A Bigger Kitchen for a Growing Family | Season 1 Episode 7
The pressure for a quick turnaround on this renovation was intense since Lindsey Smallridge was REALLY pregnant and wanted the house to be finished before the baby was born. Talk about squeaking across the finish line just in time…she had her baby the day after we revealed their “new” home to them! Yet, I have to say, she was so gracious and kind and laid-back during the entire process. (Dave would say this was in stark contrast to the remodeling of our own home while I was pregnant with Luke … ha!).
Keep reading for the details on each of the spaces we renovated in the Smallridge home…
Exterior
BEFORE:
The exterior of the home featured quaint elements but landscaping was overgrown and the whole home just needed a refresh. Lindsey mentioned her love of blue, so I chose a soft blue-gray that blended with the existing stone foundation to replace the red siding. A new deck was added to update the existing one that was crooked and rotting. New landscaping freshened up the curb appeal. And, most importantly, we added windows to the front main gable of the home to help break up the large wall of siding and provide more balance to the exterior.
AFTER:
Sources
Landscaping | John Zito Landscaping LLC
Exterior Siding Paint Color | Sherwin Williams Earl Gray
Exterior Trim Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove
Exterior Sconces | Kichler
Entry
BEFORE:
Upon first walking in the front door, an open (but outdated and unsafe) staircase and a sunken den greeted you. In order to brighten this space up and make it more modern and kid-friendly, we overhauled the staircase with one custom built by Dave and Chase. They kept the original stringers and built new silver maple treads created out of a tree from downtown Bentonville. Then, the guys made the railings safer and modern (but still open and airy) with a wooden and cable combination.
We repainted the room, replaced the flooring, installed new lighting and closed in the side wall in order to use the space on the other side for the new, expanded kitchen. Because of the other changes in the room, the new wall didn’t make it feel smaller – it actually helped define the space and make it cozy. Lastly, I framed their son’s artwork to hang above the sofa. Because, sometimes the best artists are the ones under our own roof. 🙂
AFTER:
Sources
Chandelier | Rejuvenation
Wood Flooring | Atroguard Flooring (Color: Sunkissed Acre)
Furnishings | Abide
Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
Trim Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove
Kitchen
BEFORE: an outdated L-shaped kitchen.
The current L-shaped kitchen was outdated with neon yellow cabinets and checkered countertops and it lacked a dining space for the Smallridge’s growing family. With a wall separating the kitchen with another unused space, the layout simply wasn’t utilizing the maximum amount of square footage available.
Because the Smallridges’ are expecting their second child and need a space for eating meals together (other than their small peninsula), we created an L-shaped island that now doubles as built-in seating without stealing square footage from the living room.
What you didn’t see on the episode were the design meetings I had with the Smallridges where Lindsey specifically asked for blue cabinets. So, I delivered as requested and decided on a two-tone approach with the cabinets and the banquet island. I love how bright and happy and fun the space turned out!
AFTER:
Sources
Pendant Light | Lulu&Georgia
Cabinetry & Custom Banquet Seating | Premier Wood Concepts
Appliances | Metro Appliances
Farmhouse Sink | Kohler
Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Parma Gray
Banquet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Hague Blue
Living Room
BEFORE: a non-functioning fireplace and dark stone wall serve as the current focal point of the room.
The biggest change in this space, besides the new paint and new flooring, is the brightened up stone wall in the left corner. This space held a non-functioning fireplace and was an eyesore in the newly brightened room. We softened up the look with a mortar wash on the stone and then installed a modern Malm fireplace for an unexpected and striking focal point. The Smallridges were concerned with the safety of a functioning fireplace (but liked the warmth and coziness of a burning fire) so we chose a fireplace that uses water vapors to create the illusion of fire (and it also has the option to give off heat in the winter). This thing is mesmerizing to watch! After we installed it, we all watched for quite some time, entranced by the “flames.”
AFTER: a cozy, modern, and kid-friendly living space.
Sources
Malm Fireplace | Link
Art | Melissa Griffith
Furnishings | Abide
Sofa | Article
Wood Flooring | Atroguard Flooring (Color: Sunkissed Acre)
Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
Trim & Ceiling Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove
Nursery
BEFORE: a dark room with little natural light.
The Smallridges were expecting their new baby any day and we couldn’t possibly remodel their home without creating a space for baby! This sweet little room needed to be gender neutral, as Lindsey and Nick were going to be surprised at the birth (they had a girl for anyone that missed the last couple of minutes of the episode!), so I chose a soft light silvery-blue paint for the walls. The biggest change in here was the addition of two full-length windows for much-needed natural light.
I also snapped a couple of photos of Lulu and Earl for the wall because who doesn’t like sheep in a nursery?!? (I mean, they’re pretty cute…)
AFTER: a calm and lovely nursery for the Smallridge’s new baby girl.
Sources
Wall Paint Color | Farrow and Ball Light Blue
Light | Kichler
Powder Room
BEFORE: an unsightly half-bath right off of the kitchen.
Located right off of the kitchen, this is a bathroom that is used daily, as well as by guests, so we wanted to make it a beautiful space. We overhauled this bathroom by building a custom vanity and adding dimension to the walls with wood paneling and stunning floral wallpaper.
AFTER: a striking and beautiful powder bath.
Sources
Wallpaper | Kelly Ventura
Bathroom Faucet | Signature Hardware
Custom Vanity | Premier Wood Concepts
Vanity Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal
Backyard
BEFORE: an unused, unkept backyard.
The Smallridge’s weren’t getting the most out of their acreage and gorgeous wooded backyard. They had a small back deck and an uninviting screened-in detached patio that we upgraded into a two-tiered large deck that can be shared by the adults and kids alike.
By expanding the deck we were able to incorporate outdoor dining seating as well as plenty of space to relax and entertain. Dave and Chase also built a custom hatch door that now opens up into a sandbox for their son. This way, he can enjoy the deck alongside his parents and they can close the sandbox to keep it clean and out of sight when not in use.
AFTER: A natural, beautiful and kid-friendly space.
Sources
Sconces | Kichler
Outdoor Sofas | Big Joe
I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Smallridge’s home!
Join us again on Tuesday night for another new episode of Fixer to Fabulous on HGTV at 9|8c! We also found out that there will be a marathon of all of this season’s episodes (so far) coming up this Saturday, December 14th starting at 7 am|6 central! Here is a link to the full schedule. Thank you all so much for watching!
