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‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals 5 Easy Ways To Rock Midcentury Modern Style
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Midcentury modern style is still all the rage these days, which may explain why the latest episode of HGTV’s âFixer to Fabulousâ has Dave and Jenny Marrs creating a midcentury masterpiece for their clients.
In âAn Old Rancher Gets a Chef-Inspired Face-Lift,â Jenny and Dave help Jessica and Levi Rush update their Rodgers, AR, home, which was built by Jessicaâs grandparents in 1964.
Levi and Jessica want to keep the propertyâs classic charm and preserve Jessica’s family memories, but they also want it to feel more modern.
So, Jenny and Dave use their $130,000 budget to give this house a makeover that will both highlight its vintage feel and bring the space into the 21st century.
Read on to discover Dave and Jenny’s clever upgrades, so you can borrow some of them for your own home, too.
1. Both black and white paint can modernize old brick
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Right away, Jenny and Dave notice that this house has a lot of exposed brickâall over the homeâs exterior, as well as on the fireplace in the living room.
While brick can be a design feature, Levi and Jessica want it to look more modern, and traditional brick doesnât fit the vibe theyâre going for.
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So, Jenny decides to paint the exterior white, to brighten up the property and make it look more modern.
“We painted this exterior brick a really crisp, bright white, to give it this midcentury feel,â Jenny explains.
For the fireplace, though, Jenny goes for a darker, moodier look, and paints it black.
In the end, both of these painted brick features give off completely different vibes, which work with the midcentury style that Jessica and Levi love. It just goes to show how a fresh coat of paint (no matter the color) can give old brick a fresh look.
2. A fence adds style and privacy to a porch
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After painting the exterior, Jenny and Dave take it to the next level, by adding a horizontal slatted wall.
Jenny decides to add this because it will give the front yard some fun, midcentury styleâbut she knows that it will also come with other perks.
âIt also provides privacy,â Jenny says of the fence. âAnd they can enjoy this space, and it could feel like a little enclosed courtyard.â
When the fence is finished, Levi and Jessica are excited to use the sitting area out frontâbasically a fresh take on the front porch.
3. Use the right wood tones in a kitchen
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When Jenny and Dave first see Jessica and Leviâs kitchen, theyâre not impressed. The space is tight, and the style is dated, which is a shame, because Levi is a professional chef and deserves a decent kitchen.
Dave and Jenny give this space a complete makeover, opening up a wall, installing steel shelves, and replacing the cabinets. Then they replace the old cabinets with a more modern wood tone.
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âThat walnut look is really perfect for midcentury modern style,” Jenny says of the cabinet selection. “Itâll be durable, and the kitchen is going to be the showstopper.â
Jenny proves right when she and Dave reveal the stunning new kitchen. It features a smart blend of materials and an open layout, which Levi loves.
4. Use wood panels to hide a secret door
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One thing Jessica and Levi really want out of this renovation is a door that goes from the living room to the garage. As it is, they’re forced to go out and around to the back door to get into the garage, which is not convenient.
However, Jenny and Dave know that adding a door to the living room wall will throw off the balance of the fireplace, making the whole space look uneven.
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So, Jenny comes up with a clever idea for hiding Jessica and Levi’s new door inside a midcentury accent wall.
Dave cuts out a spot for a door, then paints the wall black. The team then adds strips of vertical wood across the wall, covering the door and making it almost invisible.
Dave explains that the secret is matching up the pieces of wood so that they look as though they still fit together.
âWe took each board, numbered the boards, so the grainâeverything on each boardâmatched perfectly,â Dave says.
5. A concrete deck is more modern than a wooden one
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Jessica and Levi have a lovely back deck, but itâs a little dated. Jessica tells Dave and Jenny that thereâs a concrete slab underneath, and that sheâd rather use that slab to create an outdoor living space.
However, when Dave pulls up the wood deck, he realizes that the concrete slab is damaged. This means theyâll have to pour a new slab, and while this will cost more money, Jenny knows that a new slab will mean more design flexibility.
âBecause we donât have to stay within the current footprint, I can do a really cool concrete design back here,â Jenny says. âWe can do some outdoor seating, and then an outdoor fireplace.â
Jenny designs a beautiful backyard oasis, and when the space is finished, it’s much more spacious and looks great.
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The post ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals 5 Easy Ways To Rock Midcentury Modern Style appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
Source: realtor.com
‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals One Simple Upgrade You’ll Love Every Morning
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Dave and Jenny Marrs of âFixer to Fabulousâ have done countless renovations over the years, but the pressure is on when they’re tasked with fixing up a home owned by none other than Jenny’s parents.
In the Season 2 episode âA Life-Changing Renovation,â Jenny and Dave help Jenny’s parents, Joan and Steve Smith, renovate their new house in Rodgers, AR, not too far from the Marrs’ farm. Dave and Jenny hope to give this property the cozy feel of a grandparents’ home along with a more modern vibe.
Read on to find out how they make this house feel both classic and contemporary, and get some ideas for how to make over any family home, even your own.
Not all bricks are created equal
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Steve and Joan love their new house, but they agree that the style is a little dated. On the exterior, the home has some stone accents that may have been popular when the home was built in 1994, but just look tired now.
So Jenny and Dave decide to replace the stone with some brick, which they know will give the house a fresh, modern style without looking too stark.
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However, Jenny tells Dave that they canât use just any old bricks on the house.
âI donât want just a red clay brick that is mass-produced,â Jenny says. âI want to use a vintage brick thatâs come off of an old building.â
She ends up finding old, light-colored brick that looks kind of worn. This brick, when used on the porch steps and house skirt, gives the home a rustic look.
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In the end, it’s clear that Jenny’s careful selection pays off. She proves that getting just the right color and style is imperative.
Use an eyelid to add character to a doorway
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Joan and Steve are excited to get rid of the dated stone on the home’s exterior, but they also want to make some structural changes to their front entrance. So Jenny and Dave take out the dated walkway and build out a porch, then they focus their attention on the doorway.
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âWe were able to get them this beautiful double door, and it has an arch top,â Jenny says, âso adding an eyebrow arch to the front of the house, itâll mirror the door, and itâll tie it together and look beautiful and welcoming.â
They use cedar, which matches the new siding, to create a curved structure that will go right above the porch steps. The extra detail matches the elegant front doors, just as Jenny expected, and it brings some character to the front of the house.
It’s a small feature, but it makes a big impact.
Simplify a stone fireplace for a more modern look
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Unfortunately, the inside of Joan and Steveâs house is just as dated as the outside. The space is like a ’90s time capsule, and the dated stone fireplace doesn’t help.
âThe stone followed us inside,â Steve says of the gray stonework.
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Jenny and Dave know theyâll need to update this fireplace if theyâre going to make the space feel more modern, so they remove the stone and simplify the feature. With a smooth white face, a wood mantel, and a small spot to store wood next to the firebox, the new, smaller fireplace looks much more modern.
Can’t knock down a kitchen wall? Create a coffee station
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Joan and Steveâs kitchen is dated, so Jenny and Dave make a plan to completely redo the space, putting in new appliances, installing new cabinetry, and even knocking down a wall to open it up. However, once renovation begins, they realize that they canât take down the wall.
Thinking fast, Jenny and Dave make the best of the situation by using this extra space to put in a coffee bar. Jenny says her parents always start the day with coffee, so a coffee bar is the perfect consolation for the slightly more closed-off floor plan, and one renovation they’ll appreciate every morning when they wake up!
âAt first I was really upset ’cause we couldnât take out this post,â Jenny tells her parents when the house is finished, âbut I think it worked out for the best because we could give you the coffee bar.â
Turn a dining room wall into wine storage
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With a beautiful coffee bar in the kitchen, Dave and Jenny are inspired to create a space for Steve and Joanâs other favorite beverage: wine.
They get to work installing some wine storage on one wall of the dining room, giving this otherwise empty space a fun feature while also providing storage for Joan and Steveâs wine collection. It a great blend of fun and function.
When Jenny and Dave are finally able to show off the wine rack, Dave admits that thereâs one small problem: Itâs much bigger than expected.
âWhen I built it I didnât realize that it holds, like, 600 bottles,â Dave says. We guess his in-laws will have to work on building their collection!
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When the renovation is complete, Dave and Jenny are able to present the Smiths with a one-of-a-kind house that’s made with love. It’s a great blend of modern and classic, making it the perfect spot for two fun grandparents to live out their retirement.
The post ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals One Simple Upgrade You’ll Love Every Morning appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
Source: realtor.com