This week we met Kaley Eggers. Kaley was in the process of adopting her foster son and was in need of a family home perfect for kids to play, create, and grow. With her wish list in mind, Chip and I showed Kaley and her twin sister, Lauren, "The Baby Blue House." She loved the home’s potential, sizable backyard, and the little rooms that could easily be turned into play spaces.
The exterior of the home was charming and sweet, but it had not been updated in at least a decade. It was overrun with overgrown landscaping and looked drab and boring. For starters, we added pavers and two dormers to give it more of a cottage feel. We added a custom front door, a new roof, and, of course, we installed fresh landscaping.
Fun fact: A dormer is the kind of “faux window” you see attached to the roof of a home. We love using them in our renovations because they add dimension and an extra element of interest to a home’s exterior.
Kaley’s style is eclectic and vintage-inspired, so every last detail of this house was fun to design. This living room was plain and lacked warmth and personality. However, one thing this space did have going for it were these beautiful original hardwood floors- we simply refinished them and added a natural stain. Keeping the floors saved on budget and kept with the vintage-inspired elements.
We removed the drywall on the ceiling and found this amazing raw shiplap which really warmed up the space. We painted all the main living spaces this unexpected green color. I chose this green because I wanted it to be a happy, inspiring space for Kayley and her son. I also had this idea to reface the fireplace with a funky tile pattern to make a bold statement in the living room, and we topped it off with an antique architectural piece.
I wanted the main living and dining space to feel lived in and eclectic. The roman shades on the windows help tie in all the natural wood elements on the floor and ceiling, and the funky light fixtures tie in to the black and white mantle. Even though the style is eclectic, I still wanted to make sure the room felt balanced.
The existing kitchen was dated and the layout wasn’t ideal for Kaley. I knew a few simple updates, like adding an island and reworking the footprint, would make a huge difference.
I wanted the kitchen to be more of a modern spin on trendy—something that would mesh with her fun style, but wouldn’t look dated a few years down the road. I went with this black tile backsplash, white marble countertops, and vintage-shaped green light fixtures. Since I decided to go with a white oak cabinet in here, we painted the ceiling shiplap white, so the shades of wood wouldn’t compete with one another. We also designed these kid-friendly swivel stools that matched the kitchen’s style. These tied into the backsplash and the kitchen’s wood accents.
For a little something unique in this space, we put a modern spin on our beloved shiplap for a feature wall in the kitchen. We used white oak panels which were made to look like “lath” and are about a third the width of our classic shiplap. This made for a fun accent wall that matched Kaley’s eclectic style. We also built a chalkboard for Kaley to keep her schedule and shopping list together.
Now this was fun space to work on: an enclosed porch turned play area/office for her son to create and imagine. The space before had a lot of light and potential, but it wasn’t being put to good use. We used deck paint for the fun stripes which created a childlike and playful feel in here. I designed the desks that were built by Clint Harp—they were unique and fit perfect in this tight space. We even added a few little windows over the desks from the kitchen so Kaley can look in on him while he’s playing.
The master bedroom originally had an entire wall of built-in book shelves. I decided on this soft, muted gray paint color to give Kaley a master retreat feel.
We also installed these reclaimed beams to highlight the interesting pitch of the ceiling, and, as an added feature, we replaced the original closet door with a custom designed white oak door. It tied in the eclectic and fun style from the rest of her home while keeping it neutral for this space.
Working with a client with as big of a heart as Kaley’s was an honor. Chip and I loved getting to know her and her sister, Lauren. Working on a project with such a fun style was a treat! We hope this home serves as a playful space for her little ones and an inspiring space for Kaley!
Photos by Rachel WhyteOpens in new tab
