This is What Happens When You Combine Good Bones With Chic Chelsea Vibes

When Mina Starsiak Hawk and her mom, Karen E Laine, see potential in a property, they don’t hold anything back – and the results speak for themselves. This Old Southside, Indianapolis townhouse was run-down, closed off and overflowing with abandoned junk, but it had solid bones. By opening up the layout and embracing a comfy, city-inspired design theme, the Good Bones team totally transformed the 1,100-square-foot townhome into a vibrant New York-inspired dream home.

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modern white open-concept living room and kitchen with teal couch

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Opening Things Up

Purchased for $30,000, this two-storey renovation had a few major hurdles to overcome. Inside, the layout lacked flow – so Mina swapped the kitchen and dining room and opened up the claustrophobic walls to create an open-concept main floor. Outside, the run-down space lacked curb appeal and required a serious refresh. Overall, the team needed to find ways to bring big-city style into a relatively small space – while keeping the renovation costs (which totalled $160,000) under control.

messy before of bedroom with previous tenants leftover items

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Beyond the Mess

Another issue at the outset was seeing past the rubble in order to coax out the home’s true potential. When they first purchased the three-bedroom, one-bathroom property, it was packed with junk that had been left behind by previous tenants.

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Modern Heat

The centrepiece of the newly open-concept living room was the statement-making fireplace, an original detail that the team gave a dramatic makeover with a matte-finish, faux-marble porcelain surround (which Mina had made from an inexpensive remnant).

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Stepping up the Style Factor

The home’s existing staircase was in good condition and held a lot of character, but it didn’t suit the revamped look of the space. To make the look cohesive with the kitchen, the team painted the staircase white and added peel-and-stick vinyl wallpaper to the risers for a fun and unexpectedly chic twist.

white open-concept kitchen with large centre island and tiled backsplash

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Playful Pattern

The newly relocated kitchen completely captured the eclectic-meets-elegant tone of the renovation, with bright white cabinets, pops of pattern and a luxe curved tile backsplash that tied together beautifully with the look of the living room fireplace. Concrete-look quartz countertops added an ultra-durable finish to the counter and huge 10-foot island – while also providing a pop of urban-inspired, funky edge.

Related: How to Update Your Kitchen Backsplash: Bryan Baeumler’s 8 Must-Know Tips

white kitchen with double French doors leading out to fenced outdoor space

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Indoor-Outdoor Flow

One of the reasons why Mina decided to go with a city theme for the home’s design was that it lacked a yard (like most New York city apartments), which she saw as a selling point for homeowners looking for a low-maintenance property. She didn’t want to totally eliminate outdoor living from the home, however, so the team added double French doors and a small, fenced-in outdoor area off the kitchen.

pink master bedroom with white bed and patterned curtains

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Masterful Details

Upstairs, Mina reconfigured the small bedrooms in order to create a true master retreat – complete with space for a king-sized bed, lots of natural light and a brand-new ensuite bathroom.

pink master bathroom with herringbone tiled floor and double vanity

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Spa-Like and Serene

Sophisticated but still a touch eclectic, the new master bathroom offered layers of texture for a spa-like feel. On the bathroom floor, the tiles were laid in a herringbone pattern for a distinctive finish.

pink master bathroom with subway-tiled shower

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A Real Retreat

The bathroom’s spacious shower was walled with the same type of tile that was used on the floor, but in a more traditional subway pattern. The result? A unified look with lots of subtle visual interest.

exterior of townhomes with half renovated in light blue

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The Bright Side

Outside, the contrast between the renovated side and the as-of-yet untouched side of the former duplex (which Mina also purchased for a future renovation) was stark. To amp up the curb appeal, the team refreshed the townhouse’s exterior with a fresh colour combination – a cheerful icy-blue paint finished with bright-white trim.