Three bedrooms, one bathroom, dozens of repairs and a whole lot of New Orleans vibes.
When walking through this little row house for the first time, Mary looked past the rotting siding, the jerry-rigged air conditioner units, and less-than-ideal floor plan and saw something more. She felt the “vibes” from this house and knew what this house would become… This would be the house to make a nod to her roots: It would be her very own New Orleans, Louisiana row house, planted right near downtown Houston. Or in Mary's words... the "N.O. FA SHO HOUSE!"
When Jon and Mary drove up to this 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home close to downtown Houston, there were many obvious benefits to the location. The house was right near the metro line, giving access to downtown and all the events and activities that take place there. It also had a great yard and while the interiors needed some work, it had a lot of potential.
“To start the process, Jon and Mary decided to tear out one wall separating the living room from the dining/kitchen area and another divider in the kitchen area.”
The work began with plans to redesign the floor plan. The house was small to start and it felt very closed in, with heavy walls splitting up every room. To start the process, Jon and Mary decided to tear out one wall separating the living room from the dining/kitchen area and another divider in the kitchen area. One removed, the space opened up completely, allowing far more natural light into the space as well. An island was then added to differentiate the kitchen/dining area from the rest of the home, keeping the space open and organized.
The next challenge in the house came from making the single bathroom into a more usable space. The home had space for a small family but a single bathroom could make things crowded at times. Mary decided the best way to improve the bathroom would be to add a double sink. While the idea sounded great in theory, it ended up impractical because there was only one drain for the future sinks to tie into. The resolution? A beautiful trough farmhouse-style sink with a custom-made vanity by Jon. As the space started to come together and the exterior siding was repaired, it was time for design.
While the team’s painters worked outside to cover the newly repaired siding in a lovely shade of blue, new cabinets and tile went in on the inside. Never one to waste resources, Mary decided to reuse the old cabinet doors as window shutters for the exterior of the home. Painted white, they provided a perfect color combination with the blue siding.
“Never one to waste resources, Mary decided to reuse the old cabinet doors as window shutters for the exterior of the home. Painted white, they provided a perfect color combination with the blue siding.”
In the kitchen, a light fleur-de-lis tile was selected to compliment the Louisiana row house feeling. A stone countertop brought the colors together perfectly and a classic white subway tile was used for the backsplash. The end result: a completely transformed, formerly dark and heavy, closed-in kitchen became a beautiful, open, inviting space; full of light and style.
“The newly-designed open-concept living room area also received a great upgrade with the installation of an electric fireplace.”
Throughout the rest of the house, Mary staged two bedrooms and one office room designed to maximize the space in the home. The newly-designed open-concept living room area also received a great upgrade with the installation of an electric fireplace. With the addition of a custom frame, the fireplace looked like a built-in fireplace, with a clean and simple mantle to finish the look.
Overall, this little house was transformed into an open and beautifully-lit space. Between the curb appeal of a beautiful home and the attraction of redesigned interiors flooded with light and sophisticated finishings, this house gave more than New Orleans vibes - it gave a sense of warmth and belonging, all wrapped up in southern charm.
Looking for more details?
To see this project take place from start to finish, check out Episode 5 of HGTV's "Going For Sold". Here, you will see the process in all its glory with every detail captured on film. If you have any additional questions or you would be interested in speaking with us about your own renovation or design projects, please contact us and a member of our team will reach out to you directly!