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This Tennessee Fixer-Upper Went From Tattered to Picture-Perfect
Singer-songwriter Holly Williams transformed this tired farmhouse with color, collected treasures, and a whole lot of cozy country charm.
For our 2016 installment of our Makeover Takeover franchise, singer-songwriter Holly Williams transformed her tattered Tennessee fixer-upper one room at a time. Take a look at the stunning results:
Meet Holly
With two historic home renovations under her belt, Holly Williams (as in the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr., and granddaughter of Hank, Sr.) didn’t have plans to tackle a new project anytime soon. She and musician/artist husband Chris Coleman have their hands full with their children. But when she stumbled upon a circa 1800s farmhouse—on Craigslist of all places!—just an hour outside her home of Nashville, she was powerless to resist clicking, and, ultimately, buying.
Before: Exterior
Holly, with the help of Country Living Style Director Page Mullins, started with the outside of the house with its dreamy double porch. But with dingy siding and no landscaping, the home lacked curb appeal.
After: Exterior
Page painted the porch ceiling a dreamy blue, and Holly worked with local landscape architect Anne Daigh to add a little green.
Get the Look:
Porch Ceiling Paint Color: Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball
RELATED: 6 Elements of Farmhouse Style That Are Truly Trend-Proof
Before: Exterior
Without seating options, the spacious double porch was underutilized. “As a songwriter, I’m very inspired by old homes—the generations of love, loss, happiness, tragedy. There are so many stories that happened behind those walls,” says Holly. “I want to preserve the simpler times and honor beautiful pieces of architecture.”
After: Exterior
To maximize seating on the double porch, we installed pairs of deep bed swings opposite one another. Four rocking chairs, plenty of patterned throw pillows, a mahogany door and black wall sconces, new upper porch spindles, and planters and shrubs up the home’s curb appeal.
Get the Look:
Porch Swings: “Vineyard” Daybed Swing by Polywood
Rockers: For similar, Country Living Rocker by Polywood
RELATED: 70+ Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Making the Dreamiest Space Ever
After: Front Door
To refresh the tired exterior, Holly requested James Hardie HardiePlank lap siding and HardieTrim boards in Arctic White. The crisp white planks are an eco-friendly choice that are as long-lasting as they are beautiful, thanks to their unique weather-resistant fiber cement formulation. The new front door is from The Home Depot.
Get the Look:
Wall Sconce: Sutton Collection 1-Light rust outdoor wall sconce from The Home Depot
Front Door: Savannah 6 Lite stained mahogany wood prehung front door from The Home Depot
After: Porch
“The double porch draws you in the moment you drive up,” says Holly.
Before: Kitchen
Holly and Page teamed up to take the outdated kitchen and dining room from tattered to tranquil.
After: Kitchen
First, they refreshed the palette by coating the walls and trim a crisp white and installed ceramic subway tile for added texture. An inky black ceiling grounds the room, while patterned roman shades add hints of blue without blocking too much natural light. Holly filled the open corner shelving with treasured family heirlooms, and she replaced the old sink with an apron-front model from Rohl in front of a window that offers views of the 8-acre property.
Get the Look:
Floor Paint Color: Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball
Wall Paint Color: Delicate White by PPG
Ceiling Paint Color: Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams
Subway Tile: Lancaster Bianco from TileBar
After: Kitchen
Light gray cabinets from Omega Cabinetry add much-needed storage, and Holly chose elegant finishes like on-trend brass hardware from The Home Depot and a Rohl faucet and quartz countertops by Cambria. The crisp, updated island is now home to a downdraft KitchenAid range.
RELATED: 90+ Kitchen Design Ideas for Every Style and Budget
Before: Dining Room
Holly and Page preserved the kitchen’s original layout, opting only to reconfigure the placement of the refrigerator and cooktop.
After: Dining Room
The dining area’s original beadboard walls were painted the same white seen in the kitchen. Rather than undertake a pricey floor restoration, Holly opted to paint the hardwoods a barely there shade of pink. Both Holly and Page loved the look of the distressed brick fireplace, so they left it alone, save for a slight update: white and gray decorative concrete tiles added to the hearth.
Get the Look:
Fixtures: Schoolhouse acorn shade flush mount fixtures from Olde Brick Lighting
Sconce: Lander brass sconce from Crate & Barrel
After: Dining Room
Inspired by the fireplace, Holly wanted honey-hued wooden accents that would provide a rich contrast to the all-white space. The open dining area feels homier, thanks to a large rustic dining table and chairs from Cost Plus World Market that will easily seat the family as well as visiting loved ones. “We can pile in for a weekend and play long games of Monopoly,” Holly says.
A distressed bench, chandelier, and simple wine rack (all things Holly has collected over time) further the lived-in feel, while cozy throw pillows and rugs from Atelier KH add an extra layer of femininity to the hardworking room. The art on the walls is courtesy of Holly’s grandfather. “My grandfather, Warren White, drew these in 1940. He was an incredible artist,” says Holly.
Holly Williams’s Rules of Renovating
1. EMBRACE WHAT WORKS “I fell in love with the home’s old fireplace the moment I walked in. The brick is perfectly worn, and I love how it separates the room but still leaves plenty of space for flow around it.”
2. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE 15-FOOT CEILINGS “The kitchen was a visual disaster, but give me a tall ceiling, and I can work magic! I was worried about fitting an island in there, so we made a smaller one that still has room for entertaining and stirring up cookie dough.”
3. ADD A LITTLE SOUL “Family heirlooms are what make a house a home. We should preserve memories for future generations every chance we get.”
4. TAKE A FEW CHANCES! “Pink Ground from Farrow & Ball might be my favorite color of all time. It's a very mature adult pink—not little girl at all. I got the wild idea to try it on the hardwood floors. I love the light it brings to the space.”
Before: Bedroom
Inside, the original beadboard ceiling and walls just needed a fresh coat of paint. Holly discovered the old pine floors after ripping up the carpet, but they were in rough shape. Rather than undertake a costly restoration, she chose to paint them a custom color instead.
After: Bedroom
To make the best use of the bedroom space, Page placed reader-selected Sleep Number’s upholstered bed in Stone Linen and i8 mattress in front of a window. Bold draperies from The Shade Store, nickel bedside lamps from Visual Comfort, a new ceiling fan from The Home Depot, and a tufted linen settee complete the focal point.
Bedding tip: Keep it simple with white sheets (Sleep Number In Balance set), then layer on a calming mix of color and pattern.
RELATED: 15 Charming Color Ideas for Painting Hardwood Floors
Before: Open Storage
Before, a corner of the bedroom served as clothing storage in the closet-less room.
After: Writing Nook
Page removed the hanging rods and replaced them with a small desk to carve out a writing nook.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball
Mantel Paint Color: Black Blue by Farrow & Ball
After: Armoire
An antique armoire now acts as a makeshift closet, while a weathered writing desk and artwork by Holly’s husband create a collected-over-time feel. A bold paint on the floors—a custom Farrow & Ball blue—provides an unexpected pop of color. To brighten up the space, the beadboard ceiling and walls were painted the same crisp white as the walls.
RELATED: The Best Warm White Paint Colors For Every Room in Your House
After: Fireplace
From the drapery hardware (Royal Wood Hardware by The Shade Store) and ceiling fan to the bedside tables and mantel, ebony accents anchor the light bedroom and add sophistication. Minimalist paintings by Chris, add another dramatic layer to the room.
Get the Look:
Mantel Paint Color: Black Blue by Farrow & Ball
Laurren Welch is a freelance editor, writer, and creative who covers lifestyle, interiors, entertaining, fashion, and more. When she’s not under deadline, you can find her styling blooms over at Garden Party L.A., scouring thrift and antique stores for hidden gems, and reminding her boxer pup, Monster, that he’s a very good boy.
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