Our clients first fell in the love with the property surrounding this home, but weren’t completely sold on “The Raggedy Ranch," appropriately named for its rundown appearance. This mother and daughter team wanted to install modern updates to this house as well as update the exterior and landscape, giving them space to pursue gardening and future farm animals. Although a promising fit for the Silva’s family of three, this house needed serious updates with hints of modern design.
My first challenge was to blend the client’s modern preferences with the ranch style of the home. I hoped to seamlessly combine natural elements from the five acre lot into the overall design. On the exterior, we started by cleaning up the front yard and removing the trees per the client's request, as the trees were too close to the foundation. Next, I extended the front door so that it could be seen from the street and painted the brick. We also added shutters, exterior sconces, new windows and new landscaping. Once lost and unnoticed, the exterior instead became welcome and added to the curb appeal of the property.
Inside the layout of the home was dark and choppy, contrary to the client’s style and preference. The Silva family preferred open floor plans and wanted to create a fluid living space. Instead of preserving the tight entry way, I designed an open concept in which they removed the walls from the entry to the living, dining, and kitchen.
The living room was updated with new lighting, floors, trim, and a fresh coat of paint, a light gray color. In order to make room for the new open floor plan, I had to cut down the fireplace, which was painted white and fitted with a fresh cedar mantle. We hired Jimmy Don to create an iron sign for the family reading “I love you to the moon and back”, which was fitting because the client worked at SpaceX in Waco.
In the kitchen two load bearing walls were removed and internal headers were installed for structural support. I incorporated new French doors leading to the sunroom in the back and designed a built-in cafe style breakfast nook. Because the clients enjoyed cooking, I added new shelving and built-in cabinets for cookbooks and kitchen supplies. To complete the kitchen, silestone quart countertops were installed with an Arizona tile in “Soho Glacier Stack” as well as new modern-esque pendant lighting to complement the timeless elements.
The breakfast nook lacked character and interest, so I designed and installed a custom bench a table that fit the corner perfectly. I also added a new light fixture, French doors, and another sign from Jimmy Don in order to tie in the cafe style theme.
One of the most interesting rooms in the house was the sunroom. This space became the perfect spot for the client’s young child to play. We installed new flooring, electrical fixtures and, sheetrock. I also designed a table built by Clint Harp for the client’s son so that he could play legos, do homework, or make crafts. For the final touch, we installed custom shelving comprised of metal piping and cedar wood, adding both interest and functionality.
The laundry room was cut in half in order to create more space for a shower in the master bathroom. In the new mudroom, we added a small custom cabinet for storage. I also designed a corner space for backpacks and shoes, in hopes of helping the clients stay organized in this tight space.
Although the back bedroom did not require many changes, Chip and I added new flooring and lighting and painted the walls. In the bathroom we installed a new shower with a Venatino mosaic square wall tile and white 6 by 12 glass tile. In addition to the shower, I selected new flooring, a vanity, countertops and lighting for this space.
Although this was a smaller renovation project, the simple changes and updates went a long way and transformed this outdated home into a balanced modern home. Chip and I were honored to help these clients find a fresh start in this home located on a great piece of property. In the end, this ranch style home became a modern and functional space for the Silva family.
