We all love a good fixer-upper. Let’s face it– we all want to be the queen of our own fixer-uppers (aka Joanna Gaines) and today we are channeling our inner Joanna with this modern chic home in Denver. Filled with neutral tones and gold accents, this modern farmhouse has the chic and fresh vibe we aspire for. Marble counters and floors combined with black cabinets and doors create the perfect contrast that Bobby Berk would be proud of. Plus, we can’t get enough of the perfect dimensions of texture in the wooden shelves and pops of color around the house. Keep scrolling to see the photos and read about the process from the homeowner herself…
The homeowner Taelor O’Dorisio shares…
The home is in a quiet neighborhood in Denver, Colorado and was built in the 1950s. My husband and I fell in love with the neighborhood and knew we had to have this house! This house is the first fixer-upper my husband and I have ever done, so designing it and making it our own was a true labor of love. I spent every single day at the house for months going over the design with the contractors, and tried to patiently wait for the day when I could move in and buy all new furniture. I went for a modern look, but wanted to use lots of natural colors and wood throughout the house too. Over the past year, we have worked hard to finish decorating the house and it is finally becoming our home.
How long were you searching for your perfect home and did you know you wanted a fixer-upper?
We actually weren’t searching for that long. We had been looking at houses for only a few months prior to finding our current home. My husband and I really wanted something that we could make our own. It also helped that we fell in love with the neighborhood our home was in, which made us willing to do a fixer-upper.
How did you know that this home was the one?
We were actually so surprised we got this home. The housing market in Denver can be a bit crazy, and we had already put multiple offers in on other homes that we didn’t end up getting, so when this house came our way we weren’t sure that we would even be in the running. A few investors had already made offers to purchase the property, but we ended up writing a letter to the owners of the home and told them that we would be moving into their home as newlyweds, and let them know how much we loved their home. This ended up working for us! They accepted our offer. The house we bought was owned by the same family for decades, and they raised their children here, so they wanted to sell it to the right buyer, which turned out to be us!
What did the design process look like, did you have to rethink any of the design decisions?
The design process took A TON of work. I would walk the house and draw it out constantly. Actually, my father-in-law and mother-in-law were so helpful during this process. I was living with them at the time while our house was being worked on, so we would draw different rooms out together and see if we could come up with the best possible layout. The bathroom is definitely something that had to be rethought, and looking back, I think I would change it again. Hindsight is definitely 20/20. I made the master bathroom VERY open concept, and I love having a large open master, but it definitely isn’t for everyone.
Your fixer-upper turned out absolutely beautiful, what would you classify your design style as?
I would classify it as modern-farmhouse. My husband loves modern designs, but sometimes I feel that when homes are too modern, they lose the ability to feel warm and inviting. For this reason, I added a lot of natural wood and jute tones throughout the house.
Do you have a favorite room or cozy spot in your house? What do you love most about it?
I had a small nook put in our kitchen and I absolutely love it! It has large windows surrounding it, so I love working there in the early morning or drinking my coffee while I do my devotional.
What has been your favorite aspect of redesigning and renovating your chic home?
I think my favorite part about the entire process is seeing it all come together. It is amazing to look back at old “before” photos of the house and remember what it looked like. I also think that I have learned an immense amount during the process, which will be great to take into future home projects.
Is there anything that you want to continue renovating?
My husband’s office is my next project. I have finally convinced him to let me design the entire thing. All of the floors, paint, windows, and window coverings are already finished, but I will get to decorate it all, which will be so exciting. I have also been spent a good deal of time working on our back patio this summer! I have plans to finish that up soon, so I can’t wait to entertain outside more this coming fall.
Do you have any advice you could offer to someone considering buying a fixer-upper?
My advice would be to keep an open mind. If you just use your imagination a little bit, you will be so surprised at how you can completely change a regular house into your dream home.
Love this modern chic home tour? Check out this bright modern home and this chic California casual home tour!