Saving Etta: 1900 Home Saved from Demolition and restored into a beautiful Triple A construction modern farmhouse.

The “Saving Etta” house was built in 1900 near downtown Raleigh, NC. Despite being listed on the Registry of Historic Places, the house was one step away from being condemned and bulldozed. Not to be deterred, Brittany worked for over a year to save the original house, all while preserving many of the original features. This is a “must see it to believe it” house rehabilitation adventure!

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Saving Etta: Paint Colors + Home Tour Guide

Saving Etta: Paint Colors + Home Tour Guide Now that all the rooms have been revealed in the Saving Etta house, I thought you'd like one post to refer to all the paint colors used inside and outside the home. This will also be a great starting…

Saving Etta: Upstairs Room Reveals

Saving Etta: Upstairs Room Reveals We've come to the end of the Saving Etta room reveals. It's been fun, but it's time to move on to a new project. If you were here for the last Saving Etta reveal, you saw my announcement that I've purchased…
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Saving Etta: Living Room Reveal

Saving Etta: Living Room Reveal I know it's been a while since you received a Saving Etta update. And, there's a good reason for the delay. Not only did I renovate two bathrooms for our local Habitat for Humanity this past week, but I also…
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Saving Etta: Upstairs Bathroom Reveal

Saving Etta: Upstairs Bathroom Reveal Today I'm revealing the last bathroom in the Saving Etta house. This bathroom is a departure from the more modern master bathroom and the shared downstairs bathroom. In the upstairs bathroom, I pushed the…
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Saving Etta: Downstairs Shared Bathroom Reveal

Saving Etta: Downstairs Shared Bathroom Reveal The downstairs shared bathroom in the Saving Etta house was designed to function as an en suite bathroom to one of the bedrooms, but also to have a second door opening to the main hallway for guests…
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How to Install Privacy Film on Windows

How to Install Privacy Film on Windows Do you have a window in your house that puts you on full display? Or maybe your neighbor’s house is very close to your’s and you feel like they can see in your window (especially a bathroom or bedroom…
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Saving Etta: Master Bathroom Reveal

Saving Etta: Master Bathroom Reveal This is a master bathroom reveal I've been dying to share with you. The master bathroom in the Saving Etta house acted as a room I could experiment in and test some ideas for my own personal bathroom (that…
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Saving Etta: Revealing the Downstairs Bedrooms

Saving Etta: Revealing the Downstairs Bedrooms I'm thrilled to be able to reveal the downstairs bedrooms to you today. If there were two rooms that get me emotional in the Saving Etta house, it would be these two front bedrooms. They make…
How to Build Reclaimed Wood Barn Door
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How to Build a Reclaimed Wood Sliding Barn Door

Earlier this week when I showed you the master bedroom in the Saving Etta house, you probably noticed the sliding barn door. I am in love with that door and especially excited that I was able to salvage the old beadboard and repurpose it…

Saving Etta: Master Bedroom Reveal

Saving Etta: Master Bedroom Reveal I'm so happy with how the Saving Etta Master Bedroom looks and can't wait to show you the reveal. As you can probably tell, I took a bit of a risk with the paint color in this room and I'm so glad I did. Before…
Saving Etta: Mudroom Reveal Tour and Sources
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Saving Etta: Mudroom Reveal

Saving Etta: Mudroom Reveal Is it bizarre to say that the Saving Etta mudroom might be one of the favorite spots in the Saving Etta house? I'm not sure if it's because this room has so many salvaged items. Or maybe it's because this space gets…
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How to Drill New Door Knob Holes

How to Drill New Holes for Door Knobs Every once in a while, you might find yourself with a new (or old) door that needs a hole drilled into it for a door knob (or a deadbolt). Today I have the perfect tutorial to ease your mind and help you…
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How to Fix Cracks in Door Panels without Taking the Door Apart

How to Fix Cracks in Door Panels without Taking the Door Apart Wooden doors will develop cracks over time, especially if the panels aren't free to expand and contract. Most of the time, years of paint or caulking the seams around the panels…
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Saving Etta: The Long Awaited Kitchen Reveal

Saving Etta: The Long Awaited Kitchen Reveal Thank you all so much for your patience with me as I put together the final Saving Etta updates. I have more to come, but for now I know you're anxious to see the Saving Etta kitchen reveal. Get…
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Saving Etta: Installing the Tile Backsplash & a Mistake I’ll Never Make Again

Saving Etta: Installing the Tile Backsplash & a Mistake I'll Never Make Again Last week you got to see how the range hood was installed (and how I averted disaster during the installation.) Today I'm sharing more kitchen updates. We're…
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Saving Etta: Kitchen Update & Installing the Range Hood

Saving Etta: Kitchen Update & Installing the Range Hood This kitchen was a big deal for me. It was one of those projects I knew would make or break this house. It was also the first time I've taken the reins on kitchen design and installed…
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Saving Etta: Laundry Room Update and a No Hands Light Switch

Saving Etta: Laundry Room Update and a No Hands Light Switch About that Saving Etta laundry room, did you get a peek last week? If you missed it, I showed you how I installed the cement tile floor. We can all agree, the star of the laundry…
Avington Black & White Cement Tiles from TheBuilderDepot.com
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How to Install Cement Tiles and Achieve Professional Results

How to Install Cement Tiles and Achieve Professional Results If you've been browsing Pinterest lately or flipping through the pages of your favorite home design magazine, you've probably seen (and likely fallen in love with) real cement tiles.…
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How to Build a Window Pane Lattice Privacy Fence and Gate

How to Build a Window Pane Lattice Privacy Fence and Gate I should probably re-name this post How to Build a Window Pane Lattice Semi-Privacy Fence. But, honestly it's only semi-private because the lots in downtown Raleigh are so close together…
saving etta front view seeded and straw
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Saving Etta: Front Yard Transformation

Saving Etta: Front Yard Transformation & Tips for Saving Money on Landscaping I hope you enjoyed the backyard transformation I shared on Monday. Like the backyard, the front has taken on quite the transformation of its own. One of the first…
adirondack chairs around fire pit on old shed concrete pad
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Saving Etta Update: The Backyard Transformation

Saving Etta Update: The Backyard Transformation This has to be one of the biggest transformations (besides the demolition and framing) at the Saving Etta project! The backyard was an unruly mess of vines, overgrown shrubs, and weeds. I resisted…
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How to Build Flat Sawn Baluster Railings

Get ready for the tutorial I've been anxious to share with you. Ever since completing the Saving Etta front porch project, I find myself taking breaks to glance out the window at these gorgeous flat sawn baluster railings. Now I get to teach…
iphone charging by bedside usb charging outlet
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How to Install a USB Charging Outlet

Learn how you can make simple electrical upgrades to your home. Today I'll show you how to install an outlet that charges your USB devices and powers your appliances at the same time. How to Install a USB Charging Outlet I'm so excited…
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Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install Oh my goodness, I just realized I never shared the Saving Etta kitchen mood board with you! Well, I guess it's a bit late for this, but here you go: Inspiration Sources: Kitchen Design…
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Saving Etta: Why I Couldn’t Save the Original 1900 Floors

Saving Etta: Why I Couldn't Save the Original 1900 Wood Floors The day I realized I couldn't save Etta's original wood floors was one of the roughest days during the demolition phase. By then we discovered that most of the flooring in the north…
The Builder Depot Carrara Venato Hexagon Nero Strip Marble Mosaic Tile installed on bathroom floor
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Saving Etta: Floor Tile Update

Saving Etta: Tile Flooring Update Welcome back to another Saving Etta update! If you're just joining, this is another progress report on my efforts to save a house built in 1900. The finish line is looming close, so be on the lookout for…

You’re Invited to the Saving Etta Open House

You're Invited to the Saving Etta Open House Do you live near Raleigh, North Carolina? If so, I'd love to invite you to the live open house tour of the Saving Etta project. Yes, I know, I need to get you all caught up on the progression…
Hi-abuse purple drywall
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Saving Etta: Drywall Update + Reducing Sound in the Master Bedroom

Saving Etta: Drywall Update + Reducing Sound in the Master Bedroom One of the biggest progress milestones (besides the framing stage) in building a house happens at the drywall installation. This is the point where the structure starts to…
Off white farmhouse exterior house color, green door
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Saving Etta: Exterior Paint Choices

I'm so excited to show off the colors I chose for Etta's exterior! However, I'm equally excited to share with you a new paint line from Magnolia Paint by KILZ. (This post is a sponsored post for Magnolia Home Paint by KILZ.)  When KILZ…
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Saving Etta: Side Porch Update

Saving Etta: Side Porch Update While there was a lot of progress on the exterior of the house, the side porch was built after the interior walls were framed and shortly before the exterior siding was put on. Truth be told, the side porch…

Saving Etta: Exterior Progress Update

Saving Etta: Exterior Progress Update Things moved quickly on the Saving Etta Project after the framing was completed. It was a mad rush to get the house dried in. All the rain we had while digging the foundation continued after the framing…

Saving Etta: Framing Progress

Saving Etta: Framing Progress Last week I shared the demolition process at Saving Etta. After getting over the initial shock of being left with nothing but studs and a wonky foundation under the original house, I pulled on my boots (rain…

Saving Etta: Demolition Update

Saving Etta: Demolition Update Thank you so much for your comments on my last Saving Etta chapter. I might have mislead many of you into believing I wasn't going to give you updates on the project. I will definitely be sharing updates and…
Old newspaper

Saving Etta: Chapter 20: Just Like Me

Saving Etta: Chapter 20 – Just Like Me This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…
How to Install a New Window
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How to Install a New Window

Installing new windows on your home isn’t rocket science, but it is recommended that you have some construction experience before tackling this project. If you have the skills, the install should only take an hour or less. Today I'll show…
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Do You Need New Windows? Things to Consider Before You Buy

You've decided it's time to replace your windows (or you are building a house and need to order new windows.) Deciding which windows to purchase can be an overwhelming process. I'm here to help. Do You Need New Windows? Things to Consider Before…

Saving Etta: Chapter 19: Peeling Back the Layers

Saving Etta: Chapter 19 – Peeling Back the Layers This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home…
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Downstairs Bathroom Plans at Saving Etta

Downstairs Bathroom Plans at Saving Etta Thank you so much for your feedback and comments on the master bathroom mood board for Saving Etta. While preparing for the plumbing, I had to start picking out all the fixtures. If you've been following…
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Master Bathroom Design Plans for Saving Etta

Master Bathroom Design Plans It's hard to believe I need to start thinking about all the materials and fixtures I'm using inside the master bathroom of my flip house. We are just finishing up framing this week and I have my plumber and HVAC…

Saving Etta: Chapter 18: The Plumber

Saving Etta: Chapter 18 – Good Neighbors This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…

Saving Etta: Chapter 17: Good Neighbors

Saving Etta: Chapter 17 – Good Neighbors This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…
bead board peeking through drywall hole

Saving Etta: Chapter 16 – More Surprises

Saving Etta: Chapter 16 – More Surprises This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…
Lifting felt paper

Saving Etta: Chapter 15 – What Lies Beneath

Saving Etta: Chapter 15 – What Lies Beneath This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from…
ettas backyard dumpster and port a potty

Saving Etta – Chapter 14 – Etta’s Yard

Saving Etta: Chapter 14 - This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed. I…

Saving Etta: Chapter 13: The Truth

Saving Etta: Chapter 13 - The Truth This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed.…
Saving Etta - wallpaper & beadboard

Saving Etta: Chapter 12: Discoveries

Saving Etta: Chapter 12 – Discoveries This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…
kitchen with cabinets

Saving Etta: Chapter 11 – The Final Haul

Saving Etta: Chapter 11 - The Final Haul This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…

Saving Etta: Chapter 10: The Freezer

Saving Etta: Chapter 10: The Freezer This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from…
Saving Etta - One Woman's Journey to Save a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 9: Life Changing Moments

Saving Etta: Chapter 9: Life Changing Moments This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being…

Saving Etta: Chapter 8: Old Trucks and Old Houses

Saving Etta: Chapter 8: Old Trucks and Old Houses This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from…
Free Black Chandelier

Saving Etta: Chapter 7: The Chandelier

Saving Etta: Chapter 7: The Chandelier This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed.…
Saving Etta - The Story of Saving a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 6: Mold and More

This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed. I hope you’ll follow along…
Saving Etta - The Story of Saving a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 5: The Inspection

This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed. I hope you’ll follow along…

Saving Etta: Chapter 4: The Door

Saving Etta: Chapter 4: The Door This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed.…
Saving Etta - One Woman's Journey to Save a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 3: The Offer

This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed. I hope you’ll follow along…
Saving Etta - The Story of Saving a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 2: The Vision

Saving Etta: Chapter 2: The Vision This is the true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It’s also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home from being bulldozed.…
Saving Etta - The Story of Saving a House Built in 1900 | Pretty Handy Girl

Saving Etta: Chapter 1: At First Glance

Saving Etta: Chapter 1: At First Glance This is the beginning of a true story about a house built in 1900 that is in serious disrepair. It's also the story about my journey toward becoming a general contractor and my attempt to save a home…