GOING STEADY

This do-it-yourself family worked their magic wooing an old fixer-upper.

See how this family worked some DIY magic to transform an old fixer-upper into a beautiful, cozy home full of character.

“My friend said, ‘You really need to name the house. Tell her about your family,’” Londen says. “So we named her, told her we wanted to make her pretty, and things started working after that.”

Since then, it’s been a labor of love for Londen to bring Ethel to life and make a home for her family: husband Mark, their 12-year-old daughter and a cat.

THIS OLD HOUSE

Londen chronicled some of the renovation progress on her blog, Sixty-Fifth Avenue. As with all good construction, they started with the base by uncovering and restoring the hardwood floor—and, in the case of the kitchen and living room, by laying new oak hardwood floor and sanding and staining throughout to match.

The first room to get a makeover was the kitchen. White, Shaker-style cabinetry, wood countertops and a farm sink replaced bland, outdated hardware, and they installed a dishwasher for the first time in the almost 80 years since Ethel’s construction. Subway tile from the countertops to the ceiling polished off the look. In all, from start to finish, the Huffmans spent two years renovating the kitchen, from the early steps of replacing the floor and new drywall ceiling, to the finishing touches of crown molding and subway tile.

Another bit of makeover magic was the dining room. When the Huffmans moved in, the room’s busy, red, floral wallpaper was a major eyesore. “I really couldn’t handle being in this room for very long,” Londen recalls on her blog. So about six months in, once some larger projects were handled, they tackled the dining room.

They painted the room a soothing oatmeal color, and Londen couldn’t resist adding a section of chalkboard paint above their buffet. The Huffmans had chalkboard paint walls in their old house, and Londen writes that she knew she’d miss it, so it was a must in the dining room.

Once the paint was taken care of, the rest of the dining renovation was relatively simple—just a matter of choosing the right chairs. After some experimentation, Londen went with a set of four large, comfortable wicker chairs.

IN TUNE WITH NATURE

While much of the interior has been renovated, it’s still a work in progress. Lately Londen has been doing some work on the landscaping, including planting 15 hydrangeas between her house and the neighbor’s. “I created a living fence, so three years down the line they’ll be 6 to 8 feet tall,” Londen says.

For her, plants certainly don’t just belong outdoors. They’re a major element in making a house feel like a home. “Always have plants,” Londen says. “I really think that makes the space feel cozy and brings it to life.”

In a home with a neutral palette, like Londen’s, the greenery of plants and their brightly colored flowers shine all the more. There’s no shortage of choice either; house plants

CAPE COD CLASSIC. Renovating an almost 80-year-old house is a long process requiring patience, and one of the constant works in progress is the landscaping. The front yard décor changes with the seasons, and for winter, it’s the tasteful greenery of garlands and wreaths.

|LEFT| AU NATUREL. Londen says she prefers a palette of natural, earthy tones: creams, browns and grays. Seasonal plants—pine trees, for instance, during winter—add color, liveliness and comfort.|OPPOSITE BOTTOM| MAKE IT NEW. The shabby-chic buffet in the dining room is an antique piece that has seen some sprucing up with gray paint and new brass hardware. It anchors a section of chalkboard paint, for when the temptation to draw on the walls strikes.

|ABOVE| PAINT IT GRAY. Two walls of windows bring light streaming into the family room, so dark gray paint doesn’t feel overwhelming. Before they renovated, Londen says they didn’t anticipate the family room to be the main hangout spot, but its proximity to the outdoors and its comfort make it one of their favorite places to be.

|LEFT| MAKING AN ENTRANCE. With no formal mudroom or foyer, Londen says she had to carve out a functional space to welcome guests into the home. A small bench and coat hooks create the perfect space for folks to land and take their shoes off before coming in.