Recent work · Provo

A whole-home renovation in Provo's river bottoms

An eighties home taken down to the studs and rebuilt with a high-end look on a real budget. Traditional in the front, modern in the back, ten foot ceilings throughout, and no basement, because the river bottoms will not allow one. Here is the before and after, and the thinking behind it.

The renovated great room opened to a full glass wall framing the mountains

Oak cabinets, teal counters, and a cramped galley kitchen before the renovation — Before

An open chef kitchen with a Taj Mahal leather island, black cabinets, and white oak — After

The old oak and teal kitchen became an open chef kitchen. Danny kept stock cabinets and spent the money where it shows: the leather stone island and quality appliances. He used two cafe fridges built in and inset instead of one fifteen thousand dollar unit. A basic kitchen, designed really well.

A vaulted living room with green carpet and a dated fireplace before the renovation — Before

The same great room after, opened to a full glass wall framing the mountains — After

The vaulted living room lost its green carpet and gained a full glass wall to the mountains. Windows are where Danny spends first. They are the single biggest change you can make to a house, and neighbors stop to ask about them.

A dining area with oak trim, floral wallpaper, and green carpet before the renovation — Before

A dining room after, with a white brick wall, a statement chandelier, and mountain views — After

Wallpaper and oak gave way to a white brick veneer wall, a statement light, and big windows that frame the view instead of hiding it.

A primary bedroom with green carpet and a mattress on the floor before the renovation — Before

A calm, neutral primary bedroom after the renovation, with wood floors and soft light — After

A neutral palette that will still look current in fifteen years. The color is carried by the furniture, which is easy to change, not by the walls.

A primary bathroom with an oak vanity and a brass shower before the renovation — Before

A primary bath after, with a freestanding tub and a chevron wood ceiling — After

The brass and oak bath became a calm suite with a freestanding tub and a wood ceiling. Large format tile means fewer grout lines to scrub.

A carpeted loft with a sloped ceiling and green carpet before the renovation — Before

A bright bonus room after, with a vaulted ceiling, step lighting, and mountain views — After

With no basement on a river bottom lot, Danny added space by going up. He filled old vaults and raised the roof to reclaim usable square footage, and the room became the family favorite.

The thinking behind it

Where the money went, and where it did not

Danny builds to one rule: spend on the things you cannot change later, and save on the things you can. On this house that meant the windows, the countertops, and quality appliances got the budget. The cabinets were kept basic and dressed up with a few real white oak accents.

A slat wall that would have cost three to four thousand dollars in solid white oak was done for a few hundred, by shaving real oak down to a sixteenth of an inch and cutting it into strips. A plaster look that runs three thousand dollars was matched for about five hundred, with drywall mud mixed into paint and troweled on. When the old kitchen outlets left holes in a four thousand dollar stone slab, Danny turned them into pendant lights that are now the favorite feature in the room. That is renovation: things go sideways, and a builder with enough experience turns them into the best part of the house.

More on the decisions from this project: where to spend and save, why windows come first, and the budget tricks.

The rest of the house

The living room with a linear fireplace and built ins

A white oak floating staircase with a glass rail

A black fireplace and media wall with wood built ins

A sitting area framing the mountain view

A moody bedroom with a dark geometric accent wall

A small moody office with a dark wall and wood accent

A bathroom with a black double vanity and marble counter

The upper landing and hallway with a wood railing

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