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Houzz Tour: A Minnesota Home Is Loved Back to Life
An industrious family serves unwanted critters an eviction notice, turning their house from run-down to lived in and cherished
When designer Araya Jensen and her husband, Jordan, saw their house for the first time, weeds and brush overwhelmed the front yard and the backyard, and the interior had become a sanctuary for small animals in the winter and insects in the summer. But "there was just something about the house," Araya says. "We looked at 50 other homes, but in this case, when you know that a home is yours, you just know."
Turning the run-down traditional house into a livable space challenged the Jensens throughout the remodeling period. Despite their ups and downs, the couple are very happy with their revived home — one that now has witnessed the birth of their youngest baby, multiple birthday celebrations and cool evening bonfires with extended family and friends.
"The best feeling is when old neighbors and friends of the original owner stop by to compliment our work on the house," says Araya. "They even go so far as thanking us for working on the home and loving it back to life. We're lucky to be in such a great community."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Araya and Jordan Jensen and their 2 kids
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Size: 2,000 square feet, including unfinished basement workshop
Year built: 1968
Turning the run-down traditional house into a livable space challenged the Jensens throughout the remodeling period. Despite their ups and downs, the couple are very happy with their revived home — one that now has witnessed the birth of their youngest baby, multiple birthday celebrations and cool evening bonfires with extended family and friends.
"The best feeling is when old neighbors and friends of the original owner stop by to compliment our work on the house," says Araya. "They even go so far as thanking us for working on the home and loving it back to life. We're lucky to be in such a great community."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Araya and Jordan Jensen and their 2 kids
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Size: 2,000 square feet, including unfinished basement workshop
Year built: 1968
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The worn and run-down concrete stairs were begging for an interesting and unique update, so Araya applied a trellis pattern and a greeting on the front steps with stencils and a concrete stain.
When the couple began the tedious task of cleaning up the home, neighbors — who witnessed the home's deterioration from afar — would stop by and share stories about the first owner of the house. "She apparently had a green thumb and took great care of the house. We're thrilled that we've turned this house into a home again," she says.
A patch of fragrant lavender greets the couple's toddler.
When the couple began the tedious task of cleaning up the home, neighbors — who witnessed the home's deterioration from afar — would stop by and share stories about the first owner of the house. "She apparently had a green thumb and took great care of the house. We're thrilled that we've turned this house into a home again," she says.
A patch of fragrant lavender greets the couple's toddler.
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Araya turned the dining room into a kids' playroom and covered an entire wall with chalkboard paint — perfect for scribbles and doodles.
The playroom gives the kids plenty of space for imaginative play and art projects, and gives the entire family a place for their impromptu Saturday-morning dance parties.
Framed prints: Flora Fauna World
The playroom gives the kids plenty of space for imaginative play and art projects, and gives the entire family a place for their impromptu Saturday-morning dance parties.
Framed prints: Flora Fauna World
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| Araya and Jordan cleaned and painted every surface in the home and created a starting point of mostly neutrals. The designer challenged herself by staying within a workable budget (she was unexpectedly laid off from her job when they began remodeling the home). The couple made the large map hangings by gluing a map mural onto plywood with two-part epoxy. |
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| "We point to places on the map while watching TV or reading books with the kids. It's important for us to have a house where our children aren't just stimulated but also educated by their surroundings," she says. |
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Araya bought the living room side table for $3 at a garage sale, then "sanded it down, and when it revealed its beautiful joinery, put a light protective stain on it and called it good," she says.
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A chest from Araya's parents holds keepsakes and displays a set of antique books and an aerial photo taken by Jordan's grandfather in the late '70s.
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BEFORE: The Jensens inherited a kitchen that hadn't been updated since the early '70s.
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| AFTER: "Jordan enjoys cooking, and I love to bake, so we spend about 80 percent of our waking hours in the kitchen," Araya says. "The kitchen is the only place where we can talk about our day without any digital distractions." |
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Since Araya converted what used to be the dedicated dining room into the kids' playroom, the small breakfast nook in the kitchen is now the main dining area.
Paint: Celery Green and Ultra Pure White, Behr
Paint: Celery Green and Ultra Pure White, Behr
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Araya kept the bathroom's original wall and floor tiles. She spruced up the space with indoor plants and replaced the cabinet pulls with gemstone-hued knobs from Anthropologie.
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The designer and maker likes the idea of adding tiny, interesting objects to one's home.
Neon mini planter: Wind and Willow Home
Neon mini planter: Wind and Willow Home
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"Tiny objects are so unexpected. Typically, someone takes a sweeping look at the space for an overall feel, but when they look closer, it's really the tiny details that make a home special: a strip of color, feathers, rocks and tiny plants," Araya says.
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BEFORE: The steps, railing and wainscoting needed refreshing.
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AFTER: New paint transforms the space, and Araya gave meaning to the wall with framed pictures of her and Jordan as kids, wedding photos and a still that captures their first glance at their eldest child.
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"Our transition spaces contain as many personalized and interesting details as the rest of the rooms in the house," she says.
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Much of the decor and many of the accessories in the house have special meaning and are either heirloom pieces or handmade by the couple.
A vintage military trunk passed down to Araya by her grandfather makes the perfect pairing with a green striped woven planter that she made and sells in her online shop, Wind and Willow Home. She also upcycled a coffee tabletop from a Home Goods purchase almost a decade ago.
"It feels great knowing that we loved this place back to life. My husband did most of the handiwork, painting and refinishing, and the house truly reflects our style," she says. "Every space has a purpose, and nothing is displayed just for show."
A vintage military trunk passed down to Araya by her grandfather makes the perfect pairing with a green striped woven planter that she made and sells in her online shop, Wind and Willow Home. She also upcycled a coffee tabletop from a Home Goods purchase almost a decade ago.
"It feels great knowing that we loved this place back to life. My husband did most of the handiwork, painting and refinishing, and the house truly reflects our style," she says. "Every space has a purpose, and nothing is displayed just for show."
Ideabook updated on Sept. 21, 2012.
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Thanks it is Behr Premium Plus Ultra Rolling Pebble (I think Behr should hire me :) ). It is an awesome color because it is one of those complex colors that changes depending on the lighting.
http://www.wall-maps.com/World/NGworld-exec-over-f.htm
http://www.worldmapsonline.com/contemporary_world_wall_map.htm
THANK YOU for the inspiration!!
No need to worry, the kids do not stand on the shelves or stools to draw on the wall especially since it is so large there is lots of room for them to color. The window is over 3ft. off the floor and would be there no matter what was on the wall. Since this space is in between the Kitchen and living Living Room I always have an eye on them no matter what they are doing :)
M3537 - obviously, there are others who appreciated what this homeowner had to share.
janiselayne - suggesting others be able to appreciate all styles would then apply to the homeowners being able to choose & appreciate the style they decided on, right? - without being criticized for it? Decorating choices are basically personal choices in expression. So why should the homeowner be obligated to someone else's prior choice?
Instead of saying "This soulless, barren white cave is as non-personal as a hospital and nearly as sterile. How could anyone live like this???." you could say "I personally like a little color." or "This place would really be warmed up with a few colorful accessories." There is no need for words like ick. If you feel this home is too "everyday" then say "I prefer if the homes featured on Houzz were only high end or designer showcase homes." Although I believe a comment of this nature should go to the editors of Houzz, not the person graciously sharing her home. If you have a safety concern, rather then rattle off codes and policies and making statements of children being hung (!), a simple "I am concerned about the safety of the chalkboard by the window" would probably have sufficed.
The internet would be a lot nicer of a place if everyone followed the "If you couldn't say this to an acquaintance face-to-face, then don't type it into the internet" or in other words - pretend the comment sections is your living room with a bunch of people in it - some good friends, some you have never met. And just like you would in that situation - think twice if you should say something.
(Sorry this got long...)
Best of luck with your new home :)