The Planning

Lynn wanted a larger home with more room for her three grandsons to each have their own room, as well as for her four pooches (check out Sarge napping).  She decided to make the move to a larger home in a newer development in far east Wichita.  But more space in this larger home meant more walls...in this case, "stark white" walls that drove Lynn crazy!

Lynn could not take the boring, barren walls and saw the potential of giving her new home some character.  She enlisted the help of Mark Murphy here at Netco.  Lynn and Mark had first worked together six years prior on projects from her previous home, which started with replacing old solid surface countertops with granite and expanded into other projects like redoing the basement flooring as well as replacing her roof.

Lynn’s oldest grandson is severely asthmatic, so the family wouldn’t be able to be around the remodeling and would need to stay away until the job was complete.  With previous jobs having been completed exceptionally and efficiently, Lynn knew she would be able to trust Mark and the guys and Netco to move along quickly with a new project.  "Mark's always been good to work with," says Lynn, also noting that she likes to stay on schedule.  If things aren't moving quickly, Lynn says she "wants to know why" and get the ball rollin'.  With this, Lynn contacted Mark again when she purchased her larger home for her growing family.

Mark met with Lynn and “she gave me some basic ideas of what she wanted and we went to work along with her son, Nathan, and her interior decorator to start coming up with ways to make this house her home,” said Mark.  Lynn also went to model homes to get ideas for putting some of her style, personality and character into her new place.  Mark and the crew collaborated with Lynn, adding on to creative ideas to personalize and liven this house into more than just a roof above her family’s head.

Getting The Project Ball Rollin'

Mark and our guys began in the living room, rebuilding the hearth using quarried stone and making the mantel more massive, dramatic and detailed.  Then Netco added in built-in book shelves and installed lighting and a modern, unique fan to complete the room’s look, reflecting Lynn’s style and beginning the steps to personalizing the house’s previously “stark” look.

Next, we moved to the kitchen, which is open to the living room, so Lynn wanted to keep the same defined style.  We did so by adding detail to the crown molding on the existing cabinets, making them pop and replacing the back splash tile to coincide with the new look of the cabinets.  We also added glass shelving and changed out a couple door fronts with framed glass, as well as lighting to create a display area in Lynn’s kitchen cabinetry.

Netco also remodeled the house’s entry laundry into a mudroom, complete with two sitting areas and places to hang coats (which will come in handy for the upcoming winter, especially with her young grandsons in the house).   We completed the room with a new countertop and splash.

From here we moved to the basement, probably the most dramatic change of the house.  Lynn had wanted a dramatic wine cellar with a grotto (cave)...and boy did we give her one!  We built a wine grotto and completely reworked her previously drab bar area to give the room more of a pub feel with a curved bar top, granite lower top, a new uniquely-shaped Mystic sink in copper, also adding in a drawer dishwasher and bar fridge. We created a dramatic arched, stone entry way to the wine grotto.  Lynn also chose colorful light fixtures, which we installed above the new curved bar top.

Besides creating this highly unique bar area to reflect Lynn’s style, we also replaced all carpeting in the downstairs living area with tile and replaced the stone on the fireplace.  We also distressed all of the woodwork in the complete downstairs area to give this 4-year-old home a more worn in feel.  “With new tile on the floor, a more rustic mantle and distressing all of her woodwork, we were really able to create that old pub feeling,” said Mark.

With an expanded family, Lynn decided she would like to have an area to spend more quality time with her grandsons...in a home theatre room!  “What's a home without a theater room?!,” said Mark.  Here, Netco created a platform, adding in steps for a theatre feel and updating the lighting (which even included an exit sign).  Now Lynn can spend time with the boys and proudly display her Fabio poster.

A Job Well Done

On top of all the remodeling we’ve done for her, Lynn also has added custom wall treatments to all the rooms’ walls.  The bare walls and previously drab detailing on the cabinets, fireplaces, bar and theatre room have been transformed into a cozy, yet stylish home for Lynn and her family.  Her great style and attention to detail shine in every room of her new home.  Lynn says the family seems to always congregate in the main floor’s open living and kitchen area.  She also recently held a party, where people flocked to the downstairs area around her favorite part of the remodel, that one-of-a-kind bar area.

Lynn said she plans on having Mark and our guys at Netco help her with some minor issues to fix in her old home before she sells it.  She says that Mark and his “superb crew were great to work with” and were very efficient in completing the remodel while her family awaited their new home.  This job well done was further commented on by Mark stating, “This large, nice house really did become her home and one with Lynn's character and style seen in every room. Lynn has always been a joy to work with and I'm looking forward to her next project.”

We’re so glad we could help put some character and life into this previously stark and seemingly lifeless house.  We hope Lynn enjoys time with her family in her beautiful new home for many years to come.

Check out photos from the remodel on our Facebook album.