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Garden shed to backyard retreatA garden designer turned an old toolshed into an inspiring space.
Adobe reimagined in Santa FeHomeowner pumps $2 million into renovating small 80-year-old home.
Home office gets a promotionAn underused workstation becomes organized, functional and stylish.
Garden makeover: Before and afterThis East Hampton yard is transformed from plain to colorful.
Tahoe cabin makeoverThis rundown A-frame rental home gets an upgrade.
From rundown to livable in 6 monthsSee how this couple transformed a condemned house into a comfortable home.
Rooms go from basic to beautifulGet budget-friendly ideas to transform a room in your house.
360-degree farmhouse makeoverThis hodgepodge of a home gets a unified exterior look.
Fresh new looks for a bathroomSee a Vegas bathroom's high-meets-low revamp, and get your own ideas.
© Misty Keasler
Courtesy of Barbara Hall
Courtesy of Roger Davies/Random House
Courtesy of Roger Davies/Random House
Courtesy of Barbara Hall
© Misty Keasler
© Misty Keasler
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
By Zoe Gowen of Southern Living
Sophisticated escape
After a 15-month-long renovation — and nine Dumpsters full of debris — designer and former Miss Texas Barbara Hill was able to stabilize this 30-by-50-foot dance hall, update the exterior and return the inside to the original one-room design. Birch plywood covers the floors and vaulted living-room ceiling, emphasizing its height. A new fireplace gives the space a focal point.
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
Before
Although the building was in ruins, its history and romance told Hill it was worth restoring. The biggest problem was an unstable structure and featureless walls.
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
Loftlike feel
Situating the kitchen along a 30-foot wall takes up less space and creates ample room for dining. To accommodate the wall of windows, Hill fit all the appliances under the countertops.
When an entire home is one open space, it's important to limit materials for a cohesive look. All the walls are plaster, and new birch plywood was laid on the floors and living-room ceiling. Paintgrip steel sheeting covers the fireplace and ceilings in the kitchen and sleeping areas.
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
House mantra
The "Make Tacos Not War" wall decal over the sink urges guests to relax and "adds a touch of humor," Hill says.
- MSN Local Edition: Is it hot in Marfa right now?
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
Exterior before
Mismatched windows with garish green trim and unkempt plants pleaded for attention. The solution? A new metal roof, commercial windows and fresh plaster walls that modernize the facade.
- Southern Living: Colorful foyer makeover
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Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
Modern exterior
New plaster covers the 18-inch-thick adobe walls, made a century ago with dirt dug from under the house. A breezy, 50-foot-long porch runs the length of the home, easing the transition between indoors and out. It's also a shady spot for entertaining guests in the heat. Desert-loving agave plants look like sculptures against the stucco garden wall.
- On our blog, 'Listed': Life-size hobbit house made of 2,600 balloons
Restore the rhythm: How a dance hall became a house
Fire pit
Moving the front entry to the side allows guests to spill out easily into the courtyard, extending the home's living space. Hill installed a fire pit on axis with the indoor fireplace so that when both are lit, they create a striking display. The steel pipes in the fire pit outside evoke a campfire when lit.
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Slide show: Before and after: Adobe reimagined
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