Ana’s home is an example of how to customize builder-grade architecture. Here are her five top tips for working around basic builds without doing major renovations.
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" I've always loved home styling and crafting, but this house was my first foray into real home renovation. Now I’ve tried pretty much every power tool out there.”
1. PAINT. Paint can do wonders for a space, and you can really paint anything—from the walls and floors to the cabinets and furniture. You can even add paint to materials like tile, brick and concrete for a custom look.
2. WALL TREATMENTS. Add an easy accent wall like shiplap, board and batten, faux brick or beadboard. One reason old homes have charm is because they’re full of molding and extra handcrafted details. “You can add that very easily to a buildergrade home for very little money,” Ana says.
3. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. “I never anticipated I’d be able to get rid of our ugly brown granite countertops with just a little bit of elbow grease and some concrete,” Ana says. Now their concrete counters are perfectly farmhouse (and are holding up well over 2 years later). “There really is a project/ solution for everything,” she says.
4. CHANGE THE LIGHT. Lighting can add so much character to a space without breaking the bank.
“You can buy an easy converter kit to convert can lights into hanging fixtures,” Ana says. “We did this over our kitchen sink and above the table in our breakfast area, and it added much-needed character to the otherwise boring and builder-grade space.” Adding wall sconces is also a great trick to bring in Old World charm. Plug-in sconces can be an easy way to bypass the need for hardwiring.
5. SHOP YOUR HOME. Use furniture and accent pieces to tell a story. Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve already got. “Using your own personal style, you can transform your space with pieces that you already own,” Ana says. Add a few bouquets of flowers and greenery, and your house will instantly feel more like home.
NO LONGER BLAH
The pre-existing master bathroom was the epitome of blah, with a fiberglass tub and shower, dingy white cabinets with no hardware and cream Formica counters. Ana and her husband changed everything from top to bottom. They installed an acrylic tub in place of the old shower/tub combo, tiled the shower and sink wall, and added new mirrors, lighting, sinks, counters and fixtures.“Our renovations prove you can have a luxurious master bath that packs a style punch in a small space,” Ana says.“We don’t have the advantage of a giant master bath here, but it still feels luxe and classy and relaxing.” Copper sinks, along with wood components and white tiling, create a serene escape that’s full of vintage elegance.
Through DIY renovations and styling, Ana shows exactly how to attain a custom look, even in a basic-build home. She hopes others will be empowered to create their own dream homes, right where they live. As she says, “Just go for it. My DIY motto is ‘Everything can be fixed.’ So if you make a mistake or don’t like something after the fact, you can always change it.”
Ana has always loved white kitchens, and she knew white would make hers look bigger, so the entire space (which was originally painted an ugly brown) was redone in bright whites. Dimension was added with shiplap wallpaper and Arabesque backsplash tile.
The shiplap wall behind the bed was one of the first DIYs that Ana and her husband tackled. “Thinking about doing the entire room seemed overwhelming, so we stuck to one statement wall,” she says. “Plus, I liked the idea of having it on only one wall for added visual interest.” The project turned out so well that it emboldened Ana to try more challenging DIYs for the rest of her home.
(opposite, top left) A faux brick wall in the guest bathroom showcases the German Schmear technique. “Our fireplace is done in a similar style, and I’ve always loved the warm look of German Schmear,” Ana says. “I wanted to carry that into the guest bathroom to tie the spaces together. I like having some cohesive elements throughout the house to keep things flowing visually.”
(top, right) The master bathroom balances a variety of tiles, including a printed tile floor, subway tile walls, and a small alcove featuring Arabesque tile. Ana, whenever she’s designing a space and wants to make sure everything goes together (like a range of tiles, as seen here), creates mood boards. “For the master bathroom, I played around with different looks,” she says. “Ultimately I decided on this one.”
(right) Ana uses this mirror to try on outfits. The bench is rustic yet practical as it’s the perfect place to put on shoes. Potted plants on the wall are a nod to Joanna Gaines. “When I bought them, I was all about the ‘Joanna Gaines hanging plants on the wall’ trend,” Ana says. “I still love them!”
(opposite) Ana selected a color scheme of grays, whites and woods, with a touch of greenery for the master bathroom in order to keep things neutral against the patterns and textures. She also opted for dual mirrors over the copper sinks, saying that it feels more custom than a single mirror and also lets the subway tile really shine on the wall.
Heirlooms are always a wonderful way to incorporate a family’s story into the everyday. Such is the case with Ana’s dresser, which belonged to her grandmother, and she gave it a unique treatment. “The top drawer was the only one that is bookmatched, and I really wanted to highlight that specifically. So I painted the rest white and then sanded and stained the top drawer to make it really pop!” she says.
(above, left) Ana, her husband, and their dog, Napa, have created their own homesweet-farmhouse in Southern California.
(above, right) A barn door was a natural option to close off the bathroom from the master bedroom, especially since the wall it hangs on was just a big, gray boring space before. Ana built it herself and stained it English Chestnut by Minwax. “It’s my go-to stain for almost everything in our home,” she says. “It’s rich and bold without being too dark.”
(opposite) While Ana found the home lacking in personality when she first toured it, she instantly fell in love with the spacious yard. “The lot is about a quarter of an acre, which for Southern California is very rare unless you’re spending a pretty penny,” she says. She turned the yard into an entertaining-friendly space with black and white chairs, market lights, an outdoor table and buffalo-check pillows.