifestyle. The furniture, decorations, and colors are always changing.

"To me, it's just stuff," he says. "I'm not wedded or attached to it. It's exciting to get new things. When I find something I love, I will make it fit somewhere."

Ballas shops at least once a week, usually for about three hours on Saturday mornings. Tape measure in pocket and ideas in mind, he scans the aisles of his favorite thrift stores and flea markets.

Sometimes he scours less conventional sources as well, like back alleyways. He once found a beautiful antique architectural column that was discarded from a Park Avenue home being remodeled.

Architectural pieces — columns, pillars, structural supports — are a common theme throughout Ballas' home. Except they are not holding up the ceiling; rather, they serve as frames, accents, and conversation pieces.

The formal living room, in the front of the house, is chock full of unique architectural objects. A set of gorgeous exterior brackets, which once supported a roof, nestle perfectly into the doorframe, transforming a would-be linear-shaped doorway into a grand, neoclassical entrance to the home's marquee room.

BALLAS SUGGESTS SHOPPING at flea markets, estate sales, and yard sales to find unique treasures for your home. To learn more about David Allan Ballas visit davidballas.com.

WHERE TO GET THE RIGHT STUFF Ballas finds most of his favorite pieces in second-hand stores and thrift shops. A native of Richmond, he has scouted out the best places to find great deals on everything from used china and artwork to architectural columns. His favorites include: • Caravati's Salvage Yard 104 E. 2nd St. Find restoration materials from historic buildings. • Diversity Thrift 1407 Sherwood Ave. From solid wood period furniture at bargain prices to great amateur artwork, Diversity is a gold mine. • FanTastic Thrift 1914 W. Main St. Everything quirky that Fan dwellers outgrow, from kitchenware to T-shirts, ends up here at some point. • Goodwill 6202 W. Broad St. Shop here for fun knickknacks and restorable furniture. There's something for everyone. • Salvation Army 2601 Hermitage Rd. Grandma's orange macramé pot holders sit aside solid silver flatware and brand new Target picture frames.

Inside the living room, more exterior brackets frame an ornate mirror and hold up thick pillar candles. The room is colorful, lively, and cozy. The furniture — a black-and-white-striped double seated settee, handsome couch, Japanese nesting tables, mahogany credenza, upholstered footstool, to name a few pieces — are complemented by a host of interesting accessories, like stained glass windows and a mortar and pestle.

"Buy what you like and put it out," Ballas says. "Don't store it just because you don't know where to put it. If you like it, you should enjoy it."

Sometimes putting your beloved items to good use takes a bit of creativity, Ballas admits. Don't know what to do with that odd teacup you just adore? Use it to store jewelry atop your dresser, or decorative soaps on your bathroom sink. Choose items for their beauty rather than their functionality, he says. If you can stretch the way you think about these items, you will find a use for them — even if it's not exactly the intended purpose.

And don't worry about whether the items match the room.

"If you put enough colors, textures, and fabrics together in one room," Ballas says, "it just works."

Two of the wall hangings in his hallway are antique washtub legs. The window treatments in his dining room are exterior window shutters. His backyard fence is a simple rose trellis turned on its side. Everything in his home has been repurposed and reincarnated, down to the smallest details.

When Ballas isn't decorating or designing, he spends a great deal of time in the kitchen. On his counter is yet another display of resourcefulness: old Coke bottles filled with cooking oils and soy sauce. Cooking is one of his favorite hobbies, and he cooks the same way he decorates — throwing a bit of this and that together, disregarding recipes and finding inventive uses for unlikely ingredients. According to his friends, Ballas' culinary creations turn out as eclectic and delicious as his home.

LEFT: In the basement dining room the table is set for an intimate dinner party using antique porcelain, mismatched silver pieces, and family linens. The wine glass is from Waterford. RIGHT: Old movie memorabilia and album covers give the media room atmosphere.