Farmhouse Fixer Upper

Lately my husband has been watching the hit HGTV show Fixer Upper featuring husband and wife team Chip and Joanna Gaines along with shows like Love it or List It and Beachfront Bargain Homes. I enjoy decorating and I love watching Joanna work her magic.  However, my husband and I aren’t the fixer upper type.  He doesn’t enjoy woodworking and neither one of us enjoys painting.

After having my master bathroom totally updated and torn apart for 3 weeks I’m certain I’m not the fixer upper type. I couldn’t live in a home while it’s being renovated and still stay married.  However, I love the transformation when it’s all said and done.  I can’t wait to show you the before and after pictures of my bathroom in a few weeks.  Just like in the show Fixer Upper it took a crew of people and the design work of my talented friend Kyra of KD Interior Design.

My friend Angela and her husband however are fixer uppers and they renovated a ranch style home located in the country. They recently finished most of their home improvements along with new furniture, but have set their eyes on a different place for retirement purposes.  I had to see “La Grange” as she likes to call it before it sells so Angela gave me a little home tour.  The photos are mainly of the kitchen and living room area because they still have some finishing touches to do on other parts of the home.

I absolutely love Angela’s black and white kitchen.  Angela knows a thing or two about designing kitchens and shared a few pointers with me. It’s important to have well made cabinets and hardware, strong drawer slides and a quality finish. She prefers a factory finish over an onsite finish and feels it holds up better over time.  The cabinetry is from Lowe’s and are by Kraftmaid.  The white subway tile back splash is also from Lowe’s.

What she saved on cabinetry, she splurged on countertops.  The island is soapstone and the rest of the countertops are Danby Marble because it was the puristt white she could find.

I love these pendant light fixtures from the Allen &  Roth line at Lowe’s.

I also love this rustic coffee table which she found at Urban Mining in Kansas City, Missouri.

The painting on the wall was done by her daughter Mallory.  I love when people incorporate their children’s artwork in their home.  It makes a home more personal.  It also helps if you have a talented artist in the family.  Framed notes or cards from loved ones also give spaces a personal touch as well as mementos from vacations.

This beautiful bird pillow was purchased from Pottery Barn. I love their pillow covers.  Angela and her husband love to shop estate sales which is where she found the blue velvet pillow.

A few years ago Angela inherited these blue and white Currier & Ives dishes which inspired her to decorate her house in white, black and blue. She’s a great hostess and shared this delicious Strawberry Nutella Eclair cake with me.  You can get the recipe here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little farmhouse tour.  Thanks for opening your home up to me to photograph Angela.  My pictures don’t really do it justice.