My Houzz: Stripping Down Uncovers a 1910 Bungalow's Beauty
A first-time homeowner brings out the charm and coziness in her Utah home through determination and patience
The hundred-year-old bungalow Melissa Glover bought had seen better days. Layer upon layer of numerous remodels had left the home a messy mix of styles. But its best days were yet to come.
As a first-time homeowner, Glover poured her heart, soul and even some concrete into making her home beautiful again. She did this mostly by stripping away rather than adding on. The built-in dining room hutch sums up the remodel. "I found this and originally wanted to knock it out, it was so disgusting," says Glover, who's a brand and relations coordinator for JayBird Sport. "Every inch was covered in 10 to 15 layers of paint, including the hardware. But with patience and a lot of chemical stripper, I uncovered a real gem — original beadboard hiding behind cardboard and '70s-era mirrors. It has original glass too."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Melissa Glover and her cats, Lucy and Ethel
Location: Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
As a first-time homeowner, Glover poured her heart, soul and even some concrete into making her home beautiful again. She did this mostly by stripping away rather than adding on. The built-in dining room hutch sums up the remodel. "I found this and originally wanted to knock it out, it was so disgusting," says Glover, who's a brand and relations coordinator for JayBird Sport. "Every inch was covered in 10 to 15 layers of paint, including the hardware. But with patience and a lot of chemical stripper, I uncovered a real gem — original beadboard hiding behind cardboard and '70s-era mirrors. It has original glass too."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Melissa Glover and her cats, Lucy and Ethel
Location: Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
At one point the heating system of the house was installed where the living room fireplace was, making it unusable. She added a faux brick fireplace between the built-in bookcases to create a charming focal point.
Brick facade fireplace: Brick Design; wall paint: Perfect Taupe, Behr, Home Depot
Brick facade fireplace: Brick Design; wall paint: Perfect Taupe, Behr, Home Depot
Glover installed dimmers throughout the house to create ambience.
She had to get creative with furniture placement to open the space up. "I moved the dining room light from the center of the room towards the windows to create a natural path to the kitchen," she says.
Dining table: Tai Pan Trading; chairs: 1934 Dining Chair, Sundance Catalog; dining pendant: Lights Up!, Lofgren’s
Dining table: Tai Pan Trading; chairs: 1934 Dining Chair, Sundance Catalog; dining pendant: Lights Up!, Lofgren’s
One of Glover's favorite spots inside her home is the dining room. She loves to sit at the dining table around sunset when the light comes through the four large windows and spills across the floor and onto the old hutch.
Glover takes pride in tackling a furniture project, stripping the piece down to the original layer and restoring it, instead of just covering up what the last owner installed. The dining room hutch is a prime example.
Antler: European Antiques; hardware: Restoration Hardware
Antler: European Antiques; hardware: Restoration Hardware
Glover installed tile in the kitchen and new lights. She also purchased a kitchen island to add more counter space and storage.
Kitchen counter lights: Sundance Catalog; kitchen light: Pottery Barn; "Vogue" art: flea market; backsplash: Overstock.com; island: Ikea
Kitchen counter lights: Sundance Catalog; kitchen light: Pottery Barn; "Vogue" art: flea market; backsplash: Overstock.com; island: Ikea
Glover and her former husband installed the lantern-tile backsplash in the kitchen for a clean, modern look that blends well with the traditional style of the home.
Glover is currently restoring the metal and wood railing on the front porch. "It’s pretty overwhelming," she says.
"Sugar House is a great part of Salt Lake City," Glover says. "Coffee shops, bars, restaurants, shopping, parks and grocery stores are all within walking distance, and the neighborhood really comes alive in the warmer months."
"Most of the work I’ve done is in the garden. When I found the house, the yard was absolutely horrible," she says. "Full of dead trees and a chain link fence with a crumbling concrete retaining wall. It took a lot of determination for me to get it to the state it’s in now, and I’m really proud of that. I had a custom concrete patio poured as well as a driveway, shed, pergola and custom cedar fence installed."
Picnic table: Sundance Catalog; lights: Amazon
Glover created custom plant markers with small pieces of wood by painting them and then stenciling the name of the plant on them. All of the plants came from her dad's nursery.
Her garden is her prized possession. It's the thing she will remember most about her first home.
"There is no better feeling than spending time cultivating a vegetable garden on soil that you can call your own," she says.
Her garden is her prized possession. It's the thing she will remember most about her first home.
"There is no better feeling than spending time cultivating a vegetable garden on soil that you can call your own," she says.
Ceiling fan: Acero, Amazon; couch: Lofgren’s; couch pillows: vintage French grain sack, Restoration Hardware; coffee tables: Overstock.com; rug: Lappljung Ruta, Ikea; curtains: Ikea; curtain rods: Pottery Barn