Cost-Effective, Creative Way to Redesign Interior Spaces

Old House, New Look

By: Champe Granger

If you’re reading this you doubtless have more than a passing interest in those charming dwellings of yesteryear, and if you’re restoring one yourself My Design Guide might be able to help you.

We are an interior design firm that is simple, affordable and totally "you." Whether you need a simple paint color selection or a complete living room or bedroom design, for less than the price of just a consultation with a traditional designer, you can have a complete and inexpensive plan from us.

My Design Guide, came about sort of by accident in 2009. Four years earlier my husband and I bought a beautiful old house on its last legs. It had all the challenges that Old House Authority can solve including problems with paint, plaster and preservation. The good news was that the house had been "updated" in the '80s so there were some pluses, such as a large eat-in kitchen and master bath. Unfortunately, both of those rooms were painted pink with forest green 4x4 tiles. So we got to work and soon were deep into a complete restoration, and ultimately a new business venture.

We came to our new business in sort of a roundabout way, garnering experience from earlier renovations we’d done. Thus far, we’ve completed several houses and done some major and minor renovations. For example, we did a fantastic 1920s Flemish bond brick townhouse whose most endearing trait was a full size 12-foot deep gunite pool (who has that in the city)? When you are 30 years old a pool is absolutely the most endearing architectural trait. What the house really needed was a broiler element for the stove, but for years we had none. Thank God for toaster ovens.

Interior pictures before MyDesignGuide lended it's expertise.

During that same time we did a 1920s 1300 square foot craftsman rental property. The house had been inhabited by one human (questionable) and 20 dogs for several years. Needless to say we had to redo all the hardwood floors. We took many of the walls down to the wood lathe and I’m quite sure I personally removed asbestos tile in the basement. Not so smart.

During those times we also managed to find time—how I don’t know—to redo a beach bungalow, a one story ‘80s era stilt house. We told ourselves we were looking for a shack on the beach and we got it, but with a great semi-oceanfront view. In some regards this house required nothing; in others, it needed everything. It was a perfectly serviceable little three bedroom two bath cottage with the requisite wood paneling, commercial carpet and linoleum floors. Inside it was painted a clean but boring vanilla beige and even had a dishwasher. Outside, we painted it a sandy khaki and added deep blue shutters.

It could have been forever, if we were capable of relaxation. Unfortunately, every week we identified something to improve, fix or paint and so we’d fill the car with circular saws, paint cans, tools and cleaning supplies and head off to our weekend getaway.

But, what that house really needed was to be picked up as if by the tornado in "The Wizard of Oz" and spun around 180 degrees because the only views of the ocean were from the bathroom windows. What were they thinking? (As an aside, don't we all say that during the renovation process? What were they thinking? I'm sure the people who bought my last house are now saying the same, although I'm betting they sprung for the broiler.)

Finally, the money-pit, which led to our beautifully restored house and our new business, was our consuming project. It’s a 1920s brick colonial with the big wrap around front porch. Its architecture was beautiful all along and we knew that. The house had hardwood floors, great moldings, eleven-foot ceilings, a slate roof and a back stairway. It also had Plexiglas in all of the third floor windows, (what were they thinking?), a fireplace with no chimney, windows that would not open (they were not painted shut but rather were sash less), and as I mentioned all 3800 square feet were painted pink (not a good pink either).

Because we are handy (and frugal) we’ve done much of the renovation work ourselves, including my husband’s pride and joy: a new pocket door into the second floor bathroom. My job was to paint the over 10,000 square feet of white gloss wood trim. The least rewarding job ever. I'm happy to say that we stayed on budget, and I’m proud to say completed the house for a fairly reasonable price.

As we finished this major renovation, we began to look for our next opportunity. (I guess I blocked out the near divorce due to six months with no kitchen in 2005). In this market there are certainly lots of great houses out there to buy. Instead, we began to think about ways to share our knowledge and skill in getting great home renovation and design at a bargain. We have a house that looks like a high-end interior designer created it, and yet it was not. We buy a lot of our furnishings and artwork at auction, or our favorite shops such as Target and Pottery Barn where high quality design is now available for everyone. We began to wonder why couldn’t we build a business to offer professional interior design to everyone, but at off the shelf prices. The technology exists, the stores exist, and great designers are very available today.

Visit us on the web at www.MyDesignGuide.com to see our complete line of design services. Follow the directions on the site and by using our Stylefinder you can record your style preferences so that our professional designers can create your dream room or rooms for your house. In just one week, we'll give you the room design you've always wanted.

Champe Granger, Roger Bouchard (and Earl) are serial entrepreneurs, former IT IT executives (not Earl) who left their jobs in 2001 to run their automotive business (weird, yes) full time and renovate and design houses.