Some houses are more than just structures – they have stories waiting to be rewritten. This past weekend, I closed on a home I purchased in October, selling it in just one day after a full-scale renovation. But the journey started long before that.
Finding the Right Property
Back in the summer of 2024, I connected with the family selling this home. After thoughtful discussions and coming to an agreement on a fair price, we closed in October. From the beginning, I saw this house as a cottage by the river – cozy, charming, and full of potential.
Demo & The First Steps
With my team already lined up, we wasted no time getting started. The first step? Clearing out the house. I always offer sellers the option to leave behind anything they don’t want, and in this case, we needed two large dumpsters and a full crew to empty the home. Once cleared, the demo began.
One of the first things I do during demo is order all the plumbing fixtures – this ensures that we stay on schedule. Once that was done, it was time for the fun part: selecting tile and vanities for the bathrooms. I went with a mostly gray and white palette, but chose vanities that were a little outside the norm to add character.
The Kitchen: A Charming Cottage Feel
Designing the kitchen took some thought, but I ultimately decided on a U-shaped layout with a peninsula. We left one wall intact to house the fridge and double pantries, maximizing storage.
For finishes, I wanted something timeless and elegant:
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Subtle quartz countertops – I don’t love stark lines in quartz, so I was nervous about finding the right slab, but this one was perfect.
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Gold hardware with a mix of knobs and bin pulls.
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Shiplap backsplash to add texture and warmth.
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Charming open shelves for a cozy, lived-in feel.
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Simple brass light fixtures that tied everything together.
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A custom-built range hood – one of my favorite features.
I love how the kitchen turned out, and I’ll definitely miss this little cottage kitchen!
Bedrooms & Main Living Areas
The bedrooms were kept light and airy with White Dove by Benjamin Moore on the walls, new baseboards, ceiling fans, and doors. To add contrast, I painted the doors and trim Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore, which gave a beautiful depth to the space.
Throughout the house, we also added new light fixtures and refinished the original white oak floors with Provincial by Minwax. It’s my favorite stain for white oak, but you have to be careful using it on red oak because it can lean orange.
Basement: Functional & Flexible
The basement needed to be both practical and inviting. I left one side completely open – perfect for kids to run around, movie nights, or general gathering space. The other side was more structured, housing:
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A legal bedroom with an egress window.
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A full bathroom.
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A laundry room & utility room.
One small area remained, and I decided to call it the flex space, because every family has different needs. It could serve as an office, playroom, teen hangout, home gym, or whatever the new owners envision. We added LVP flooring, recessed lighting, and the same paint colors as upstairs to keep the home cohesive. There was even room for a cute little bench with hooks, which was the perfect finishing touch.
To ensure the home was structurally sound and dry for years to come, we installed a full-house French drain and sump pump system.
Exterior Enhancements & Restoring the Waterfront View
The transformation extended beyond the walls of the house. We:
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Painted the exterior Oyster White by ?? for a fresh, timeless look.
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Installed a new ¾ glass front door in Arlos Gray by Sherwin Williams.
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Added board and batten shutters for extra charm.
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Installed black lantern-style sconces to complete the cottage aesthetic.
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Paved a brand-new asphalt driveway with a pull-off for extra parking.
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Removed an old chain-link fence and a tree to open up the yard.
Perhaps the most rewarding part of the exterior work was clearing the lot across the street to restore the waterfront view. This was no small feat – it required a permit from the county and a lot of labor. I hired a tree company to remove ivy, invasive species, and dead trees, then had multiple large loads of wood chips delivered to level the ground. There’s still more to do, but seeing the view open back up for the neighborhood was incredibly fulfilling.
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A Nervous Wait, A Beautiful Reveal
When the house was finally complete, I wasn’t relieved, I was nervous. This was the moment of truth – had I made the right choices? Would buyers see the value in the vision I had for this home?
We hosted a neighborhood open house on Thursday, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the response. Friends, neighbors, and even people I had never met before stopped by, expressing their appreciation that the once-abandoned house had been restored and the river view had been reclaimed.
We gathered for s’mores by the water, listened to music, and enjoyed the home as a community. It was a really beautiful night.
A One-Day Sale & A Gratitude-Filled Goodbye
The next day, the house went under contract. Just like that, this chapter closed.
This entire project was an absolute joy. Despite a few hiccups and delays, I loved every moment of the renovation process. But what made it truly special was sharing the journey on Instagram (@iheartforthunt) and seeing how invested and excited people were along the way. Your support, encouragement, and enthusiasm for this project meant the world to me!
Need Help With a Fixer-Upper? Let’s Talk!
If you have a home that needs significant work, whether you're thinking about selling, renovating to live in, or flipping it yourself, I’d love to help! I purchase and renovate homes myself but also work with homeowners to bring their visions to life.
Let’s chat about your next project!
