One Southern fixer-upper got the transformation of a lifetime when a young couple decided to take it on.
The challenge: Do everything themselves.
Elizabeth and Whit Browns home in Florence, Alabama, is full of surprises.
Credit: Laurey Glenn Photography
Towering columns and a porch outfitted with white wicker aretextbook Southern Colonial.
But inside is an unexpected and personal mix of old and new, traditional and modern.
The fact that they pulled off this makeover entirely themselves.
Credit: Laurey Glenn Photography
When it came to decorating, Elizabeth didnt let the old-house details tie her hands stylewise.
I wanted to respect the original character, Elizabeth says.
The uniformity will avoid unsightly color differences, while the subtle shift in sheen will create gentle juxtaposition.
And that she did.
In the dining room, glass bubble chandeliers offset more traditional elements and black unifies mismatched chairs.
It’s this mix of eras in a single room that highlights Elizabeth’s eye for secondhand and thrifting.
Elizabethhung art in a loose, horizontal arrangementto span the wall.
I could just see it, Elizabeth says.
Revamping the kitchenwas first on the to-do list.
Credit: Laurey Glenn
We liked that its a cozy kitchen; it just needed some brightening, Elizabeth says.
Chrome Bertoia stools, another mainstay of midcentury modern decor, pull up to Whitsbutcher-block island.
A vintage porcelain vase filled with bright red florals echoes the color in the kitchen’s rug.
Courtesy of Capstone Realty.
The blue sofa was one of Elizabeths lucky thrifting finds.
I bought the sofa before we even closed on the house, she says.
She updated the sliding glass doors by removing decorative muntins and painting the frame glossy black.
They eventually turned it into the fun room with awet barand pool table.
Affordable IKEA cabinets are topped with a remnant piece of granite from a local stoneyard.
Dark gray walls complete the chic but masculine look Elizabeth wanted.
Credit:Laurey Glenn
The wainscoting and cast-iron claw-foot tub are the only parts of the guest bath Elizabeth and Whit kept.
They reglazed the tubs interior and painted its exterior flat black.
They stripped the wallpaper, replaced the vanities and fixtures, and laid a new herringbone tile floor themselves.
The vintage decor in the bedroom is an ode to the home’s beginnings.
Like nearly every other room in the house, the primary was wrapped in dated wallpaper.
White paint and neutral carpeting provide a fresh backdrop for a collection of thrifted furniture and art.
Framing the four-poster with art makes it look even more substantial.
The backyard is designed for entertaining with a lounge spot and a dining table to seat 12.
Plenty of greenery keeps the space looking fresh.
