Hello & welcome. Today I am sharing a huge project that is officially complete and is unlike any project I have taken on thus far... a house flip.
You may be wondering: how is this really different from anything Whimsily has done? In one aspect, it's really not. We are in the business of renovations & big home projects. But this was a family and business project. It was much more personal & required a lot more tenacity. Unlike most of my blogs, this is more of a story.
So let's start from the very beginning...
Mom, Dad, and I
My dear Momma has been a stay at home mom for 30+ years (my oldest sibling is 35 & my youngest is 14), which has been a huge blessing for all 5 of us kids and my Dad. All her life she has loved designing & decorating but never had the time to really delve into it. My dad is one who loves risk taking (going in headfirst!) and is a very knowledgeable business man. And I am about as purely mixed between both parents as can be. I love a good risk, I have about a billion business ideas, & as we all know, I LOVE creating beautiful homes. So during one of my husband and I's many weekend trips to my parents, Mom Dad & I started talking about the possibility of flipping a home. Within a few weeks my Dad had the money ready and I was searching high & low to find a home that would make the perfect flip. I told you, we dive in head first!
Searching For The Home
Finding our flip home took quite a bit of time. We didn't want to confine ourselves to one city or county. So for a few weeks I looked at every pre-foreclosure, foreclosure, or extremely cheap home on the market. A few times my parents and I met at sheriff's auctions to bid on homes. In January, we successfully bought this home, sight unseen.
After the first walkthrough we all had an array of emotions. Excited, terrified, and I think both my parents really questioned what I had talked them into.
Essentially, everything had to be restored: new siding, windows, roof, ceiling, level the house, install A/C & heat, new floors, patch walls, rework the layout, and on and on the list went.
The First Week
By the end of the first weekend, my family had started demo, created a detailed budget, and I had an almost finalized design with all the selections. We moved extremely fast. As an interior designer, moving too fast scares me. We can easily make rash design decisions that we end up regretting. To avoid mistakes, I started the process like I would any other project -- with inspiration images and a budget. Because I was designing for a big array of potential homeowners and not a specific client I adhered to very classic materials and designs like creamy whites and subway tile. You can watch more about my design plan below!
The Home Design
1. Semi Flush Light | 2. 5 Light Chandelier | 3. 3 Light Dome Pendant | 4. Brass Frosted White Light | 5. Black 3 Light Sconce | 6. Sherwin Williams Gray Matters (Kitchen Cabinets) | 7. Sherwin Williams White Duck (Wall Color) | 8. Sherwin Williams Krypton (Doors) | 9. Sherwin Williams Pure White (Trim) | 10. Butcher Block Counters | 11. Smartcore LVP Floors | 12. White Honeycomb Floors | 13. Scalloped Frameless Mirror | 14. Antique Brass Cup Pull | 15. Antique Brass Knob | 16. Oval Frameless Mirror | 17. Gray Bathroom Vanity | 18. Bathroom Vanity w/ Carrara Marble | 19. Black Modern Faucet | 20. High Arc Faucet
What I Learned (as a daughter, 1st time homeownerish, & Interior Designer)
Flipping this home was quite a journey, with a lot of ups and downs. And with that I learned a lot!
Flipping a house is a lot of hard work - I mean duh! but also it's even more work than any of us could have imagined. Like I mentioned previously, every single thing about this house needed worked on. The yard alone took several weeks to tame. Everything needed several coats of paint. The whole ceiling needed refinished. I don't think my brother ever wants to patch drywall again. And on and on the list went.
My parents are the best - Again, I mean duh! My parents dove into this big project with me. Unfortunately, the house ended up being only 20 minutes away from them and 3.5 hours away from me. So apart from a few weekend trips and sourcing the materials, I had little to do with implementing the design. And to save on money, my Dad ended up doing much of the work. They claim that I'm an evil genius because I "come in and tell them they are doing a great job & then leave them to do all the hard work." Hmmm...Maybe I am an evil genius?!
Good contractors are invaluable! - Okay so though my Dad & little bro did most of the work, they did have an awesome contractor to help and guide them! And though this is a lesson I've learned from being an Interior Designer, it was solidified even more! Take the time to find a good, trustworthy, hardworking, and knowledgeable contractor. They will either make or break your project (& more importantly, your sanity)!
Spreadsheets are a girl's best friend - This is another lesson I've learned many moons ago, but it's one that my zeal for just keeps growing. Keeping track of all your selections, delivery dates, costs, yada yada is half of an interior designers job. And when budget & profits are the priority, spreadsheets become even more necessary.
Nothing good comes without risks - It's easy to play life safe, but what's the point? Life is way too short to avoid risks. And thanks to this project, we all walked away with more skills and more grit. Not to mention, we designed a beautiful home that will hopefully bless the new owners!
We need to get back to the basics - Playing with subway tiles, creamy whites, and natural materials made me so appreciate the beauty of simplicity. When in doubt, go with the classics... especially in your architecture! The classics are familiar which means they can easily go with just about any style -- bohemian, nordic, coastal, glam, farmhouse, you name it.
Thanks for reading along & in a way, taking part in this journey with my family!
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