C.J. Braden • 4 Minute Read
Rising from Pain in a Ranch Renovation
Images courtesy of The Man Of Nine Lives Jr.
The gift of time is truly the best gift you can give. This is a dedication article to my dear friend and his mom and how they rose from pain to make great things happen during a home renovation.
A life purpose for us all to incorporate into our lives
My friend and his family experienced a great loss in recent years. The loss was of a very strong man, a father and a husband, who worked hard to provide for his family. He worked so hard, in fact, that his own home, which is a lovely ranch with some very unique features like solid wood beams and a rounded fireplace, became neglected over the years.
The ranch room gutted and ready for remodel
The father, AKA “The Man of Nine Lives”, worked very hard at several jobs to provide for his family and the mother was a loving, caring and dedicated woman, making sure the kids had someone to listen and support them when needed. They had three children that grew up to be great parents themselves, which is always what you hope for in raising children and it’s definitely what the world needs more of.
Visualizing a project is one of the first steps in a renovation
When you have a large family and work hard, a house can easily become neglected, especially if you don’t have a lot of extra money to hire people to help you. Also, the latest fashion and design oftentimes becomes less important than taking care of each other.
Replacing floor boards by back door
My friend not only lost his dad in recent years, but had other great losses like the loss of his amazing and loving dog, he lost part of his hearing, and he lost his job from a company he was faithful to for many years. These all seemed to hit hard and fast, making him not feel so great. When you have so many losses so quickly, it’s hard to not have a lot of questions and big conversations with God. I think God listens better than anyone and he had some answers for my friend.
Replaced flooring by back door
One thing that he heard from God was to use his talents to be of help to people in need, and one just so happened to be his mom. I always think if you can take your pain and turn it into something beautiful, you and many others are better off. So many individuals turn to unhealthy concepts like drinking too much, drugs, anger and violence when they are in pain. The symbolism of the great phoenix, rising from ashes, is a much better way to approach these situations and here is how he did it.
Patio door installation
In knowing his mom was living in a home that needed severe repairs, my friend opted to dedicate his time in between a new job search (which is a job itself) taking care of his family, helping friends (like my husband and myself), taking care of his own health (he started a new exercise routine which is an amazing way to battle stress, according to many doctors) to starting to clean, organize and return the home to a wonderful and healthy environment.
Farmhouse DIY door trim
As far as expenses for the project, my friend is a DIY-er like my husband and myself. We all try to do what we can ourselves to save money. His mom covered the costs, and also was able to pay him a stipend, which helped him out. He has three kids, a wife, food expenses and a mortgage and having a little extra to help make ends meet is always helpful. When a dual-income house is no longer flowing fully from two job sources, it can be hard to cope with. I had to deal with this concept when I first quit my job to start my own creative business, this website.
DIY-ing is never beautiful in the beginning
My grandma, my husband and I made the same “payment arrangement” when we were first starting out in our twenties. We arranged with her to do all her grocery shopping, home maintenance and help her pay bills (we wrote her checks and sent payments monthly as my accountant grandfather did this before he passed away and she always hated doing it), and she helped us cover a portion of our monthly rent so we could have a nice home to rent instead of a three room apartment. When we got married, she even helped us buy a home, which would have taken us many years to do on our own. We were grateful for this and I think many families should help each other in this way if they can.
Unique rounded fireplace design
Getting his mom on board with change took some time, as this is common in many family homes where there is a connection to someone that has passed away. When you are prepping someone for big changes, practice patience and use caring words of love. Calmly explain to them why the changes are needed. A cluttered home becomes a health and a fall-risk concern, especially for mature adults. A friend of mine had to have all his home belongings reorganized and cleaned up after a fall he had in early 2022. He spent five months recovering from a broken leg after this event and never fully recovered. He passed away recently and I miss him every day.
Prevent falls by utilizing our dual handrail idea below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
Using heat safe paint for a fireplace interior
In knowing a clean home environment is necessary for healthy living, he started with this, hiring people to clean the garage. Garages tend to be places that get overloaded with lots of “stuff”, so this was a great place to start and it was so full, that professional help was the best approach. They also had the garage door replaced with a newer, more modern one. Changing out a garage door is helpful for curb-appeal too.
Rounded fireplace painted white
Next, he moved on to start renovating a living room space so his mom would have a beautiful place to relax and hang out in while she started organizing all the other rooms in preparation for more renovations. Sometimes having at least one organized room can help your brain, as a cluttered environment can lead to a cluttered brain which can be overwhelming. Feeling overwhelmed is not helpful when you have a lot to do.
Rounded fireplace with side bookcases
I like to make lists, but my friend organized what needed to be done in his mind, which worked for him. Setting goals, one week at a time is helpful in accomplishing them. If you get behind, it’s okay because somehow, some way, it all gets done as long as you set a goal of actually completing the project. I cannot stand for a project to be left undone. I figure, why work all that time to not finish something? Finishing a project gives you a better sense of accomplishment.
Light colored shiplap around the fireplace and bookcases
I worked with my friend virtually to help create an aesthetic that would give his mom a sense of peace and tranquility. Having this as a little side project was helpful for me, as my own home was undergoing lots of repairs due to Hurricane Ian, and still is. We all need little distractions sometimes when life serves us up some new challenges or opportunities for change.
Replacing stair treads
Once the color palette of neutrals was set, the hard work began. He hired someone to test the ceiling to see if it had asbestos, which it did. When you are working in an older home, you should be cautious of materials like this and allow professionals to deal with it if you are unsure how.
Stained stair treads to match the ceiling beams
He mostly gutted the room, then set to work. He fixed a large door and painted it, installed new lighting, hired some help for drywall repairs, painted the walls in a nice neutral tone, painted the fabulous rounded brick fireplace internally (with heat safe black paint) and the exterior bricks in white to give it a clean look. He added new shelves to the bookcases, added new laminate flooring, and stained stair treads and installed them. There are still some more little things to do and his sister can help with decorating, but it’s a wonderful, clean and healthy livable space now.
See this article come to life in our 30 second video below:
Ranch house room renovation idea
Anyone that knows what DIY-big brings knows that all this work did not come easy. His friend that helped him with the door fell through the floor (just a little bit and he was not hurt), he had to crawl in the attic and get very messy, he found a leak around the fireplace that had to be fixed by a professional, and more. HGTV makes DIY-ing appear fast and easy, and let me tell you, it is not. All major room renovations seem to always take many more days than anticipated.
Modern ranch house room inspiration
He wore masks and safety gear, which is very important in any home, auto or craft DIY project. I learned to be very careful with chemicals in my fiber arts classes in college. Some paints and repair items should not come in contact with your skin ever. Good shoes are very important too, as my husband had a piano fall on his toe once and broke it. We learn some things the hard way, just like many others, but we’ll never make that mistake again.
Beautiful ceiling beams are a highlight in this ranch room renovation
Overall, the garage and room renovation took 3 1/2 months with him working on it 2-3 days a week at 5-7 hours a day. The house has many other rooms in need of repairs, organizing and more, but it will get done in time. His mom can now park her car in the garage and she has a peaceful room to relax in and plan her next project.
She was a caretaker for her husband beginning in her early 20’s when he had a severe health problem (one he dealt with for his entire life). He coped with it well, but then had major health issues the last few years of his life until his spirit passed on in 2021. She also took great care of her kids. It is now time for her to take care of herself and it begins at this exact moment in time.
The ranch garage before replacement
One thing that warmed my heart is hearing about her bringing her husband’s ashes into the renovated room the day it was mostly completed. I know that her husband/children’s father is extremely proud of his family. He’s even more excited and proud of his son, my friend, in being able to secure a new amazing job opportunity during the renovation time frame. It’s something that will be great for him and his family and I know his dad is happy to see all their pain turn into something beautiful.
Ranch house garage door replaced for curb appeal
They would like to paint the home exterior, among other projects. I would like to thank my friend and his family for the inspiration for this article and granting me permission to publish it, as I know their story is many other’s story too. I also hope this provides some insight and inspiration for anyone who needs it, as it’s always the goal with my writing.
If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create a Multipurpose Room In Your Home
C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.