100-Year-Old Home’s Renovation Inspires DIY Ideas for Homeowners

When Elizabeth and Brian Burns inherited a home from 1901, located in a quaint town in North Carolina, they were excited to transform it into their dream house. They pictured themselves knocking down a few walls and giving it a fresh coat of paint. “We had watched way too much HGTV. We thought, we’ll just refinish the floors and paint the walls—it’ll be easy,” she says. “That was not the case, unfortunately. We thought we were a lot handier than we actually were.”

With the guidance of Jake Angi, a trusted contractor and friend, the Burns family encountered numerous surprises hidden within the walls. While some discoveries were disheartening—like severe termite damage and outdated plumbing and electrical systems—others brought delight. They were thrilled to find that the beaded board ceilings and the oak floors in two rooms could be saved. Some treasures unearthed on the property were repurposed into the design, adding antique charm to their renovated home.

Originally, the steps to Elizabeth and Brian’s porch descended along the side. “We moved them to the front to make it more welcoming,” Elizabeth says. They cleverly designed the new staircase to match the gap in the existing posts, which meant no adjustments or replacements were necessary for the front posts.

With a tight budget in mind, Brian and Elizabeth took on most of the kitchen installation themselves, choosing stock cabinets and laminate countertops. They swapped out the aluminum windows for vintage wood windows they sourced from Craigslist, creating a cohesive look throughout the house.

Originally part of the house’s design, an old swinging door found new use as a sliding door to separate the kitchen from the pantry and coffee bar. Now mounted on a rail, it cleverly saves floor space.

The backsplash tiles, which Elizabeth and Brian installed themselves, were a discontinued product they found on closeout at a home improvement store. They purchased all available stock from two locations to cover both the backsplash and a shower stall (not shown). “We figured out the cost, and it was 6 cents a tile,” Elizabeth says. “We did the whole backsplash for, like, $2.”

Next to the microwave, a narrow space was unsuitable for an upper cabinet, so they crafted two shelves from scrap wood to store seasonings. The countertops have a marble look but are actually laminate, which is a spill-proof and budget-friendly stone alternative. Plus, they’re easy to install.

The stainless-steel appliances, including the dishwasher, range, microwave, wine refrigerator, and regular fridge, were all sourced from Lowe’s. To minimize costs, the Burns family waited for a sale—holiday deals can offer up to 30 to 40 percent off—and placed the purchases on a store credit card, saving an extra 5 percent.

A weathered board from a backyard shed was repurposed into three shelves, mounted on the wall with iron brackets to offer simple open storage.

Previously concealed beneath wood paneling, the brick fireplace and chimney were nearly overlooked. However, when the wall between the relocated kitchen and dining room was removed, the fireplace—with its antique brick charm—became the intended focal point.

The dining room’s tall ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows presented a challenge: “They do not make standard curtains that long, and I did not want to pay for custom,” Elizabeth says. Her clever (and no-sew) solution involved using plain polyester tablecloths from Amazon, purchased for just $5 each. A quick dryer cycle removed the wrinkles, and she hung the panels on metal rods using curtain clips.

The living room remained in its original position at the front of the house. A few elements, like the French doors—which elegantly open into the office—and the oak floors, were able to be preserved.

Unfortunately, the fireplace was non-functional due to the crumbled chimney outside, but the mantel retains its charm. The bricks are actually veneer, a lightweight material glued to drywall with construction adhesive. Elizabeth whitewashed the original red bricks and black “mortar” lines, then placed an electric heater in the firebox to create a cozy glow.

Both Brian and Elizabeth occasionally work from home, so they arranged a clever T-shaped configuration of three identical tables to accommodate them. These tables, once scattered throughout the house, were originally crafted by Brian’s grandfather decades ago. Elizabeth rejuvenated the tables with stain on the tops and paint on the legs. Some black chalkboard paint coats turned thrift store paintings into creative wall-mounted work surfaces.

Termites had destroyed much of the home’s structural supports and woodwork, but some valuable pieces, like the oak floors in the office and living room, were salvageable. Elizabeth and Brian relied on their contractor to skillfully match the old flooring with new materials—a tricky task. “We love how it turned out,” Elizabeth says.

In the office, a carefully arranged collection of art showcases personal and eclectic finds, including a pet silhouette, an old Hollywood thank-you note, and a wooden monogram, among others.

Once the kitchen, the primary bedroom underwent a complete transformation, rebuilt “from the ground up, with new floors, new joists—everything,” Elizabeth says.  Elizabeth shares. One feature that transitioned from kitchen to bedroom was the beaded board ceiling. “They had a lot of grease and smoke on them,” Elizabeth says. “It took five coats of primer, but I finally got them white.”

The couple designed a faux fireplace using a vintage mantel they refinished. Although it doesn’t actually light up, it visually warms the room. Elizabeth applied leftover chalkboard paint to create a “brick” surround, with chalk lines mimicking mortar. Inside the firebox, a pair of iron curtain tiebacks hold logs from a fallen oak limb. These logs are adorned with battery-operated string lights, offering the appearance of a welcoming, crackling fire!