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Here’s What Happens When Two Brothers Overhaul a Fixer Upper for Their Families
Call it Property Brothers 2.0. When Seth and Chad Gilbert went all in on a weekend retreat for their families, they discovered no renovation is complete without a few surprises and a healthy dose of sibling ribbing.
Back when they were kids in Buck Mountain, Tennessee, brothers Seth and Chad Gilbert became infatuated with a little stone farmhouse outside their school bus window. Both the property and the house—nearly swallowed by overgrown bushes—mesmerized and, okay, slightly spooked the elementary-age kids, and it remained etched in memory. Years later, when the brothers were old enough to start families and buy homes of their own a mere 15 minutes away, Seth still found himself coming up with excuses to drive by the old place. “I always saw myself on that farm with some cows, fixing up that house,” he says.
So, in 2011, Seth decided to take action—he set pen to paper and wrote a letter. “I just explained [to the owner] how I’ve always admired the house and loved the idea of my daughters growing up on a farm so close to their grandparents,” he says. Much to his surprise, just two weeks later he received a phone call from David Vaughn, a grandson of the original owner. The conversation was short and sweet. Says Seth, “He basically said, ‘Hey, I got your letter, and sure, I’ll sell.’”
After getting the okay from his wife, Brook, Seth called on his brother, Chad, and his wife, Anna, to see if the couple had any interest in going Dutch on the old 1,500-square-foot 1930s weekend getaway on 200 acres. There was some initial trepidation—“It was an absolute wreck,” says Anna—but there was never any real doubt that the families would join forces—after all, Chad is a civil engineer and contractor and Anna often does design work on his projects.
Living Room
From the beginning, the Gilberts took a frugal approach to the cabin's renovation. "We didn't have a ton of money to sink into it, but we didn't want to change the soul of the place," says Anna. While the roof, doors, and windows had to be replaced, the interior renovations were more about stripping away than adding. In the living room, the Gilberts removed a 1970s-era mantel to reveal the original fireplace. Slipcovered arm chairs and a vintage leather sofa make for cozy seating arrangement.
Dining Room
Throughout the house, the Gilberts' “make-under” proved quite fruitful. Behind that moldy old drywall: hand-hewn stone walls made from stone quarried on the property. Underneath the low-slung ceiling: rustic wood rafters. Both provide a cozy and rustic surrounding for Anna's collection of vintage finds, including a chippy farmhouse dining table flanked by a long bench and folding wood chairs.
Kitchen
The kitchen island is wrapped in chippy blue wainscoting reclaimed from the home's previous front porch. The base cabinets are from a discarded display kitchen at a local shop, and the old refrigerator was equally economical: It’s a $200 eBay score!
Bedroom
The main bedroom’s curtains hang from industrial piping that is attached to the ceiling, in order to prevent disturbing the room's original stone walls. A sheepskin rug from Ikea, hand-stitched quilt by Pine Cone Hill, and cashmere buffalo check blanket add layers of softness to the hard-edged room.
Bathroom
In the bathroom, metal from an old on-site shed comprises the ceiling, while a classic cast-iron tub adds some lightness. A ceiling-mounted rectangular metal shower enclosure allows for a flirty lace shower curtain by Pom Pom at Home.
Ladder Stairs
Chad removed a rickety enclosed staircase and replaced it with a ladder-style one that complements the older original materials, and adds a camp-like approach to the upstairs bunk room. On display behind the stairs: a hand-painted 1950s Vaughn family campaign sign that Anna rescued from the old barn.
Bunk Room
Even though the home’s embellishments and additions were fairly economical, the design didn’t spare creativity. Concerned that the upstairs loft was too drafty, Anna improvised “drywall” by stapling a swath of landscaping burlap over the ceiling insulation. (Seth had several rolls handy from prior work projects.)
Loft Bedroom
In the other upstairs bedroom, they kept the tufts of old newspaper peeking between the slats of wood paneling to help tell the home's story.
Fire Pit
The family fire pit is the hearth of the Gilbert's retreat. "We wanted this home to feel like a step back in time—it's become a place where the whole family can come together around the fire pit, do some frog gigging, and celebrate our annual Gilbertpalooza," says Anna.
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