Jenny and Dave Marrs, the hosts of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous,” usually have clients who ask for open layouts and clean sightlines—but some homeowners want a cozier design.
In the Season 3 episode “City Family, Country Roots,” Jenny and Dave meet with Tom and Sondra Puorro, a couple trading life in Dallas for rustic living on 62 acres in Avoca, AR. The couple have $175,000 to create a country home with city charm where they and their three children can gather for years to come.
Jenny and Dave create a family-friendly home by upgrading the exterior, building a new kitchen, and designing a cozy living room.
Read on to see how Dave and Jenny update this old country house—and get tips for making your own family home extra comfortable.
There are many ways to give any house some cottage charm
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Tom and Sondra’s kids are growing up (and moving out), so the couple are hoping to make their new house into a place their kids will want to visit often. But unfortunately, the current exterior design isn’t inviting.
Sondra hates the narrow entryway, and she and Tom disapprove of the pink brick all around the house.
“The arch is cool, but it does kind of close it off,” Jenny says of the entryway.
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Jenny makes a plan to remove the closed-off entry and create a big front porch—the perfect place for visiting kids to gather. Then she chooses a soft blue color to paint the old brick.
“I know you liked a lighter blue, and so we just wanted something that’s cottagey and welcoming,” Jenny tells Tom and Sondra.
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By the end, this home’s exterior is completely transformed. The new, softer color makes the house look more inviting, while the big front porch makes for a fantastic place to spend time together as a family.
An archway can add that cottage look
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Inside the house, Jenny and Dave find even more dated brick, in the form of an archway separating two living rooms.
“I like the brick archway,” Sondra says when first giving Dave and Jenny a tour. “I’m not a huge fan of the color and the way it kind of fits in the house right now.”
Jenny comes up with a plan to whitewash the brick to freshen up the look while preserving the elements Sondra likes.
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In the end, it’s clear that whitewashing was the right choice. The lesson here: Painting the brick inside and outside made a dramatic difference to this home.
Bonus: This arch just might provide some inspiration to anyone looking for a little extra character between rooms.
Use colors that make you feel at home
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This house was built in the 1960s, so Jenny and Dave know that the kitchen will need some modern updates. Still, they are aware that Sondra doesn’t like an ultramodern look, so they give the kitchen a more charming, country aesthetic with cabinets in a color they know Sondra and Tom will love: blue.
‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Shocks With a Risky Living Room Design Choice appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.