My Houzz: Kate Upton Gives Her Sister a Surprise Renovation
See the smiles after the model coordinates a fresh update to her sister’s Florida home
Mitchell Parker
April 10, 2019
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
Christie Williams spends much of her time taking care of other people. In addition to raising two young daughters with her husband, Matt, she runs a nonprofit called Wins for Warriors that helps veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Model and actress Kate Upton, who happens to be Christie’s younger sister, knew that Christie wouldn’t find time to pamper herself, so Upton recently surprised Christie by renovating the couple’s outdated guest bathroom, office area and master bedroom and bathroom in their Melbourne, Florida, home. “Christie’s always been very nurturing to everyone around her, and she’s still like that today,” Upton says. “So all of my memories of her growing up were really her watching over me, so it’s nice to be able to reverse the roles and take care of her.”
Bold patterned tile and wallpaper, soothing shades of blue and touches of glamour gave the home just the right atmosphere for Christie and her busy family.
Model and actress Kate Upton, who happens to be Christie’s younger sister, knew that Christie wouldn’t find time to pamper herself, so Upton recently surprised Christie by renovating the couple’s outdated guest bathroom, office area and master bedroom and bathroom in their Melbourne, Florida, home. “Christie’s always been very nurturing to everyone around her, and she’s still like that today,” Upton says. “So all of my memories of her growing up were really her watching over me, so it’s nice to be able to reverse the roles and take care of her.”
Bold patterned tile and wallpaper, soothing shades of blue and touches of glamour gave the home just the right atmosphere for Christie and her busy family.
Kate Upton stands outside her sister’s Florida home, which she remodeled as a gift. “Before” photos by Studio Peck; “after” photos by Kelli Kroneberger
Project at a Glance
Who lives here: Christie Williams, executive director of the Wins for Warriors Foundation and the sister of model and actress Kate Upton; her husband, Matt, who works in real estate development; their daughters, Millie, 5, and Rae, 4 months; and their dog, Rico
Location: Melbourne, Florida
Designer: Andrea Fava of Motivo Home
Watch now: See Kate Upton surprise her sister with a renovation of her Florida home
Project at a Glance
Who lives here: Christie Williams, executive director of the Wins for Warriors Foundation and the sister of model and actress Kate Upton; her husband, Matt, who works in real estate development; their daughters, Millie, 5, and Rae, 4 months; and their dog, Rico
Location: Melbourne, Florida
Designer: Andrea Fava of Motivo Home
Watch now: See Kate Upton surprise her sister with a renovation of her Florida home
The Guest Bathroom
Size: 114 square feet (11 square meters)
Before: Christie and Matt had done a few small projects around the house but were never able to get to the bigger issues. The existing guest bathroom functioned well, but its finishes were outdated for the homeowners’ tastes. Plus, the layout, with the tall shower right at the entrance and the large step-up tub in the corner, wasn’t working for them.
Meanwhile, the only window in the bathroom was filled with opaque glass blocks. Since Matt had built a shed outside the window — the only available location — the opening didn’t offer a view or natural light.
Find a design-build firm near you on Houzz
Size: 114 square feet (11 square meters)
Before: Christie and Matt had done a few small projects around the house but were never able to get to the bigger issues. The existing guest bathroom functioned well, but its finishes were outdated for the homeowners’ tastes. Plus, the layout, with the tall shower right at the entrance and the large step-up tub in the corner, wasn’t working for them.
Meanwhile, the only window in the bathroom was filled with opaque glass blocks. Since Matt had built a shed outside the window — the only available location — the opening didn’t offer a view or natural light.
Find a design-build firm near you on Houzz
After: For help tackling the renovations, Upton searched the Houzz pro directory for design-build firms in the Melbourne area. Motivo Home — run by designer Andrea Fava and her husband, Rik, a builder — stood out to her because the firm had great reviews and a style that was exactly what she knew her sister and family would love.
Fava decided to fill in the impractical window and create a cement tile feature wall. She then reorganized the layout, putting the shower in the back left corner next to a new stand-alone tub. This freed up room for a furniture-style double vanity.
Fava found out that Christie loves shiplap, so she incorporated it on the vanity wall. She then used elongated white porcelain tile for the shower wall to give a shiplap effect that would hold up better in moisture than wood. She used a design trick to enhance the mimicry too. She made wide horizontal grout lines but ultrathin vertical grout lines so that the tiles look like long boards.
Dewey bathtub: Maykke; wall-mounted bathtub filler in chrome: Pelham & White; chrome shower system: Nameeks
Fava decided to fill in the impractical window and create a cement tile feature wall. She then reorganized the layout, putting the shower in the back left corner next to a new stand-alone tub. This freed up room for a furniture-style double vanity.
Fava found out that Christie loves shiplap, so she incorporated it on the vanity wall. She then used elongated white porcelain tile for the shower wall to give a shiplap effect that would hold up better in moisture than wood. She used a design trick to enhance the mimicry too. She made wide horizontal grout lines but ultrathin vertical grout lines so that the tiles look like long boards.
Dewey bathtub: Maykke; wall-mounted bathtub filler in chrome: Pelham & White; chrome shower system: Nameeks
Fava knew that the Williamses wanted a bigger family, so she made sure to fit in a double vanity. (Christie announced at the reveal for the renovation that she was pregnant and has since given birth to daughter Rae.)
Fava bought the wood vanity on Houzz. “It’s a great product,” she says. “The wood is beautiful, and the sinks, hardware and marble countertop were included.”
The floor is porcelain that looks like marble. It’s laid in a herringbone pattern to draw the eye back to the tub and feature wall.
“The bathroom is something I never could have dreamed of,” Christie says.
Chicago double vanity in walnut with Carrara marble countertop: James Martin Furniture; Hub mirrors in black: Umbra; vanity light in polished nickel and clear glass: Capital Lighting Fixture; white pottery accessory set: Nameeks; Myrtus marble amenity tray: Marble Crafter; Eden tree on marble base (set of two): Imax Worldwide Home
Watch now: Don’t miss Christie Williams’ reaction to her newly renovated home
Fava bought the wood vanity on Houzz. “It’s a great product,” she says. “The wood is beautiful, and the sinks, hardware and marble countertop were included.”
The floor is porcelain that looks like marble. It’s laid in a herringbone pattern to draw the eye back to the tub and feature wall.
“The bathroom is something I never could have dreamed of,” Christie says.
Chicago double vanity in walnut with Carrara marble countertop: James Martin Furniture; Hub mirrors in black: Umbra; vanity light in polished nickel and clear glass: Capital Lighting Fixture; white pottery accessory set: Nameeks; Myrtus marble amenity tray: Marble Crafter; Eden tree on marble base (set of two): Imax Worldwide Home
Watch now: Don’t miss Christie Williams’ reaction to her newly renovated home
The Office and Hallway
Size: 145 square feet (13 square meters)
Before: Fava believes that an awkward area near the entrance to the master bedroom was probably the result of a previous addition to the home. “It just wasn’t well-designed,” she says. “I remember walking into the space for the first time and thinking, ‘What is this space supposed to be?’”
Size: 145 square feet (13 square meters)
Before: Fava believes that an awkward area near the entrance to the master bedroom was probably the result of a previous addition to the home. “It just wasn’t well-designed,” she says. “I remember walking into the space for the first time and thinking, ‘What is this space supposed to be?’”
After: Fava transformed the area into an office for Christie, who works from home. She felt that adding stand-alone furniture pieces would have disrupted the pathway to the bedroom, so she had a custom built-in made that maximizes storage and creates a desk area and window bench.
Through conversations with Upton and Matt, Fava learned a lot about Christie’s style, including that she loves the color blue. Fava kept this in mind when adding the blue-and-white wallpaper. “I think every room should have something unexpected or fun,” she says.
Knitted tassel throw in white: Best Home Fashion; cabinet pulls in Crysacrylic and chrome: Hickory Hardware
Through conversations with Upton and Matt, Fava learned a lot about Christie’s style, including that she loves the color blue. Fava kept this in mind when adding the blue-and-white wallpaper. “I think every room should have something unexpected or fun,” she says.
Knitted tassel throw in white: Best Home Fashion; cabinet pulls in Crysacrylic and chrome: Hickory Hardware
Cabinets on the end store a printer, files and other office supplies that help Christie run Wins for Warriors. Floating shelves display framed thank-you letters from veterans she has helped through her organization. “It really just touched my heart,” Christie says.
Picture light in polished nickel: Visual Comfort; Monteith bottles (set of three): Imax Worldwide Home
Picture light in polished nickel: Visual Comfort; Monteith bottles (set of three): Imax Worldwide Home
Before: A hallway connecting to the master bedroom featured a linen closet and a wet bar that weren’t much use to the couple.
After: Fava closed up the closet and the wet bar, using the space to expand the master bathroom on the other side by 3 feet.
She also had the carpet removed and added dark hardwood that matches the flooring in the rest of the home. “This made it feel like a completed home that was always meant to be this way,” she says.
Wall paint: Extra White, Sherwin-Williams
Watch now: See how this renovation project came together
She also had the carpet removed and added dark hardwood that matches the flooring in the rest of the home. “This made it feel like a completed home that was always meant to be this way,” she says.
Wall paint: Extra White, Sherwin-Williams
Watch now: See how this renovation project came together
The Master Bedroom
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Before: A lot of the existing furniture in the master bedroom had belonged to the couple since college or had been handed down over the years, creating a hodgepodge that needed an update.
The couple also needed practical things, such as reading lamps. Christie loves to read in bed and had been using a clip-on light on the headboard.
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Before: A lot of the existing furniture in the master bedroom had belonged to the couple since college or had been handed down over the years, creating a hodgepodge that needed an update.
The couple also needed practical things, such as reading lamps. Christie loves to read in bed and had been using a clip-on light on the headboard.
After: Fava wanted to give the couple the feeling of a relaxing retreat with grown-up style. She started with a canopy bed. “We felt it added a bit of drama and helped elongate the room,” she says.
The chaise gives Christie another reading spot.
Aileen coastal four-poster bed: GreatFurnitureDeal; Braddock benches: Uttermost; Evoke woven rug in gray and ivory: Safavieh; Chaplin upholstered chaise: A.R.T. Furniture; Bali bolster pillow in navy (on chaise): Pillow Perfect; Bryant floor lamp by Thomas O’Brien: Visual Comfort
The chaise gives Christie another reading spot.
Aileen coastal four-poster bed: GreatFurnitureDeal; Braddock benches: Uttermost; Evoke woven rug in gray and ivory: Safavieh; Chaplin upholstered chaise: A.R.T. Furniture; Bali bolster pillow in navy (on chaise): Pillow Perfect; Bryant floor lamp by Thomas O’Brien: Visual Comfort
Blue-and-white wallpaper in a chevron pattern creates an unexpected backdrop for the new furnishings.
Chevron Lines peek-and-stick wallpaper in navy: Accentuwall; Morland adjustable sconces in English bronze: Savoy House; blue-and-white linen pillow covers: PillowFever; juju hat wall accessory in white ivory: Accent Touch; Montego striped jute basket: LR Home
Chevron Lines peek-and-stick wallpaper in navy: Accentuwall; Morland adjustable sconces in English bronze: Savoy House; blue-and-white linen pillow covers: PillowFever; juju hat wall accessory in white ivory: Accent Touch; Montego striped jute basket: LR Home
The nightstands are lacquered navy blue grasscloth. “We made selections to give a more mature feeling with refined materials,” Fava says.
Wall sconces give the couple better reading light.
Watch now: See the latest Houzz TV episode featuring Kate Upton
Wall sconces give the couple better reading light.
Watch now: See the latest Houzz TV episode featuring Kate Upton
The Master Bathroom
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Before: The two sinks in the existing bathroom created an awkward layout that caused the couple to bump into each other.
Fava always looks for a way to create one long undisturbed wall in bathrooms, and getting rid of the wet bar and the linen closet gave her the opportunity.
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Before: The two sinks in the existing bathroom created an awkward layout that caused the couple to bump into each other.
Fava always looks for a way to create one long undisturbed wall in bathrooms, and getting rid of the wet bar and the linen closet gave her the opportunity.
After: The extra square footage allowed her to create a custom double vanity with tower storage in the center. Chandelier lighting and wood-framed mirrors add a bit of glamour. “These are the touches I always wish I had but would never know how to implement them,” Christie says.
Agustin mirrors in light walnut: Uttermost; Clarus crystal chandeliers in chrome: Edvivi; semirecessed fireclay vessel sinks: Foremost; Bronte pulls in polished nickel: Atlas Homewares; Santorini towel stand in chrome: Taymor; vanity paint: Gris, Sherwin-Williams
Agustin mirrors in light walnut: Uttermost; Clarus crystal chandeliers in chrome: Edvivi; semirecessed fireclay vessel sinks: Foremost; Bronte pulls in polished nickel: Atlas Homewares; Santorini towel stand in chrome: Taymor; vanity paint: Gris, Sherwin-Williams
Before: The existing shower had a large glass door frame that structurally didn’t hold up well to the long expanse. The frame had begun to sag, causing the door to push up against the glass frame and emit a loud creaking sound when opened.
After: A sliding barn-style shower door solved the problem, and its exposed track hardware makes a design statement.
Marble tile in a geometric floral pattern covers the back wall and floor. The side walls are rectangular marble laid in a stacked pattern. “We wanted to make sure the shower felt timeless and spa-like,” Fava says. “And you can’t go wrong with real marble.”
Upton’s gift of the newly renovated rooms means that the Williamses can stop fussing with small projects around the house and settle in to putting down roots with their family. “If it’s possible to be closer than sisters, that’s what Kate would be,” Christie says. “To have her thinking through things that she knew I’ve dreamed of since childhood — I’m just so moved.”
Round shower faucet system: Keeney
Watch now: See Kate Upton surprise her sister with a renovation
Get the look: Shop for products from this makeover
Your turn: Find a professional and get started on your own project
Upton’s gift of the newly renovated rooms means that the Williamses can stop fussing with small projects around the house and settle in to putting down roots with their family. “If it’s possible to be closer than sisters, that’s what Kate would be,” Christie says. “To have her thinking through things that she knew I’ve dreamed of since childhood — I’m just so moved.”
Round shower faucet system: Keeney
Watch now: See Kate Upton surprise her sister with a renovation
Get the look: Shop for products from this makeover
Your turn: Find a professional and get started on your own project
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So incredible 🥰
Great decision for home decoration
@ Rosy, yes, i wonder why the bathroom window was taken away. It's such a luxury to have natural light and air in the bathroom. Also, not a fan of the busy wall tiles in the bathroom. But love everything else!