Reimagining the Everyday Ranch
Sussex was a modest 1970s ranch in a highly desirable neighborhood, and from the start, the vision was clear: create a home that felt warm, functional, and inviting without overcomplicating the footprint.
Our approach to Sussex
When we first pulled up to Sussex, I knew right away it was a home with a lot of potential. It was a small 1970s ranch in a great neighborhood, and those are always appealing, especially for first-time buyers or retirees.
The biggest challenge here was the layout. I didn’t want to fully gut or open everything up, so the question became: how do we make this feel bigger and more functional without knocking down walls? That’s where the kitchen came in. I really wanted it to be the focal point of the home, so we focused on making it more usable and inviting. We added a breakfast nook with built-in storage, which helped solve the lack of pantry space and gave it a cozy place to gather.
This house was very dated when we got it: stained carpets, strong odors, just a lot of wear. But instead of going with the typical gray and white that everyone was doing, I wanted it to feel warmer. We brought in greens, softer tones, and flipped the way we used wall color by putting it on the trim and doors instead of the walls.
The backyard ended up being a big part of this one too. It was completely overgrown when we started, so we built a large patio and really imagined someone actually living out there and enjoying the space. This one taught us a lot and it’s still one I’m really proud of.
— Ashley
