This sweet couple – Daryl and Claudia – I just love their story! Daryl and Claudia met in 1986 when Claudia came to Hermantown, MN from Bogota, Colombia as an exchange student. They got to know each other through a mutual friend and hit it off right away, dating until she had to return to Colombia. Then, after 25 years, they reunited and dated for 10 years before finally marrying in 2021. Between them they have four boys. Three are Claudia’s and are away at colleges in Texas. One is Daryl’s who lives in Duluth, MN. 

They both love living in Northwest Arkansas because it’s a melting pot of cultures (just like them). They also love that there’s a large, beautiful wetland park right behind them with walking and biking trails. Although the location is fantastic, the house wasn’t functional at all – especially for when their kids come home. Because of a bad layout, the house didn’t have a good space to gather as a family and it lacked storage space. 

We knew if we made some changes to the floorplan, we could make a big difference for this family. And by making some bold changes out front, we could completely transform it to make it look much brighter and happier!

BEFORE

What a difference! This looks like a totally different house now. The blue paint from before was tired and faded, so, we removed the old siding and replaced it with board and batten and painted it a cheery cream color. We removed the outdated railing from the front landing, resurfaced the driveway and painted the landing a neutral gray. That allows the eye to focus more on the house, which now looks so pretty with its new cedar shake accent up top. We also took down the old shutters and added cedar planter boxes to pull in the shake. For the garage door, we modernized it easily by removing the window inserts and painting it to blend in with the house. A new front door, fresh landscaping and new lighting finish the look for a lighter, brighter home.

AFTER

SOURCES

Flag | Allegiance Flag Supply

Exterior Light | Kichler 

Porch Flooring & Shutters | Aeratis 

Front Porch Concrete & Driveway Staining | Morris Decorative Concrete

Landscaping | Christy Lamers Blossom Landscape & Design 

Siding Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Shaded White

Trim & Garage Door Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Front Door Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Light Blue

BEFORE

The biggest issue with this room was that there was no way to enter the house without walking right into the furniture. The fireplace and the built-in bookcase took up almost the entire wall and weren’t being used. Eliminating those two things opened that wall up and allowed us to create a better layout.

We removed the skylight and added a cedar tongue and groove chevron pattern to the ceiling. This came out spectacular! In the very beginning, we had considered faux beams and a bamboo treatment, but this turned out so much better! It’s a small house, but it had the height for creating a dramatic effect. Now, the entrance to the house is much more interesting. 

For the dining area, Dave made a built-in corner bench to maximize the space, plus it adds storage since you can lift the top and keep things in there. To save even more space, we hung the back cushions on the wall. I love the leather detail on the cushions. Now, this small space can fit at least 6 people at the table. 

We also put in new flooring throughout the house that blends in nicely without competing with the ceiling. Normally, we put a light fixture above a table, but this time we opted for one big light at the center of the two rooms to bring them together and create one large family space. 

As far as décor, we wanted to honor Claudia’s Colombian background by leaning into earth tones and placing different pieces throughout the house that would make it feel like they had been collected over time.

AFTER

SOURCES

Furniture | Howse

Dining Room Light | Crate & Barrel

Flooring | MSI Surfaces 

Art | Juniper Prints 

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

BEFORE

Originally, this kitchen was too small and too dark. Even though we didn’t change the floorplan and kept it as a galley kitchen, it looks so much bigger and brighter now. We did add a window here which allows much more natural light to flow in, and we extended the new cabinetry all the way to the sliding glass door. Now with the new cabinets and floating shelves, Claudia and Daryl have much more storage in the kitchen. Since Claudia likes earthy colors, we chose this beautiful cream for the cabinets, white quartz for the counters and a muted tile for the backsplash – all creating a timeless look. 

In the laundry room, we also added all new cabinetry, except we went a little more bold (not crazy) with the color. It’s still in line with the soft colors we chose for the rest of the house. We also added a sink in here, which Claudia had wanted, and more storage.

AFTER

SOURCES

Appliances | Metro Appliances & More

Kitchen Faucet | Gerber 

Countertops | MSI Surfaces 

Backsplash | Tiles of Ezra 

Cabinet Pulls | Amazon 

Cabinet Knobs | Amazon 

Flooring | MSI Surfaces 

Laundry Faucet | Gerber 

Runners | Turkish Trunk

Water Heater | Paschal

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Kitchen Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth

Laundry Room Paint Color | Farrow & Ball De Nimes

BEFORE

This room was already a pretty good size, so we didn’t need to do anything too drastic. The new flooring made a big difference in updating the space. In addition, we replaced the outdated ceiling fan with a modern one and hung fresh new curtains. In the closet, we added wall-to-wall, floor to ceiling built-ins with more shelves and drawers.

One of Claudia’s biggest requests (I’m sure you know by now) was for more storage, especially in the bathroom. She had been using a rolling cart to hold her beauty products. We were able to create more space for her by absorbing the coat closet on the other side of the wall. Now, Claudia has an extra vanity all to herself with plenty of drawers and cabinets. The natural wood, Spanish-inspired tile in the shower and terra-cotta-like flooring pull together the Colombian feel.

AFTER

SOURCES

Furniture | Howse

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Curtains | Target

Curtain Rod | Target

Flooring | MSI Surfaces

Closet Drawer Pulls | Amazon

Bathroom Mirror | Amazon

Sconce | Amazon

Cabinet Knobs | Amazon

Shower Wall Tile | Home Depot

Shower Floor Tile | Wayfair

Bathroom Floor Tile | Wayfair

Bedroom Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Jitney

Bathroom Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Since this is a focal point of the hall, we chose a special door for this bathroom. It’s a reclaimed door that Dave was able to adjust to fit the size of the doorframe. The inside of the bathroom was gutted, and we put in all new cabinetry, flooring, a sink and a bath which coordinate with the main bathroom. The flooring in this bathroom is the same tile we used for the shower wall in the other bathroom.

SOURCES

Sconce | Kichler

Mirror | Amazon

Faucet | Gerber

Shower Tile | Home Depot

Floor Tile | Home Depot

Cabinet Knobs | Amazon

Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Jitney

The old back porch had a ceiling that was too low. It cut off the view of the backyard and it blocked sunlight from coming into the back of the house. We took it down and put in a new one with a roof that matches the roofline of the house. Now, it lets in much more natural light, and the new cedar posts tie in the cedar accents from the front of the house.

Claudia and Daryl wanted a firepit where they could sit and enjoy time with the kids when they visit. We added this modern one with new stepping stones leading up to it. Since we know Daryl and Claudia enjoy spending time outdoors, Dave built them a kayak rack, and we surprised them with a new kayak. We hope they will enjoy it and enjoy making more memories in their updated home!

SOURCES

Outdoor Furniture | Howse

Porch Flooring | Aeratis

Landscaping | Christy Lamers Blossom Landscape & Design 

Siding Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Shaded White

Trim Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove