While we enjoy taking on all new renovation projects, it is always a more special project when we get to work with friends. In the case of Jordan and Ryan’s house, we not only got to help our friends find and renovate the home they had been dreaming of, we also had the chance to actually work together, creating a special piece for their new home.
Several years ago, Jon helped Ryan and Jordan find their home when they were just settling into life as newly-weds. As time went on though, the couple found that they needed something else. Their family had grown to include their new baby and Jordan’s parents would soon be moving in to help out the new parents.
"As time went on though, the couple found that they needed something else. Their family had grown to include their new baby and Jordan’s parents would soon be moving in to help out the new parents."
In order to maximize the sale potential of their first house, there were just a few changes that had to be made. A quick walk-through in the house revealed some missing crown molding, a dark kitchen, dated lighting, and a fireplace that could use some help with design. Some personalized paint colors throughout the house would have to go as well, simply to make the house look more neutral.
During the walkthrough, Mary noticed one thing that stuck out in terms of design and personal touches: a beautiful barn door with a hexagonal pattern, designed and made entirely by Ryan. This piece became a key element to remember as it would inspire a lot of the design in Jordan and Ryan’s next home.
Moving Forward
With a full checklist in mind, Mary started working through tasks to get the house ready to sell. To begin, several rooms in the house were repainted in warmer tones, getting rid of the darker hues existing in some areas. While we decided to keep one accent wall dark in the master bedroom, the rest of the room received a lighter coat of paint and the ceiling was recovered in wood paneling. The color scheme complemented Ryan’s original barn door the new ceiling design gave the bedroom a whole new dimension of warmth and coziness.
Moving on from the bedroom, we then focused on bringing more shine into the kitchen with new light fixtures above the island and the breakfast area. We also decided to turn the dark, wooden panel cabinet doors into glass panel doors, adding a certain vibrance and openness to the cooking space. The overall result was a lighter, more airy kitchen, with a much more modern feel.
Off to one side of the home was a small room which had been used as everything from an office to a baby play space. In order to appeal to a larger audience, the space was made back into an office, and closed off with beautiful glass paneled doors, letting in light, but no sound.
The final space to receive an update in this house was the living room. With a newly retiled fireplace, new light fixtures, and beautiful, smaller pieces of furniture (which made the whole room look much larger!) the whole house makeover was complete.
These minimal updates, coupled with some strategic staging were very successful and Jordan and Ryan’s house quickly sold for the asking price they had hoped for.
With a new house selected, we did not waste any time getting to work.
Jordan and Ryan’s new home had a recently redone, pristine kitchen, making kitchen renovations completely unnecessary. However, a few other spaces in the home did need a bit of attention.
Starting in the master bedroom downstairs, we added a fresh coat of paint in the bedroom, added beams to the ceiling, and installed an enormous ceiling fan. Once that was complete, we started work in the bathroom. A bit dated in its design, the master bathroom underwent quite a few changes. We started by adding a frameless shower and tiling the bathtub. Then, we continued with some new sinks, countertops, and light fixtures. When everything came together, the results were incredible. The bathroom truly had a whole new look.
Outside the master bedroom, the remaining areas received brand new flooring, arranged in the same hexagonal pattern seen in Ryan’s original barn door. This flooring led straight into the living room, where the pattern stretched into a modernized, framed fireplace. Using wooden boards to create the same pattern again, we framed the fireplace from floor to ceiling, and then painted it as a finishing touch. While we did remove the existing fireplace mantle, it was certainly not lost. Instead, we brought it upstairs to create a second living room in Jordan’s parents’ suite.
The last two rooms in the downstairs area received a similar refresh, adding light fixtures in both the office and dining room. Then, to personalize the space a bit more, Mary ordered a custom, white oak and metal table for the dining room. The new, personalized table would replace their current hand-me-down table, creating what would likely be their newest family heirloom. The built-in cabinet in the dining room was filled with Jordan’s collection of antique dishes, bringing in a touch of history and femininity in the modern industrial theme of the house.
As the last space downstairs, the office received new lights and flooring but was further personalized with a new, rolling step ladder. The ladder, which added a unique design accent, also allowed for full use of the floor-to-ceiling shelves that were built in to the space.
Moving upstairs, the most noticeable change came from the updated staircase and railings. To match the wood-and-metal theme in the rest of the home, Jon and Mary redid the stairwell with wooden stairs and railings, but completed the look with wrought iron balusters. The result was a dramatic and classic look, leading eyes from the entryway, straight up to a beautiful chandelier hanging from the high ceilings, and back down, towards a custom art piece that Mary had commissioned by a local artist.
“The result was a dramatic and classic look, leading eyes from the entryway, straight up to a beautiful chandelier hanging from the high ceilings, and back down, towards a custom art piece that Mary had commissioned by a local artist.”
At the top of the newly updated stairs, we made mostly aesthetic changes, in order to really transform the upstairs space into something of a retreat for Jordan’s parents. With a bit of Jon’s help, Ryan made his own, seven foot barn door, separating the grandparents’ suite from the rest of the rest of the open space upstairs. With a mirror-image wood pattern, the door became a statement piece as well as a privacy wall for their new living room.
With the mantle from the downstairs fireplace and a few of Mary’s creative ideas, we quickly transformed the upstairs media room into a cozy living room, complete with a faux fireplace and a small gallery of family art pieces. The attached bedroom went through a smaller transformation, with the main changes coming from updated carpet and paint color.
And since no suite is complete without its own bathroom, we made sure to transform that space as well. After some effort, Jon managed to redirect pipes and make the structure of the bathroom more design friendly. In turn, Mary was able to take an older-looking, single bathroom, and turn it into a spa-like area, with a tub (complete with a tub-filler faucet!), glass door shower and a double sink.
One More Surprise...
The last big reveal in this home was a complete surprise for Ryan, who had always loved the outdoor space in their last house. To make sure this new home provided a similar “favorite spot”, Jordan worked with Jon to create a modern industrial-style pergola, complete with a new grill and beautiful hosting area. Using Jon’s own design, the pergola was constructed with beams of Douglas fir wood, and finished with black metal hardware. With a swing on one end and a dining set in the middle, the outdoor space was completely transformed. Always bringing a personal touch to people’s homes, Mary also make sure to include some family heirlooms, which were given (with Jordan’s permission!) a new life with a coat of bright blue spray paint.
In the end, this house became the perfect escape for the extended family to live together. The modern industrial style throughout the house brought in Ryan’s tastes for design and the addition of precious pieces and family heirlooms put a touch of Jordan in every space as well.
“The modern industrial style throughout the house brought in Ryan’s tastes for design and the addition of precious pieces and family heirlooms put a touch of Jordan in every space as well.”
Looking for more details?
To see this project take place from start to finish, check out Episode 2 of HGTV’s Two Steps Home. Here, you will see the process from start to finish, 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!