When Maggie Sojourner, a local judge, asked me to help with the design aspects of the renovation of her Sears Kit home, I was all in. I had previously done some work for Maggie, so I was familiar with her home and excited and honored to help breathe new life into her charming historic bungalow. 

Located in the downtown Orlando area, Maggie’s house was one of the over 70,000 “kit homes” that were sold through the Sears Roebuck and Company catalog between 1908 and 1940. 

The renovation added 1200 square feet to the home and included a large beautiful kitchen, a new master bedroom, bath, and laundry room. 

House in a Box

Part of a bygone era, the Sears Kit Homes have a unique place in architectural history. 

With over 370 different plans to choose from, each kit came with a book-length instruction manual and everything needed to build the house—including lumber, nuts, bolts, and even paint. Plumbing, electrical, and heating equipment could be purchased separately, also from Sears. 

Maggie’s home is the “Sunbeam” model and has been featured in the Orlando Sentinel and other newspapers and online articles. She has the original title search information and the plaque that identifies the house as a Sears Home.

When I asked Maggie what first drew her to the home, she said, “I fell in love with the spacious front porch that looks across Central Boulevard into Carl Langford Park.”

Warm Spacious Kitchens Are the Heart of the Home

The original 1700-square-foot home had plenty of character and charm but lacked the more practical aspects of today’s larger kitchens and bathrooms.

Kitchens used to be hidden and placed in the back of the house, but today, many kitchens are the focal point of an open concept living area where family and friends gather to socialize.

For Maggie, the kitchen was the highlight of her renovation. “The most exciting part was when I could finally get into my new kitchen and cook. My prior kitchen was only big enough for one person at a time.”

I like to call kitchen islands the “magnets” of the home. They draw people in and serve multiple duties. 

The island in Maggie’s kitchen allows plenty of space for meal prep, provides extra storage, a place to eat, and even houses her microwave. It’s also a great spot for her grandchildren to sit and color or work on puzzles while she’s cooking. The faux leather seats on the island stools not only add texture to the room’s decor, they make for easy cleaning. 

Carmen’s Pro tip: It’s tempting to make your kitchen island as big as possible, but you need to allow plenty of room around your island so people can move comfortably. Most designers recommend at least 42 inches of space between the island and the kitchen counter or other structures, but I like 48 inches better. And unless your kitchen is at least 13 feet wide, I don’t recommend an island at all. 

Lighting is one of the most important elements of design in any room but you have to remember to keep things in proportion. The hanging pendent above Maggie’s island was a piece that I’d chosen for her old kitchen. Maggie liked it and wanted to keep it, but one pendant was too small. Luckily, this piece was still in stock and I was able to get a second light fixture to create a more balanced look. 

Wallpaper Makes a Statement

Maggie’s home had a small passageway between the kitchen and the dining room. Typically, in older homes these areas were used for credenzas or buffet tables. 

Although the area was small, I wanted to highlight it, so I suggested wallpaper. The pattern has both an older and modern feel to it, and the vibrant green color brings life to an area that might otherwise be overlooked.

Carmen’s Pro Tip: Wallpaper can also be used to hide something you don’t want seen. The home’s electrical box is in the middle of this room. An experienced wallpaper installer covered the box’s cover, making what was once an unsightly necessity blend in seamlessly. 

Art For the Pop

Nothing makes an area “pop” more than a lovely piece of artwork. Maggie wanted to brighten the all-white look in the powder room, so I suggested we order framed prints from art.com.

Artwork doesn’t have to be expensive, and you don’t have to have a degree in fine art to select some nice pieces for your home.

Carmen’s Pro Tip: If you’re hanging more than one framed print in a small area, using images from the same series will keep the look cohesive.

Pulling It All Together

Contrasting textures are a perfect way to create interest and give visual weight to areas where you want to draw attention. Repeating those textures throughout several rooms helps to create a theme, unifying your look.

Shiplap, prevalent in today’s Modern Farmhouse decor, feels both “old” and current. We used it in both bathrooms and as an interesting detail in the kitchen’s range hood.

Woven Roman shades aren’t just practical. They also add a warm look to the kitchen, laundry, and powder room windows.

Tile flooring in the laundry room and powder bath, while not identical, looks similar enough to create a uniform look.

And, of course, color is a great way to create a theme among rooms. The all-white upper kitchen cabinets were softened by an occasional lower cabinet in “moonstone,” a blue-gray color used in the laundry room.

The same blue color palette graced the bed quilt and accessories. Blue is one of the most popular colors to use in the bedroom, and for a good reason. According to psychologists, the color blue promotes relaxation and sound sleep.

The secret to using repetitive elements is to keep it balanced so that it doesn’t become predictable.

Thinking of renovating your home?

Maggie had a strong vision of what she wanted, but like many clients, she wasn’t sure how to put the look together. That’s where a designer comes in. 

In my experience, clients are sometimes afraid to make design decisions because they don’t want to make an expensive mistake. So before starting a renovation project, I sit down with a client, and we make an extensive list of likes and dislikes, go over budget, and make initial selections.  

A designer can also act as a buffer between the client and the contractor, reducing stress on the client and making the renovation run smoother, ultimately saving time.

“I enjoyed working with Carmen to select the colors and designs for the rooms,” Maggie said. “I am “color” challenged, and she really made this much easier.”

Maggie had a few tips to share with anyone planning a renovation: 

• Have a good idea of what you want and what it will cost.
• Be prepared for additional costs.
• Make sure you have a reputable contractor, as you will spend a great deal of time talking with him/her and relying on him/her. 
• Practice patience as the process takes longer than planned. 
• And finally, “It was a long time from start to finish, but well worth the wait.” 

A home renovation adds value to what is probably one of your most significant investments and allows you to make a house truly your own. 

If you have a project you’ve been thinking about, give me a call. And it doesn’t have to be big. Some of my favorite design jobs have been for smaller rooms and areas. 

Let’s discuss how to turn your ordinary space into an extraordinary place. 

Choose a contact method below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com

And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399