One of the only things more challenging than taking on home renovation is attempting to also live in the house that you’re working on, but Tara Mangini and Percy Bright have built their careers on doing just that. The co-founders of the Jersey Ice Cream Co. spent years temporarily moving into the houses that they’re renovating, but they recently decided to put their skills to ultimate test by working on a home of their own in Upstate New York.
The pair have been chronicling their live-in renovation experience in the Magnolia Network series, “The Story of Home,” and shared some of the secrets to pulling it off in a recent interview with Apartment Therapy.
For more content like this follow
At this point, it feels weird to be in a house that is not under construction, Mangini shared. “I feel like I’m tiptoeing around and not supposed to get anything dirty,” she said. “Versus the feeling of when it’s under construction, which is this very loose, who cares, spill it, draw on the wall, nothing matters… It’s this really free situation.”
“There’s also the practical benefit of getting to know the house better and getting to change your mind all the time, for better or worse,” Bright said. “[You can alter] your plans as you go, instead of having this detailed design plan that just gets executed by someone else and then you walk back in. Being able to change things up as things progress is huge.”
One of the keys to success is coming up with designated living quarters. “Create these makeshift areas,” Mangini said, recommending a temporary kitchen and living area. “For me, once I can get that up and running, it’s actually pretty easy to get used to that.”
She noted that it’s also important to recognize the exact nature of your renovation: whether it’s a simple paint job or something involving gutting and insulation. “I think there’s some degrees where you should probably get a hotel or Airbnb for a month or something,” she added.
Maintaining mental wellness is another important part of the process. It can be easier to pull off a live-in renovation in the summer, because you have the option to spend time outside of the house, Mangini said. Getting exercise and talking to friends are also simple ways to get out of the headspace of the project. Mangini shared that there’s no straight line and that she and Bright usually have a check-in every six-to-ten weeks where they come up with a new plan and that “it’s just always kind of a new approach.”
“The Story of Home” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Magnolia Network, discovery+, and the Magnolia app.
Kelly Dawson is a media consultant based in Los Angeles. She is a prolific writer for notable publications including Cup of Jo, Vox, AFAR, Dwell, Martha Stewart Living, McSweeney’s and Architectural Digest. Kelly is the three-time guest editor for Refinery29’s “Voices of Disability” series, two-time guest host of “Call Your Girlfriend,” and deputy editor at Apartment Therapy.
Kelly Dawson is a media consultant based in Los Angeles. She is a prolific writer for notable publications including Cup of Jo, Vox, AFAR, Dwell, Martha Stewart Living, McSweeney’s and Architectural Digest. Kelly is the three-time guest editor for Refinery29’s “Voices of Disability” series, two-time guest host of “Call Your Girlfriend,” and deputy editor at Apartment Therapy.
Kelly Dawson is a media consultant based in Los Angeles. She is a prolific writer for notable publications including Cup of Jo, Vox, AFAR, Dwell, Martha Stewart Living, McSweeney’s and Architectural Digest. Kelly is the three-time guest editor for Refinery29’s “Voices of Disability” series, two-time guest host of “Call Your Girlfriend,” and deputy editor at Apartment Therapy.
When Cindy Crawford’s personal trainer-turned-close friend, Sarah, and Sarah’s husband, Rick, announced that they were finally moving into a home of their own after years of renting, Cindy knew exactly how she wanted to give back. In the latest episode of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU,” Cindy called on Drew and Jonathan Scott to help her renovate her friends’ home in the weeks leading up to their move-in date.
For more content like this follow
The biggest renovations took place in the kitchen and family room. The two spaces lacked character, color, and were disconnected by a wall. “The main thing that doesn’t work in this house is that the kitchen is separate from the family room, which I know was the way things used to be, but that is not how families live today,” Cindy said. “It’s about creating an open area where you cook, you hang out, you watch TV.”
The kitchen began as a cramped room with outdated cabinets, countertops, and hardware. While the space had definitely been renovated at some point, the design was still too old for Sarah, Rick, and their family. The overall layout of the kitchen wasn’t conducive to their cooking and hosting needs and required a renovation more in line with the couple’s warm and welcoming lifestyle. A poorly placed laundry room was located off of the kitchen, so Cindy wanted to move it to another spot in the house in order to extend the kitchen into a larger entertaining space.
Jonathan, Drew, and Cindy kicked off the renovation by ripping out the old cabinets and countertops. They demolished the walls between the family room and laundry room, which opened up the space. The team replaced the old cabinets with warm brown wood and installed quartz countertops for a clean and modern look. They also brought in sleek new appliances and a kitchen island, which featured built-in gray bench seating. From there, they brought in a wooden table and four additional chairs, which maximized the number of people that could comfortably dine in the kitchen at the same time.
The team tore up the old flooring and installed medium tone hardwood floors throughout the house. Cindy wanted to pick flooring that was lighter than the original, but dark enough that it wouldn’t show every single dog hair or scuff mark. Later, they painted all of the walls a soft white color. They also switched the large window and door in the kitchen and living room area. “We love reusing what we can so it doesn’t end up in a landfill, and the backdoors and window are in great shape, but for us to maximize the function and flow in this space, swapping them is a must,” Jonathan said.
The family room was in similar shape as the kitchen and was in greatest need of cosmetic updates. After tearing down the wall between the kitchen and living room, Cindy wanted to make the remaining wall into the new focal point of the family room. She opted to have the team extend the wall and build in a trio of arches (along with white shelves and cabinets). They put a large flat-screen TV in the center arch and added various accessories to the others. They also brought in comfortable gray furniture, a small coffee table, and a new rug. “To put in arches and custom bookshelves, it just brought this depth and warmth,” Sarah said. “It just really took my breath away.”
“Celebrity IOU” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV and discovery+.
%2Fmoney-custom-stock-3)
