It may not look like it now but this house was as scary as they come. When acquiring a property you’ll often hear the saying, “It needs some work, but it has good bones.” We ended up finding out that not only did this house “need some work,” but the bones did too! The living room wall was bowing, the bathroom had 10 layers of flooring, the plumbing was backed up in the clawfoot tub, the foundation needed to be repaired, and that was the short list! Although this home was a literal nightmare, we knew it was in the best neighborhood Columbus, GA, has to offer and that we could make it a dream home again.
Taking on this unique and historic home built in 1903 was not for the faint of heart. Our team loves to name our properties when we first start on the job, and my husband Jason had a name in mind for this house. He named it the “Dixie Sunflower,” and although the name certainly fits now, in the beginning I called it the “Fun House” because of all the crazy remodeling and repairs that needed done.
Original to the Dixie Sunflower, were gorgeous window walls, high ceilings, hardwood floors, a spacious kitchen, and four fireplaces. We definitely had quality characteristics to work with on this home. The fireplace in the kitchen (made with broken dishes and teacups) is definitely a personal favorite. When renovating and decorating, a good starting point is to find the things that you love about the home instead of thinking about everything you hate. When you focus on the cons it can be overwhelming, while the pros spring forth inspiration. I had a vision to bring farmhouse chic vibes to this topsy-turvy property. A huge undertaking was jacking the house up in hopes of repairing the foundation, because all the floors were slanted. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. It was pouring rain on the day we did it and only created cracks in the walls that had to be repaired. I consider myself an optimist and although it had to be fixed, at least we can say the house now has a firm foundation! The renovation on this home took longer than anticipated but was worth it in the end.
One thing I truly enjoy about renovating historic homes is keeping as much of the original character of the house as we can. We kept and restored the original doors, kitchen cabinets, clawfoot tub, and hardwood floors. The kitchen turned out to be one of my favorites to-date, and the cabinets look like they were custom made! I wanted to keep the original cabinets, so I had them distressed and painted a fabulous gray. We kept the cast-iron sink and put in a pot filler above the gas stove. Now, this truly is a dream kitchen!
The original owners of this house were Jamaican who painted the exterior a faded yellow, red, and green. With it being located in the historic district, I loved the idea of giving it a fresh coat of yellow paint, and a fun pop of color with a turquoise front door.
Ultimately, the yellow exterior and the figurative sunshine that the house seemed to bring to the street is what inspired its name. Let the Dixie Sunflower encourage you to not be afraid of the “scary house” on the block because the more work you put in, the greater satisfaction you will feel when you give it a new life!
LuckySky Music recording artist Tori Martin is enjoying success on country radio with her single, “What Would Dolly Do?” Tori also makes time for another passion, home decorating. She and her husband Jason share a love for real estate investing which allows Tori to creatively design and decorate homes. She is an Airbnb superhost and you can book the above featured property on abnb.com.
Learn more at www.thetorimartin.com
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