Brittany’s House Project

I’m really, really, REALLY excited to finally be able to share some of the details of my sweet friend’s house project! First of all, let me give you a little back story…

I met Brittany seven years ago when she was asked to come do makeup for a prom that my sister was going to. All the girls just happened to be getting ready at my parent’s house and I was doing their hair. Somehow I overheard Brittany in the kitchen talking about where her fiance, Patrick, lived. She started describing the area and I said “Hey! That’s where I live!”

We discovered after talking for a bit that she was going to be moving right up the street from me in a matter of months. We reconnected over homemade cookies and our pregnant bellies months later, and our friendship just grew deeper and deeper.

Brittany was my go to girl for a late night Starbucks run followed by a stroll thru Target sans kids where we picked up toiletries and talked about the challenges and joys of life and motherhood. If you’ve followed me on instagram for a while then you’ve seen what a JOY this precious friend is. She and Patrick are the kind of people that are constantly looking for ways to serve others. It just flows out of their love for Jesus.

On September 29, 2015 Brittany’s precious husband suddenly died while he was at work, leaving behind sweet Brittany and their three boys (all under the age of 3).

I remember that in those first few days after Patrick passed away, all I wanted to do was help my friend. I was desperate to be there for her like she’d always been for me. There are only so many things you can do in seasons like this when the ones grieving their loss are literally surrounded by their closest friends and family. As I cried and prayed over my friend, I begged the Lord to show me what I could do to help lift her. I remember Him speaking so clearly the night before the funeral. He said “Pray now. Serve later.”

Fast forward a little over a year later to me standing in Brittany’s house as our kiddos played outside. We were doing our best to finish five different conversations we had started when Reese walked in and said “Miss Brittany, why did Mr. Patrick die?” My face turned bright red and I was SO embarrassed that I hadn’t thought to tell my girls not to ask about Patrick. Before I could even attempt to usher Reese out with a “we’ll talk about it later” look, Brittany got down on her knees so she could look Reese in the eyes and said “Oh, Reese, Mr. Patrick went to be in heaven with Jesus because that was God’s plan for Him. That’s how God is getting the most glory from Mr. Patrick’s life. And you know what? God has a special plan for you too! And your life is going to bring Him glory!”

In that moment as I was standing in my sweet friend’s tiny dysfunctional kitchen looking around at her pieced together decor collected over the years from garage sales and donations, I thought “We could really make this space beautiful for her.”

As only God could orchestrate things, it turns out that there were other people in her life that were thinking the same thing. Each of us had different skill sets to bring to the table but we all had one common goal: Let’s make Brittany’s house BEAUTIFUL!

A dear family friend of Brittany’s just happened to also be the owners of Southeast Restoration. So when our little”redecorating” project became a whole lot bigger, they gladly stepped in to help. And by “help” I mean totally take over in the best way possible!

There were some structural issues in the house that needed to be addressed as well as some floor plan challenges, so when Southeast stepped in, they took care of everything. It was like walking into an episode of Fixer Upper! We went all Joanna on the walls and created a totally open floor plan. The precious project manager allowed me to step in and help since I knew Brittany’s style of decor and we really wanted the grand reveal to be a surprise!

So a few weeks before Christmas, I finally got the go ahead to start purchasing some of the things for the house. Thanks to the incredible support of friends and family, we raised enough to practically furnish the whole house with new items. The generosity of other people is mind blowing!

Here are a few before and after photos of the house:

 

The original floor plan had a corner fireplace but Brittany decided she’d rather have more room than have a fireplace she rarely used. Here it is before.

Taking down the wall allowed even more space for the new layout of the kitchen, which included a huge pantry (totally necessary when you have THREE boys!).

Here’s the kitchen area before:

And AFTER!

A six foot bar was added for additional seating and the new cabinets are much taller, allowing for plenty more storage.

 

Dining Area BEFORE:

And AFTER!

 

 

One of my favorite parts of this project was being able to re-do the master bedroom. This was obviously a very tender area and one that Brittany really couldn’t do herself. I was glad to try to provide a bright and feminine space for her that would feel like a retreat.

Master BEFORE:

Master AFTER:

It’s hard to even put into words what a joy it was to watch Brittany and her boys walk into their new home for the first time. To get to have a front row seat while her home was literally transformed thanks to the generosity of family and friends was one of the best things I have ever experienced!

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to every one of you that gave of your time, money, and resources to make this a reality for my sweet friend. It truly was a labor of love that could not have had a more gracious and deserving recipient.

If you ever doubt how much you’re loved, sweet Brittany, I hope all it takes is just a quick look around to know that you are never alone and you have a good, good Father that loves you!

 

Source List:

Kitchen:

Wall Color: 50% Revere Pewter (Benjamin Moore)

Counter Chairs: World Market

Farm Table: Made by Family Friend

EAT Sign: Etsy

Towels: TJ Maxx

White Vase: Target

Dining Table Tray: TJ Maxx

Head Chairs: Ikea

Chalkboard: Hobby Lobby

Cotton Wreath: Etsy

Dishes: Pioneer Woman Collection

 

Den:

Built Ins: Custom Built by Sam Ward

Circular Chandelier: Overstock

Tufted Couches: Joss & Main

Rug: Target

Curtain Panels: IKEA

Curtain Rod: Target

Magnolia Wreath: Decor Steals

Master Bedroom:

Tufted Headboard: Amazon

Mirrored Side Tables: Amazon

Mirror Above Bed: Target

Bedding: Target

Curtains: IKEA

Chandelier: Lowes