Before and After: How We Transformed a 1940s House Without a Designer

Isabella Simmons, editor at Remodelista, shared her experience: she moved with her family into a house built in the 1940s and decided to undertake a full renovation. To put it mildly, nothing had been updated for decades, so there was plenty of work to do.

At the time of moving, Isabella had a newborn son and a daughter who was barely four years old. So the task became even more complicated.

Living room interior before renovation

After renovation

When they bought the house, it was in terrible condition: Isabella's husband Brandon's parents even refused to enter the house. Everything was filled with items from previous owners and smelled of mold.

The family hired a team of builders and got to work. Because the kids had no experience, the experiment was not easy and took about a year to complete.

Isabella loves minimalist Scandinavian interiors, so she tried to recreate something similar at home. She painted the walls white and left the floor covering as is. The only issue was the tone — red oak. So she had to bleach the floors three times to achieve the desired color.

The living room was kept open space — it has lots of light thanks to large windows and glass French doors that lead straight into the yard.

Most of the furniture was sanded, repainted, and reupholstered. For example, a steel coffee table was already there; they only removed the top layer of old paint. Decorative items were found at flea markets and antique shops. Some were made by herself: for instance, decorative cushions on the sofa.

In the dining area, they made a small reconfiguration: they removed several partitions and connected the space with the library, living room, and kitchen.

The gilded vintage mirror (you can see it in the photo) Isabella found on sale in Chicago. It was in terrible shape: the bottom had rotted, and it had to be restored. The dining table was also found in one of Chicago’s attics and brought into order. The chandelier above the table was made by herself.

The kitchen was decorated in black-and-white tones, and even the dishes were chosen to match. They preferred open shelves over closed storage systems — they give the interior a sense of airiness.

One of the rooms was turned into a library and fitted with floor-to-ceiling shelves to avoid filling up the space with shelves.

Library interior before renovation

After renovation

In the bedroom, Isabella bought a four-poster bed and asked a carpenter to make a new headboard. Brandon’s mother painted the frame herself. Isabella’s mom sewed curtains, and the window treatments were made from copper pipes.

This is a vintage Swedish sofa made in the 19th century. It fit perfectly into the child's room.

The attic was converted into Brandon’s home office, adding an extra 42 square feet to the living space. They had to work hard and even install large panoramic windows to let in natural light.

Attic interior before renovation

After renovation

The exterior of the house changed: it was clad in siding, a porch overhang was added, the roof was replaced, and outdoor lighting was installed. The yard was also transformed to match the house.

House facade before renovation

After renovation