A Renovation Story: Murfreesboro Flip

This flip has been a dream project for me. One that I’ve hoped to have the opportunity to do for most of my adult life. I’ve renovated each home I’ve personally lived in, but have always wanted to do a whole-house renovation from top to bottom. That’s pretty hard to do when you’re also living in the home.

It’s also near impossible without a trusted resource for a general contractor. For those not familiar with the process, having a GC run your project ensures everything is done to code, with licensed and insured professionals, in a timely and cost efficient way because of their relationships with subcontractors and suppliers. I’m absolutely grateful to have Harmon Home Co. as my partner in more ways than one and also thrilled with the end result.

The Kitchen

When I first stepped inside this one, it was instantly easy to see how the floor plan could be opened up to have a much better flow for the dining area, kitchen and living room. What was once four rooms – a den, formal living, formal dining and eat-in kitchen – became two.

Note: Please overlook the fact that these photos were taken before doorknobs and floor vents were replaced. This is part of the fun of renovation – you need to start marketing the listing before you’re 100% final, hence the not-so-perfect photos!

We removed the wall that formerly separated the den from the kitchen to achieve the open sight lines and then relocated the refrigerator. This gave us the opportunity for the kitchen to have a massive center island that can easily seat four. We live at my kitchen island at home and I’d expect this to be the center of this home for the new family that will soon live here. This home and its new open layout is an entertainer’s dream!

The Living Room

The Master Suite

The master suite is another area that got quite a transformation with an addition that allowed for more square feet to the bedroom, a full four-piece bathroom with double vanities, a tiled shower and separate toilet area plus a large master closet. These are all rare finds for 1960’s ranch homes. The original master had a tiny adjoining bath that you can see in the “before” pics above. We decided to keep this bath, refinished the tile and closed off the existing door to the master, opting to add an entry door from one of other bedrooms. This allowed us to now have a three bath home.

The Bedrooms + Hall Bath

The bedrooms and hall bath were all pretty straightforward updates aside from all the wallpaper! If you’ve ever removed wallpaper you know it can be a pretty terrible process to remove. To now see neutral walls everywhere was quite an accomplishment.

The Main Entry + Office

The slate floor of the original foyer was one of the hardest surfaces to demo. There were layers of concrete and subfloor to get through which took a great deal of sweat equity. We then took the formal living area and added a wall to make this a more functional space that can be used as an office or for whatever flex space you need.

The Exterior

I always love a painted brick ranch and was looking forward to seeing the transformation of the front exterior from day one of starting this project. We added the natural element with wood columns and gray shutters with a matching front door. I think it’s safe to say this was an upgrade to the curb appeal.

I’m so happy that the new homeowners, set to close right before Christmas will have this “almost” brand new home for the Holidays. It has been a labor of love and a wonderful experience. I’m already looking forward to the next one!