Interior updates included the bathroom, the kitchen and removing wood paneling. When updating each room, the design inspiration focused on clean and simple.
“I wanted my bedroom to be relaxing,” homeowner Tina Evans said.
It was also important that “my son got to decorate his bedroom how he wanted.”
The family was drawn to the three-bedroom, 1¾ bath house because of the spacious backyard and quiet neighborhood. In fact, the backyard was one of the main attractions of the house. Exterior updates included the shed, and making the backyard usable for their needs.
Future projects include sprucing up the front and backyard, and refinishing the front porch. The hard work has paid off and the result is a house that is now a well-loved home, with a spacious, tidy and updated backyard.
Name: Tina Evans
Age: 43
Hometown: Kettering
Year your home was built: 1955
Square footage: 1,152
Architectural design: Ranch
Spouse name and number of years married/number children, grandchildren: Tim Evans, age 59, married two years but together for over 20 years, four children total, three grandchildren and one on the way
How long have you been in your house: 15 years
What changed your house into a home: Remodeling the inside to make it ours. There was a lot of wood paneling and popcorn ceilings to remove. There was rooster wallpaper in one bathroom and the kitchen just wasn’t our style.
What is your favorite part of your home and why: Our favorite part is the large back yard. We have ¼ acre, and it is almost all in the back. We also love our neighborhood. All the kids play together, the neighbors look out for each other, and it is so quiet.
Most difficult house project: Refreshing our backyard shed. It needed a new coat of paint, new doors, and the underneath enclosed to keep the pets out.
What was your inspiration for the project: The paint and doors were falling off! In all seriousness, it had not been touched since it was built by a previous owner. We wanted it to look nice but also keep wildlife and pets from tunneling under it.
Future house projects: Refinish the front porch and paint that red door some other color!
Advice to anyone looking to refresh or remodel their home: Trends are nice, but come and go. Pick classic styles for the base and just decorate for today. Paint colors can always be changed. If planning on doing the improvements yourself then make it a family affair, when safe to do so, of course. Including the kids can give them a sense of pride in completing projects they can show off. It also teaches them life skills they may need themselves one day.
Contact this writer at writeawayk@gmail.com.
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