My Houzz: NFL Player Clay Matthews Sets Up Brother With a Remodel
The Green Bay Packers linebacker uses Houzz to find a pro and buy products to make the home more family friendly
Mitchell Parker
March 13, 2018
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews knows how to make things happen on the football field. But recently he pulled off a cool trick outside the stadium. After older brother Brian Matthews and Brian’s wife, Megan, welcomed home newborn twin boys, Clay surprised them with a renovation of their kitchen, dining area and family room to make their house in Cleveland more comfortable, functional and, above all, family friendly.
NFL linebacker Clay Matthews stands in front of his brother’s Cleveland home, which he remodeled as a gift. Photos by Amy Rizer Photography
Project at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian Matthews, a commodities trader and the older brother of NFL linebacker Clay Matthews; Brian’s wife, Megan, a prosecutor; and their newborn twin boys, Cooper and Dalton
Location: Cleveland
Size: 726 square feet (67 square meters) for the kitchen, dining, family and entry areas
Designers: Pat Hurst and Bridget DiFilippo of Hurst Design-Build Remodeling
Watch now: See Clay Matthews surprise his brother with a renovation
Project at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian Matthews, a commodities trader and the older brother of NFL linebacker Clay Matthews; Brian’s wife, Megan, a prosecutor; and their newborn twin boys, Cooper and Dalton
Location: Cleveland
Size: 726 square feet (67 square meters) for the kitchen, dining, family and entry areas
Designers: Pat Hurst and Bridget DiFilippo of Hurst Design-Build Remodeling
Watch now: See Clay Matthews surprise his brother with a renovation
Before. The major design decisions started with this original entry. A set of closets and a load-bearing wall between the sun-washed staircase and the dining room made the home feel cramped and closed off.
After. Clay found builder Pat Hurst on Houzz and collaborated with him and the design-build company’s in-house designer Bridget DiFilippo on renovating the spaces and choosing new furnishings. Hurst removed the closets and the load-bearing wall, which he replaced with an engineered steel beam, to open the entry and dining areas to the kitchen. The team also updated the stair rail and banister. “I would have never imagined it could be this awesome, this open,” Megan says.
Arte area rug in turquoise: Unique Loom; Double-S chandelier in antique brass: Light Up My Home; metal scroll mirror in Distressed Gray: Hillsdale Furniture; glass-and-metal table lamp in silver: Fangio Lighting; “Big Sur, California” painting by Michael Creese: iCanvas
Arte area rug in turquoise: Unique Loom; Double-S chandelier in antique brass: Light Up My Home; metal scroll mirror in Distressed Gray: Hillsdale Furniture; glass-and-metal table lamp in silver: Fangio Lighting; “Big Sur, California” painting by Michael Creese: iCanvas
Before. A compact U-shaped kitchen dictated a smaller range than standard — 27 inches instead of 30 inches — and a narrow window over the sink didn’t offer much in the way of a view or natural light. “There wasn’t room for Megan and I to hang out in there and cook together,” Brian says.
Watch: See what this kitchen looks like now
Watch: See what this kitchen looks like now
After. Removing the wall provided room for an island and for Brian and Megan to host people or cook together. “We can jump up on the countertops and sit down and have a conversation like both of us did as kids,” Brian says.
DiFillippo reconfigured the appliances to form a better work triangle. The range hood creates a focal point that can be seen when entering the home. She had the hood painted to mimic zinc. Enlarging the window on the right brings in more light and adds symmetry.
She kept the materials and colors mostly neutral. The walls are gray, and the ceilings and accent wall in the family room have subtle blue-green hues as a nod to Brian having grown up on the Southern California coast.
Dynasty series cabinets with Renner door style in Elemental White (perimeter) and Battleship Gray (island): Omega Cabinetry; Carson counter stools in Elite Espresso: Office Star Products; Attina pendant lights in green: Casamotion; abstract wrapped-canvas art: Ready2hangart
DiFillippo reconfigured the appliances to form a better work triangle. The range hood creates a focal point that can be seen when entering the home. She had the hood painted to mimic zinc. Enlarging the window on the right brings in more light and adds symmetry.
She kept the materials and colors mostly neutral. The walls are gray, and the ceilings and accent wall in the family room have subtle blue-green hues as a nod to Brian having grown up on the Southern California coast.
Dynasty series cabinets with Renner door style in Elemental White (perimeter) and Battleship Gray (island): Omega Cabinetry; Carson counter stools in Elite Espresso: Office Star Products; Attina pendant lights in green: Casamotion; abstract wrapped-canvas art: Ready2hangart
Porcelain tile that looks like wood forms the backsplash, adding warmth and texture behind the range. The countertops are Blanca Arabescato quartz.
Steampunk drawer pulls in graphite: Atlas Homewares; Epicurean chimney hood in maple: Castlewood; Galveston gas range: Thor Kitchen; pipe shelf brackets in Hammered Pewter: Urban Industrial Decor
Should you choose porcelain or ceramic tile?
Steampunk drawer pulls in graphite: Atlas Homewares; Epicurean chimney hood in maple: Castlewood; Galveston gas range: Thor Kitchen; pipe shelf brackets in Hammered Pewter: Urban Industrial Decor
Should you choose porcelain or ceramic tile?
A large stainless steel farmhouse-style sink establishes a roomy command station at the island.
This photo also shows how the design team created a small mudroom of sorts near the entrance at the upper right to replace the removed cabinets. The area has hooks on the shiplap-lined wall, with a bench below.
Zero Radius sink: Water Creation; Nola single-lever faucet: Kraus; Ascenta dishwasher: Bosch Home Appliances; Cape Cod rug: Safavieh; Window Pane ceiling paint and Gossamer Veil wall paint: Sherwin-Williams
Find a kitchen designer
This photo also shows how the design team created a small mudroom of sorts near the entrance at the upper right to replace the removed cabinets. The area has hooks on the shiplap-lined wall, with a bench below.
Zero Radius sink: Water Creation; Nola single-lever faucet: Kraus; Ascenta dishwasher: Bosch Home Appliances; Cape Cod rug: Safavieh; Window Pane ceiling paint and Gossamer Veil wall paint: Sherwin-Williams
Find a kitchen designer
Before. At one end of the kitchen, a wrought-iron fence sectioned off a small dining area before transitioning into the family room.
After. Incorporating the dining area into the new kitchen expanded storage and counter space.
Ceiling-mount lights with mouth-blown bubble glass shades: JVI Designs
Ceiling-mount lights with mouth-blown bubble glass shades: JVI Designs
Before. Brian and Megan never really liked the white-painted wood paneling in the family room and felt that the ceiling height could have been better played up.
After. The design team removed the wall paneling and added new carpet with a sisal look and a herringbone pattern. Decorative beams of rough-sawn white oak highlight the ceiling height. “It gives the appearance of actual structure and adds warmth and scale,” Hurst says.
Watch now: See Clay Matthews reveal this makeover to his brother and family
Get the look: Shop for products from this renovation
Watch now: See Clay Matthews reveal this makeover to his brother and family
Get the look: Shop for products from this renovation
DiFilippo chose a sectional in a light color because she didn’t want something too dark and heavy, given the size of the room. Recessed LED lights create a brighter, more welcoming atmosphere. “I can see the kids playing and see us spending most of our time in this room,” Megan says.
Vivyan pole-top curtain panels in teal: Duck River Textile, Kensie, Lala + Bash; industrial pipe curtain rods: Turnbull Farms; rectangular throw pillow with leaf print: Pillow Perfect; “California Vacation Land” art canvas: The Oliver Gal Artist; propeller ceiling fan: Star Fans; hexagonal mirrors in gold: Coaster Furniture; Keenan wicker basket storage chest: Safavieh; Quietude accent wall paint, Gossamer Veil wall paint and Window Pane ceiling paint: Sherwin-Williams
Designers share their favorite light gray paints
Vivyan pole-top curtain panels in teal: Duck River Textile, Kensie, Lala + Bash; industrial pipe curtain rods: Turnbull Farms; rectangular throw pillow with leaf print: Pillow Perfect; “California Vacation Land” art canvas: The Oliver Gal Artist; propeller ceiling fan: Star Fans; hexagonal mirrors in gold: Coaster Furniture; Keenan wicker basket storage chest: Safavieh; Quietude accent wall paint, Gossamer Veil wall paint and Window Pane ceiling paint: Sherwin-Williams
Designers share their favorite light gray paints
Family friend Kristen Prosek was also on hand during the project to help represent some of the couple’s style preferences.
For example, Prosek knew that the original dining table and chairs were the first furnishings Megan and Brian bought when they moved into the home and had sentimental value. With that in mind, DiFilippo used the set as a jumping-off point for the rest of the room.
Tangiers dinnerware in turquoise: Baum Essex; Rainwashed wall paint: Sherwin-Williams
Tangiers dinnerware in turquoise: Baum Essex; Rainwashed wall paint: Sherwin-Williams
Before. This floor plan shows how the double closet near the entry door and a wall separating the dining room from the kitchen created a closed-off feeling that Brian and Megan thought was too cramped.
After. Removing the double closet and walls and extending the kitchen toward the family room at the top left created a more open plan.
Going All-In
The project took six weeks from start to finish, and demolition began two days after Brian and Megan returned home from the hospital with their twin boys, Dalton and Cooper. By then, the kitchen had been blocked off with plastic sheets to keep out dust (there were also dust-control machines), so the couple didn’t see the results until after the project was complete. But they did have access to the living room and used it to set up a refrigerator, a single burner and a table with everything they needed.
When Clay initially called his brother and Megan to surprise them with the gift, Brian says the couple discussed the timing of taking on a renovation with newborns and decided to jump right in. “We knew we were going to be up during the night with the twins but figured we might as well do all this at once,” Brian says. “We just gritted it out for six weeks, and looking back, I’d endure a lot worse for the end product.”
As for Clay, he’s just happy that he could help out his sister-in-law, new nephews and his big brother after Brian and Megan had been wanting kids for several years. “Here we are a few years later, and he’s got two healthy twin babies and a beautiful renovation,” Clay says. “Everything comes full circle. I’m super happy for him.”
Watch now: See Brian and Megan’s reaction after seeing their remodeled home for the first time
Get the look: Shop products from this renovation
Your turn: Find a professional and get started on your own project
Going All-In
The project took six weeks from start to finish, and demolition began two days after Brian and Megan returned home from the hospital with their twin boys, Dalton and Cooper. By then, the kitchen had been blocked off with plastic sheets to keep out dust (there were also dust-control machines), so the couple didn’t see the results until after the project was complete. But they did have access to the living room and used it to set up a refrigerator, a single burner and a table with everything they needed.
When Clay initially called his brother and Megan to surprise them with the gift, Brian says the couple discussed the timing of taking on a renovation with newborns and decided to jump right in. “We knew we were going to be up during the night with the twins but figured we might as well do all this at once,” Brian says. “We just gritted it out for six weeks, and looking back, I’d endure a lot worse for the end product.”
As for Clay, he’s just happy that he could help out his sister-in-law, new nephews and his big brother after Brian and Megan had been wanting kids for several years. “Here we are a few years later, and he’s got two healthy twin babies and a beautiful renovation,” Clay says. “Everything comes full circle. I’m super happy for him.”
Watch now: See Brian and Megan’s reaction after seeing their remodeled home for the first time
Get the look: Shop products from this renovation
Your turn: Find a professional and get started on your own project
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Congratulations on your beautiful family! I love the renovation, especially the color scheme and Clay’s recommendation for the hood and faux wood backsplash!
Love the contemporary rustic warm feel i envy that kitchen goals!!!
Super great story.