We’ve shown this beautiful back porch on Instagram a couple of times—during the holidays and last summer—and it belongs to our friends Carey and Jordan. Given how many of you loved that view, we decided to do a full House Crash to share more of their charming home. They also had practical tips about what holds up well with kids and dogs (and what they wouldn’t do again), which was especially helpful as we consider bathroom renovations. Now, let’s begin the tour.
Similar: storm door / black sconces / string lights
Carey and Jordan used to live right behind us—Carey was even one of the first neighbors to introduce herself with a giant plate of cookies. They recently moved to a larger house in the same neighborhood to better suit their family of five. Jordan runs a renovation company in Richmond, so it’s no surprise their home received thoughtful updates. The old garage at the back was converted into a downstairs master bedroom to accommodate visiting grandparents, and Jordan designed a new detached garage nearby with a second-floor office for his business.
The transformation is dramatic. When they bought the house the porch and rear area looked quite different; the before-and-after changes are really striking.
From the street the exterior appears familiar, but the details make a big difference. They beefed up the porch columns, added dentil molding along the roofline, and replaced double doors with a single door and sidelights to let in more light. The porch ceiling is painted Crystal Springs by Benjamin Moore and the front door is Poppy by Benjamin Moore. The white siding is the stock Arctic White from Hardiplank. (Those pumpkins were just seasonal decor for fall photos.)
Similar: black planters / door knocker / lantern sconces
The detached garage anchors the outdoor patio area that you see from the back door. Jordan is a trained landscape architect and Carey studied urban planning, so they carefully incorporated planting pockets into the paver patio for greenery and flow, and added string lighting to create a cozy outdoor room.
Similar: string lights / black sconce / lantern sconces
The back door is the family’s most used entrance and opens into a large mudroom with a cubby nook for each of their three elementary-aged kids—perfect for boots, backpacks, and seasonal gear. The space naturally fills up during colder months, but on unseasonably warm days it looks tidy and airy.
Similar: rug / round baskets / hooks / rectangle baskets
The mudroom leads into an open kitchen and family room. The previous owners had already added the family room, so Carey and Jordan focused on making the kitchen more functional for daily life. One of the clever moves was reusing the original cabinetry while updating and reconfiguring where needed. They actually found the original cabinetmaker’s contact information inside a drawer and hired him to match new pieces to the old ones—so the cabinets look cohesive despite being a mix of vintage and new.
Kitchen highlights: stools / rug / faucet / pendants / stainless steel appliances
They shifted the island overhang to one side to seat more people and improve the path around the refrigerator. Dark countertops were replaced with a lighter, durable granite, and black appliances were swapped for stainless steel to brighten the room. Jordan prefers not to waste, so he sold replaced items—appliances and windows—to people who could reuse them instead of discarding them.
Similar: stools / pendants / mixer / jars
Over the stove they added a herringbone tile accent and an impressive custom hood built by the original cabinetmaker. The thick corbels and substantial hood create a strong focal point and blend the old and new craftsmanship beautifully.
Kitchen details: stove / kettle / mixer / knives / cabinet knobs
The bright kitchen opens to the dining room, which features wainscoting topped with a moody green-teal paint (Rookwood Sash by Sherwin-Williams). Carey mixed secondhand finds and accessible pieces from stores like Pottery Barn and Target to create a mature yet relaxed dining area that works well for their family. The wool rug’s faded, weathered look makes it resilient around kids and food.
Dining room: china cabinet / rug / cabinet pulls / knobs / microwave
The adjacent formal living room was pulled together mostly from pieces Carey already owned. She repurposed items from around the house and painted one dresser to match the room’s palette. The result feels intentional and fresh without a large budget—proof that thoughtful reworking of existing pieces can yield a polished space.
Living room accents: acrylic console / gold lamp / mirror / rug / accent chair
Throughout the house Carey has added lots of live plants—she’s clearly the plant whisperer—and they bring energy and life to the rooms. Built-ins are being gradually filled with books, and small brass hardware ties into wooden plant stands for a cohesive, layered look.
Accents: plant stand / brass knobs / frames
Carey and Jordan weren’t afraid to experiment with wallpaper in small spaces—an economical way to introduce personality. The downstairs powder room features a bold pattern that reads as a focused design choice, and an upstairs hall bath shared by two kids uses a graphic chevron wallpaper, striking a playful yet grown-up balance. Carey reports the wallpaper has held up well in bathrooms—no peeling from showers or kids’ activity—though she hesitates to put nails in it for fear of permanent holes.
Powder room: wallpaper / toilet / buffalo print / foyer rug
One practical tip Carey shared: while marble floors are beautiful, they can mark or stain from spills—even bathroom spills like toothpaste—so if she could do it again she might choose an alternative. In bathrooms where they used remnant quartz counters, those surfaces have been much more forgiving and stain-resistant, which is helpful with kids.
The old master bedroom footprint—where the garage used to be—became a wonderful new master suite. The master bath includes a soaking tub, a bright walk-in shower, and a basketweave accent tile that creates a spa-like focal point. Jordan confirms the tub gets regular use, and Carey enjoys it almost daily.
Master bath: cast iron soaker tub / basketweave accent tile / main floor tile / vanity / tub faucet
Carey and Jordan’s home is full of thoughtful choices—practical updates, considered design, and clever reuse of materials. They’re talented renovators and generous friends who let us take these photos while our kids played in their backyard. Their house is a great example of balancing style, functionality, and family life.
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