Project House 2021: The BIG Reveal

We take the tarp off our farmhouse cottage renovation in Tennessee!

- MERYL SCHOENBAUM AND KRISTIN DOWDING

BLUE BELLE. Kara wanted the home's exterior to stand out from the white homes on the street, so because blue was one of the homeowners' favorite colors, she painted sample shades of blue on the house for them. They absolutely loved the blues, especially with the brass lighting fixtures from Circa Lighting! had selected, and quickly chose their favorite shade, she says. We removed the aluminum siding and vinyl shutters because those are a big 'no-no' for a historical home. New, custom-painted shutters with louvers from Shuttercraft and rocking chairs from Troutman are pretty, as well as practical.

It’s a wrap! We are so excited to unveil our completed 2021 Project House! So many months of planning and hard work were put into the project by the building and design team of Garden Gate Homes, Inc. (gardengatehomesinc.com), of Franklin, Tennessee, headed up by Matt and Kara Christensen.

Major renovations included increasing the size of the master bedroom and adding a laundry room, mudroom and side porch. Some rooms were moved around to accommodate the homeowners’ needs while maintaining as much of the home’s original footprint as possible, including the kitchen, master bedroom, dining room and living room.

Kara designed the home with an old-meets-new approach. She wanted to keep the vintage character of the home while incorporating modern touches to give it a fresh look.

The homeowners wanted a neutral color palette, so Kara used textures and subtle patterns to add interest to the décor. Accents such as velvet curtains, plants, and vintage items complemented key pieces such as reclaimed wood furniture and brick fireplaces with colors the homeowners find cozy to achieve the desired ambience.