KEEP A LITTLE, MODERNIZE A LOT

A dated house behind bars with so many mirrors becomes a modern home of royal blue and gold shimmer.

When Jon and Mary first approached this home, Mary was relieved that it looked to be in good shape overall (from the outside). On the inside however, the dated decor and finishings were in need of a lot of modernization. Moreover, the foundation was not quite straight (as with so many older homes in Houston) so the home’s overall renovations were still fairly extensive.

As Jon and his team set to work, the foundation issues were quickly resolved and the bathrooms were taken apart, leaving only what few items were salvageable for the new design. Jon and Mary tackled the living room fireplace together, ripping out old tile and tearing open walls to examine the feasibility of adding built-in shelving and a TV stand. Upon opening the wall, it was discovered that the fireplace vent passed directly above the fireplace itself, leaving no space for the original, built-in TV shelf that was planned. Never one to be set back though, Mary changed up the design plan and instead, decided to tile the fireplace all the way up to the ceiling and leave storage shelves only on one side.

“Never one to be set back though, Mary changed up the design plan and instead, decided to tile the fireplace all the way up the the ceiling and leave storage shelves only on one side.”

As with many big home improvement projects, the setbacks seem to continue popping up, making it challenging to stick to a schedule. When Jon realized the big soaker tub planned for the master bathroom wouldn’t actually fit though the door, the door frame suddenly and to be removed and widened to keep the project going. Then, a notice to cease work on the projet was found at the entrance to the house one morning, delaying progress once again. With their eyes on the goal though, Jon and Mary once again fought through the setbacks, put in extra hours of work at night, opened the doorway and quickly resolved to issues with the city inspectors.

“With their eyes on the goal though, Jon and Mary once again fought through the setbacks, put in extra hours of work at night, opened the doorway and quickly resolved the issues with the city inspectors.”

When it came to updating interiors, Mary’s design focused on tiling both fireplaces in the house, adding custom built-in shelves, and repurposing the old cabinetry with a fresh coat of paint to give them some new life and a pop of color. Mary also chose to add feet to the cabinetry in the master bathroom, making the original built-in look like a custom-made, stand-alone cabinet. The kitchen came together with a new quartz countertop (and backsplash), matching white top cabinets and indigo blue bottom cabinets. The blue and white theme continued throughout the house with an added gold accent as hardware and light fixtures were installed to modernize the whole house.

“The warm colors from the wood flooring, coupled with the cool blues throughout the home made the entire place come together perfectly.”

To stage the house, Mary chose royal blue pieces with metallic accents and white and blue throw pillows, drapes, and linens. The warm colors from the wood flooring, coupled with the cool blues throughout the home made the entire place come together perfectly. In the upstairs, the master bedroom and bathroom became show stopper elements. The giant soaker tub and glass shower made the bathroom the envy of every couple needing a relaxing way to finish off their days. Despite the minor setbacks faced during the renovation, this home sold quickly and the cool blues and golden shimmers in the design wowed every single family who came to the visit the open house. In the end, this house proved just how much of a difference can be made when you keep a little but modernize a lot.

Looking for more details?

To see this project take place from start to finish, check out Episode 3 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!