← All houses Completed 2020 · My first renovation

The Brick Ranch

A 1980s brick three-bedroom, two-bath, and the house where I figured out what I actually liked.

I finished this house in 2020, and it was my first full renovation. Reworking the floor plan and making the house function better came naturally to me. Choosing the materials was a different story.

I was scared to make the wrong choice, so I kept choosing what felt safe: white. White walls, white finishes, white everything. What I learned is that boring is not necessarily safe. The house was beautiful, but looking back, it did not really feel like me.

I am thankful I had this smaller starter home to figure that out. By the time I started our next house, I was not afraid of color, pattern, or making a choice simply because I loved it. I am still adding more, changing things, and learning as I go, but this house is where I started figuring out the difference between making a house beautiful and making it feel like mine.

Drag any image to see what changed

The front of the housedrag
Before: tan brick ranch house with dark shutters and overgrown hedges After: painted white brick, black shutters, new door and landscaping BeforeAfter
Living room, looking toward the kitchendrag
Before: gray walls, carpet, closed-off doorways After: opened to the kitchen, cedar beams, wood floors, layered rug BeforeAfter
The fireplace walldrag
Before: gray painted brick fireplace, carpet, dated fixtures After: white brick, cedar mantel, vintage-style rug and leather chairs BeforeAfter
Kitchen, from the pantry walldrag
Before: oak cabinets, tile floor, small window over the sink After: custom white cabinetry, large island, new windows, brass fixtures BeforeAfter
Kitchen, toward the dining roomdrag
Before: double wall ovens, oak cabinetry, dining room closed off After: navy island, open sightline all the way to the living room BeforeAfter
The master bathdrag
Before: oak vanity, granite counters, gray walls, tub-shower combination After: herringbone slate floor, white vanity, walk-in shower, brass fixtures BeforeAfter
What I changed
  • Kitchen, living and dining combined into one space
  • Primary bedroom and bathroom reconfigured
  • Four new windows added
  • New flooring laid throughout
  • Custom cabinetry added
  • Wet bar transformed into a hidden walk-in pantry
  • New mudroom carved out of the existing floor plan
  • Fresh paint throughout

No water damage. No disaster. Just a house that could be better, and someone willing to do all of it.

← The Oak House, the house we came back for Work with me →

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@shelbynicoleraney  ·  new decisions every week

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