What started as a traditional ranch-style house is now a modern, masculine space—tailored perfectly for a young man’s minimalist style. Jason Gloeckler recently graduated and moved out—just him and his dog. His parents are helping to fund the renovation, and his mom, Michelle, was there to help with decision-making and ensure the updates would be a smart investment for future resale.

In the end, both Jason and his mom were pleased. The updates reflect Jason’s minimalist, modern style while maintaining a level of sophistication that will appeal to future buyers.

BEFORE

Jason’s house has the traditional brick exterior that’s so common around Northwest Arkansas. He mentioned wanting the house to feel more modern. We love brick because it’s easy to paint for a dramatic, instant update. In addition to painting the exterior, the plan here was to modernize the rest of the facade with a new metal roof, warm wood accents to contrast the paint, and refreshed landscaping.

Jason also mentioned how much he enjoys sitting on the front patio with his dog—it’s fenced in, so he can relax without worrying about his pup running off. We kept the railing for that reason but updated the rest of the patio by swapping out the brick column for a wooden post to match the one on the other side. Then we finished off the look with a more modern front door, replaced the old koi pond with a sleek fountain, and added super simple stick-on paneling to the garage door.

AFTER

SOURCES

Flag | Allegiance Flag Supply

Lights | Kichler

Garage | Garage Skins

Metal Roof Installation | Norton’s Roofing

Exterior Brick, Trim & Porch Ceiling Paint Color | Color Matched to Misty Shadow by Plygem

Gutter, Soffit & Facia Paint Color | Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black

BEFORE

The kitchen had a vaulted ceiling, which was really nice, but there were some strange, choppy angles that made the space feel cramped and not very functional. We took down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and reconfigured the entire layout—adding new cabinets, countertops, lighting, and a big island to create a space where Jason can easily host friends and family.

We started by removing the old tile floor. Removing tile can get expensive because it’s such a labor-intensive process. It usually breaks off in small pieces, which takes a long time, and then you’re left with glue that has to be ground down completely. But in this case, we got lucky—the tile had been laid on top of linoleum, so the glue hadn’t bonded directly to the cement, which made removal a lot easier.

Now that we’ve reworked the layout, the kitchen flows so much better into both the dining and family rooms. For cabinetry, we chose full overlay doors—not only does it give a more modern look, but it also adds tons of storage. We went with a mix of dark-painted cabinets and warm walnut to give the space a modern yet inviting feel—perfect for a young bachelor who also loves cooking for his family.

AFTER

SOURCES

Sink | Bed Bath & Beyond

Faucet | Bed Bath & Beyond

Can Lights | Kichler

Cabinets | Premiere Wood Concepts

Cabinet Pull | Emtek

Cabinet Knob | Emtek

Runner | Turkish Trunk

Flooring | AHF

Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Off Black

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Simple White

BEFORE

The family room had a large built-in around the fireplace that took up way too much room. We removed the cabinetry and replaced it with a stone fireplace with a wooden mantle. We sanded and refinished the floor here, like we did for the rest of the house.  Now, this space feels open, inviting, and perfectly balanced, with the fireplace as the heart of the home.

AFTER

SOURCES

Can Lights | Kichler

Lighting | CB2

Furniture | Howse

Flooring | AHF

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Simply White 

BEFORE

This room had an outdated fireplace, plus large wooden posts and nooks throughout that were all competing for attention in the room. We needed to clean this up and make it more modern to fit Jason’s preference. Our friend Tim, who’s part of our team, is a big lover of woodwork, so this worked out perfectly. The wood went straight into Tim’s truck, and nothing was wasted. Then, we closed off all the niches that disrupted the flow and made the house look like it was stuck in the 1990s.

The TV wall already had a cut-out, so we turned it into a gaming nook to hide all of Jason’s games and keep the space looking sleek—which we knew would make his mom happy. Dave built a custom wooden console that fit perfectly in that spot.

For the fireplace, I chose a beautiful tile with a subtle ripple effect to modernize the space. It’s such a clean, fresh update and will add a lot of value for resale someday.

One of the most meaningful parts of this renovation came from Jason’s parents. A close family friend had recently passed away and left behind an incredible wood collection. They asked us to surprise Jason by incorporating some of that wood into the home. Dave and I chose a piece of walnut from the collection and built a custom fireplace mantle cover to slide right over the original. It was a special way to honor someone who meant a lot to their family.

AFTER

SOURCES

Can Lights | Kichler

Ceiling Fan | Fanimation

Furniture | Howse

Fireplace Tile | Bedrosians

Media Console | Custom by Dave Marrs

Console Pulls | Emtek

Flooring | AHF

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Simply White

BEFORE

This room just needed a simple refresh. The plan was to replace the old carpet with new wood flooring, add fresh paint, install new trim, and update the ceiling fan. Jason likes blue, so we painted the entire room—including the ceiling—in a tranquil shade that feels calm and cozy. He’d also mentioned how much he liked the old barn doors, but they didn’t quite fit the updated aesthetic, so we swapped them out for new glass ones that feel more in line with the rest of the house.

AFTER

SOURCES

Ceiling Fan | Fanimation

Can Lights | Kichler

Furniture | Howse

Flooring | AHF

Barn Doors | Barn Doorz

Sliding Doors | Cornerstone

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball De Nimes

The original bathroom felt outdated—with old tile flooring, an aging shower, and a high-gloss epoxy countertop. We gutted the space to give Jason a large walk-in shower and a fresh layout. Floor-to-ceiling tile on the vanity wall adds a striking focal point, while the new lighting and a mix of black accents and concrete finishes give the whole space a much more sophisticated look.

SOURCES

Faucet | Moen

Mirror | Ferguson

Wall Tile | Urban Slat Natural Ceramic Tile  ReBath

Flooring | Marquina Noir Porcelain Tile ReBath

Vanity | Riverside Wall Hung Oak in Black ReBath

Vanity Hardware | Ferguson

Countertop | Carbon Faux Granite ReBath

Toilet | Ferguson

Shower Surround | Concrete Matte Acrylic Smooth ReBath

Shower System | Ferguson

Shower Door | DreamLine

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Simply White

Jason’s house has a large shed in the back that he had been using as a home gym. He wanted to turn it into a fun hangout spot for watching games and spending time with friends. This was one area where he and his mom didn’t quite see eye to eye. While Jason was most excited about this space, his mom wanted to focus the bulk of the budget on the main house and not get too carried away out here. We knew we could still do something really fun while sticking to a tighter budget.

The main goal was to make this back area feel like an extension of the house by updating the landscaping and giving the shed’s exterior a more cohesive look. That involved installing a metal roof to match the main house, new siding, a new garage door, and a new front door.

We were able to make a big impact inside without spending too much. Dave built a sophisticated poker table, and to make the space feel more personal, I wanted to create a decorative wall for Jason. I’d been collecting some vintage mitts, and since Jason loves baseball, this felt like the perfect opportunity to use them as a unique art piece. David built a custom frame using walnut wood from Jason’s late neighbor, which made the wall even more meaningful.

We painted the walls and ceiling a dark, moody shade to give it that cozy man cave vibe and moved all of his workout equipment to the back room for a hidden home gym.

SOURCES

Exterior Siding | Plygem

Shingles | Plygem – Triple 5″ Shingle

Furniture | Howse

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Deep Secret

Shingle & Siding Color | Misty Shadows

Exterior Trim & Door Paint Color | Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black