Prairie Creek Project Reveal: Ranch Home Remix
- Tara Lenney
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
THE STORY
Our Prairie Creek clients weren’t strangers; they’d worked with us a few years back on their kids’ bathroom remodel. That smaller project lit a fire. They told us, "We walk past those bathrooms every day and can’t believe they’re ours. Now we want the rest of the house to feel that good."
Happy to help.
That first spark led to a total overhaul of their 1980 ranch style home’s shared spaces - living room, kitchen, dining, laundry, entry, pantry, and den. Oh yeah, and pretty please could we add a bathroom?!
Sure, why not.
I’m convinced that 80’s builders were just doing crafts. The original layout was a choppy, disjointed maze of awkward rooms and outdated finishes. Functionally, it wasn’t working for their family. Aesthetically, well, it was stuck. They were ready for a home that felt fresh, beautiful, and reflective of this next chapter in their lives.
What we loved most? These clients were dream collaborators. They trusted us to do what we do best - reimagine, redesign, and deliver something truly special (and didn't have a panic attack when we said "let's take all the walls out and move them around!"). And now that it’s all said and done? They’re already scheming up Phase 3 with us for the Master Suite. But first...
THE BEFORE
The house is in a great location on a killer lot, with both a pool and creek view, but with an impossible layout. A dark, oddly shaped kitchen cut off from everything. A dining room-slash-hallway that you walked through to get anywhere else but never felt comfortable hanging out in. No bathroom near the pool. A tiny laundry room, barely functional pantry, and a den that was a bit of an afterthought.
THE PLAN
This change is nothing short of alchemy.
Not to toot our own horns too much here, but, toot toot.
The Before was low-key chaotic and not set up for how families live today.
We came in with trace paper and a dream and reworked nearly every wall, taking out as many as we structurally could (and yes, we kept the double-sided fireplace because it’s literally holding up the roof).
The goal was to move their home from disjointed and outdated to fresh, functional, and elevated. We tackled about half of the 3,000 square foot house, including:
Full kitchen and dining remodel
All new furnishings
Powder bath addition for the pool
Laundry and pantry makeover
Cozy den turned teen hangout
We made major architectural changes to reshape the floor plan, then layered in custom cabinetry, smart storage, thoughtful finishes, and elevated furnishings. Form and function at its finest.
THE AFTER
ENTRY
The moment you walk in, everything feels fresh. We removed dated paneling, added new millwork, and brought in furniture, art, and accessories that set the tone for what’s ahead.
DINING
This room had once been not much more than a pass-through with a lot of dead space. We absorbed the "hallway" to allow us to bring the Kitchen forward and connect the two spaces.
We made it cozy, functional, and perfect for everything from family breakfast to holiday hosting. We now have seating for 8 instead of 4-6.
One game changer here was the custom windowpane drapery. It's a touch that makes all the difference in making a space inviting. That, and the soft cushions on the chairs to make them sit-able for hours.
The light fixture was actually one we picked out years ago when we did the kids’ bathrooms (they couldn't abide the old one a single day more!). We relocated it to its forever home here. Proof that good design lasts for years and decades.
KITCHEN
This space was basically sorcery.
We shifted the kitchen just a few feet, but the impact was massive.
New custom cabinetry and light marble countertops with a matching backsplash and ledge frame this amazing cooking nook.
By relocating the door to the garage, we opened up this huuuuuge wall to create a prep and beverage zone complete with refrigerator, microwave, wine fridge and ice maker.
A challenge in the kitchen was working with 8' ceilings in this area (the adjacent rooms have taller ceilings). We worked every trick in the book, with full height cabinetry to the ceiling and hyper specific clear-glass pendant lights to make this space feel taller.
The palette of soft blues, warm light woods, and a few joyful color pops in the rug and art runs through the entire living, kitchen, and dining space. It’s a timeless palette that our clients will enjoy for years and years to come.
PANTRY
Dream pantry status unlocked. What once was a 2' wide closet on the other side of the room, now this Pantry boasts a prep sink, bonus dishwasher, extra counter space for appliances, and a charming plaid tile moment on the floor.
We put this space to work and made it beautiful.
LAUNDRY ROOM
Who says laundry can’t be fun? Well, everyone. But at least it can look fun.
Between the Dallas Toile wallpaper (a nod to where our clients got engaged!) and the custom cabinetry with built-in drying rack, tall storage, a bonus fridge, and a doggy water station with pot filler, this room pulls its weight, in style.
LIVING ROOM
Just a couple of steps down from the Kitchen is our Living Room.
Layout-wise, this space stayed the same, but the update is night and day.
The built-ins and fireplace surround got a complete overhaul. Gone is the dominant brown brick. A soft blue connects the cabinetry to the hue in the kitchen, with open shelving for display and their vintage book collection.
The furniture was totally reimagined (except for the recliner, which stayed per the husband’s firm request. Praise Jesus that it was a good looking one and we didn't have a Frasier's Living Room Situation on our hands).
We used the same curtains as in the dining space to connect the rooms visually.
Bonus points for the vintage rug passed down from the homeowner’s parents. A perfect, unexpected anchor for the palette.
POWDER/POOL BATH
Listen, I get that a Pool Bath could be pretty utilitarian. But why do that when you can do THIS:
This one’s a stunner. We added it from scratch (a sectional used to sit here) to keep wet feet from traipsing through the house, but that didn’t mean dialing anything back.
Zellige tile floors, bold wallpaper, paneled walls, a custom marble vanity with a swooped backsplash, and a lucite + gold mirror moment? Say less.
We went all in. Dog lamp included.
DEN
Before, the Den was open to the Breakfast area, but like, not in a cool way. Now it's behind a closed door so you can binge Netflix to your heart's content.
Designed as a cozy media room/teen hangout, we wrapped everything in tone-on-tone blue, added a performance velvet sectional (that barely fit), a plush creamy rug, and updated the built-ins.
It’s cozy, luxe, and moody in the best way, and the perfect spot to end our tour.
If this tour inspired you and you're now realizing that your home is in need of some more function, more beauty, and a whole lot more flow, we’d love to help you get there. Whether you’re creekside in Texas or anywhere across the country, let’s talk about how we can transform your space into something you’ll love for years to come.
