Renovated 1950s Family Home in Texas

Originally a dim, wood-paneled and closed-off area, this house in Dallas was bought by Ryan and Paulette Bock, who had big plans in mind. The typical 1950s layout was not conducive to their lifestyle, so they ready for a complete remodel. “We’re determined to turn this midcentury-style house into something special,” Paulette says.

Comfort and simplicity were vital for this particular fun-loving and laid-back couple. “I enjoy things that make me feel good, and that is what drove the design,” she says. So with Ryan serving as the general contractor, and with the assistance of architect and friend Keith Weik, the two created their dream house.

in a Glance
Who lives here:
Ryan and Paulette Bock, infant daughter Ava, cat Jade and dog Hannah
Location: Preston Hollow area of Dallas
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths

Kara Weik

When the couple bought the home, walls enclosed each room. “We tore down walls and added all new trim, crown molding, casing and doorways,” Paulette says. Now their dining and living area has one great spacious layout.

The dining table is one of Paulette’s most significant scores, given to her by a friend.

Chandelier: West Elm; dining seats: Overstock.com; Paint: Polar Star,Valspar

Kara Weik

The kitchen was gutted and remodeled into a bright and spacious area. “Now it is one of our favourite rooms,” Paulette says. “We handpicked everything, and it is the center of the home.”

“We’re always in here,” Ryan adds. “So it was important for us to make it our own.”

Paulette made the curtains over the kitchen sink out of a Target shower curtain. “I looked for a cool layout, and because the cover of the drape was already complete, all I had to do is cut it in half and correct the length,” she says.

Kara Weik

Ryan calls the cupboards over the refrigerator”Paulette’s graveyard.” She says,”I have made mistakes before once I attempted to step out of my comfort zone with colour and pattern, only to quickly retire those things to my graveyard.”

All of the kitchen appliances, such as a double oven, a wine fridge, a microwave (on the opposite side of this island) and a commercial refrigerator and freezer, are out of Frigidaire.

Pendant lighting: Lowe’s

Kara Weik

Glass doors from the great room lead into a new house office area, which had been a formal dining area.

Kara Weik

Your home office is next on their list of upgrades. Light gray, whites, greens and neutrals are all Paulette’s favourite colours and are observed within this area and throughout the house. “I could roll around in sea-foam green,” she says.

Desk, console, storage tower: Crate & Barrel; desk chair: Sam’s Club; art: World Market; Paint: Smoke Infusion, Valspar

Kara Weik

One of the couple’s main challenges was the prior mudroom, they renovated to a powder room. The first floor was a concrete slab that sloped away from the home. They replaced the concrete using a wood-framed subfloor to tie it into the rest of the home.

They also found a false ceiling in the present mudroom, so that they added nine classes of brick into the wall to bring it into the new ceiling level.

Sconces, mirror: Home Depot; dressing table: Nadeau; sink: Kohler

Kara Weik

Originally, the entire living room was had wood paneling.

Sectional: Macy’s; ottoman: West Elm; painting: Z Gallerie

Kara Weik

Paulette and Ryan removed all the timber paneling, replaced the millwork (one unit utilized to function as a gun rack), painted the mantel and fireplace surround a bright white, and utilized dark gray as a dramatic accent.

“We redesigned the bookshelves to possess an inset cabinet door, similar to our kitchen,” Ryan says.

Lounge seats: Crate & Barrel; lamp, wire side dining table, fireplace accessories: Dulce Consignment; brick paint: Stone Mason Gray, Valspar

Kara Weik

Kara Weik

Paulette designed Ava’s nursery and considers it one of their newest splurges. “I started off needing her entire nursery to add colors of cream and white, because I needed it to mimic a hot tub,” she says. She layered in vibrant accents while still making the room feel calm, relaxing and girly.

Ava likes to wear tutus, which add colour to the small fashionista’s cupboard.

Chandelier: Lamps Plus; crib: Burlington Coat Factory; rocker: Pottery Barn Kids; paper lanterns, crib mattress: Etsy

Kara Weik

“I believe her room turned out perfect for our perfect baby girl,” Paulette says.

She swapped out the present hardware on a Hemnes Ikea dresser with pretty pink ones found at Target. The”Ava” wall decal was custom ordered from Etsy, one of Paulette’s favourite sites to search for the nursery.

Paint: Sweet Leaf, Valspar

Kara Weik

Ava’s bathroom was ready way before she even arrived, including the cotton-candy-pink tile. The couple chose not to renovate this original bathroom.

Paint: Seashell Gray, Valspar

Kara Weik

Paulette gets her eyes on replacing their present bedding with the Soho collection from Natori. “It is glamorous, chic, relaxing, calm and flirty, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired or bored with the routine,” she says.

The master bedroom is one of their dog’s favourite rooms. She loves sleeping almost every night on a seat from Dallas consignment shop Dulce.

Bed, nightstands, tall dresser: Bassett Furniture; lamps: Target; paint: Pewter Tray, Behr

Kara Weik

The master bathroom was gutted so that the couple could start their design using a blank slate. They chose an all-white palette, adding new cabinets and an Arabescato marble countertop. Remnant bits from the Arabescato marble slab were utilized from the window sills flanking the mirror and as a transition strip on the threshold of the bathroom entrance.

Accessories: Target, Pier 1 Imports; sconces: Lightology;
Paint: Wave’s Crest, Valspar

Kara Weik

To conserve space using their new glass shower surround, then the original door was replaced with a pocket . Travertine tile laid in a brick pattern and trimmed to 12 by 16 contrasts against a mosaic tile accent wall.

Tile: Daltile; shower machine: Brizo

Kara Weik

Paulette’s solution to Jade’s unsightly litter box was to keep it from sight using a door installed in a utility closet. “Unfortunately, it backfired on us since she’s a 14-year-old ninny who loves the warmth and now spends all her afternoon hanging out from the warm room,” Paulette says. “She comes out in the evenings and when it’s time to go to bed, with Mom and Dad of course!”

Here, you can see Jade exiting her room through a cat door in the pantry.

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