Before and After: A Neglected, Smelly Florida House Gets a Striking Renovation

Name: Erika Hinn, husband Sam, daughter Christa, and two dogs, Molson and Maple, and two cats
Location: Longwood, Florida
Size: 1,650 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, owned

Our house was built in 1978 and had suffered some years of neglect when we first saw it. It was in the process of being purchased by an investor as a flip, but we saw it and even in its terrible, smelly condition I loved it and saw what it could be. My husband Sam’s first reaction was to run, but he trusted that I had a plan and we went for it.

We made a deal with the investor that they would redo the roof and replace the rotting wood siding with stucco, and a few other things, then sell it to us. We then tore down walls, opened up the space, and gutted the kitchen and bathrooms and started from scratch. Only our daughter’s room remained untouched other than flooring and paint.

We absolutely love the results. It’s the perfect size for us now that three of our four kids have moved out. We use every inch of space and have already made lots of great memories with all of our kids, their spouses, and our grandkids. I loved being able to design the layout and choose every finish and detail just the way I had imagined it when I first saw it. There are still more projects to be done, but that is the fun part for me.

We’ve been married almost 34 years and everywhere we’ve lived I’ve always had to have a project and would redo rooms every couple years as our needs and styles changed. We both work from home, (Sam’s a pastor, I’m a designer) and we both assist each other so we’re enjoying the indoor/outdoor living spaces and can work outside when it’s nice, as well as enjoy frequent visits from our grandbabies.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Modern not minimal— Colorful Jungle

What is your favorite room and why? Tie: When the weather is nice, which in Florida is most of the time, my favorite “room” is actually the backyard. There are some great seating areas where you’ll find us having coffee in the morning or wine in the evening, surrounded by plants and flowers and of course our dogs and cats love being out there.

Our other favorite room is the kitchen for the same reasons most people love their kitchens. It’s the place everyone congregates and there’s something about preparing a meal together that creates a real bond as a family. All our kids are adults and love to cook and our son-in-law is quite the mixologist so he creates custom cocktails for various occasions.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? We finally got a mirror for our master bedroom. I’d been wanting a large round mirror over the bed since I put up the wonderful Cole and Sons wallpaper, and I finally found the perfect one from Uttermost. It’s large enough to fill the space but simple so it doesn’t compete with the wallpaper. I also love that the gold frame connects to the gold chandelier that is reflected in it. We’ve had that chandelier for 13 years and have moved it from house to house.

Any advice for creating a home you love? I would say not to worry about defining a style, but to surround yourself with things that you love and that make you feel like yourself. Your house isn’t for pleasing others, but for making the people who live there feel comfortable and happy and that reflect who they are and the life they want to live. If you see something that sparks an emotional reaction, whether it’s a piece of art, a rug, or garage sale find, then you’re going to love having it as part of your space. I’ve found that if you put together all the things you genuinely love, they will somehow magically work together.

Thanks, Erika Hinn!

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