Built in the '60s, "The Tire Swing House" was located in an ideal neighborhood in Woodway, right outside of Waco. Our clients’ style called for pretty much anything other than the typical Texas ranch style this house originally had. I was inspired by the Gulleys’ love for gardening and antiques and hoped to transform this house into a charming cottage-style home.
Because our clients wanted to give their new home a fresh story, they asked us to paint the exterior brick. I lightened the existing brick and installed custom made shutters. We added window boxes and all new landscaping so that it would give her clients plenty of space to get inspired and utilize their gift for gardening. Chip also installed new windows on the exterior, which added to the light and peaceful atmosphere inside.
For the interior, I really wanted to incorporate antique pieces and fun pops of color. Chip installed antique brick pavers in the entryway to tie into the other antique elements in the home, and I selected a pair of beautiful green antique doors from Round Top for the entrance to the office.
Originally, the house had a very long room that was designed to be the formal dining and living room. Since the Gulleys did not need these formal spaces, I divided the room in half, creating both an office and craft/dining room.
The Gulleys wanted a large farm table to be able to host guests, as well as a functional space for their kids to get creative. I found the amazing ten foot table and large desk with zinc top at an antique fair. I was also able to incorporate our clients' favorite color with the red antique industrial lights.
In the living room, we resurfaced the fireplace, giving it a more warm and cozy feel, and we installed an antique beam as the mantle. New wood flooring was installed, and the walls were painted a soft grey. I also selected french doors to bring in more natural light.
We opened up the kitchen, tripling its size. We installed new cabinets, concrete countertops and a white 3 x 6 subway tile with natural gray group. I found and included a quirky antique copper vent hood with scalloped edges, adding some whimsy to the space. Our clients wanted a large island to be able to entertain guests and create a big statement in the kitchen. Clint with Harp Design Co resurfaced the kitchen island, which was part of an old railroad car.
The hallway bath was originally connected to the master bath, with two toilets separated by only a pocket door. We put up a dividing wall between the two, and then we added a stand up shower in the guest bath. The light gray color played on patterns to make a big statement in this small bathroom. The master bath was painted and was redesigned to include a larger shower and double vanity.
We created a charming fun space for the master bathroom and used lots of color against the soft gray walls. We added all new sheetrock, flooring, new windows, and fixtures to give this space a fresh look.
This 1960s ranch house was transformed into a colorful and peaceful cottage style home for our clients. The renovation process of this home shows that no matter the original style of the home, a little color and rearranging can change the entire look and feel of the home.
