Old Made Bold: Detroit Renovation
For Candace Griffin, thereâs no place quite like Detroit. Maybe itâs her childhood memories (she grew up in nearby Lansing), the cityâs rich musical history, or the city’s current renaissance, but after stints in Chicago and San Francisco, the designer and owner of Candace Mary Interiors moved back to the city with her wife, Pippa Laundy, to jump-start her business and lay down some roots.
âMy parents are still in Lansing and we wanted to be closer to them,â says Candace. âThereâs also great energy and lots of soul in Detroit; it just felt like the right fit for us.â
From the start, the couple had their hearts set on finding an old home, something that embodied the spirit of the city. They found it in a 3,300-square-foot circa 1921 Colonial with plenty of old-school charm. The home was completely renovated by the previous owners, and although many of the updates were welcome (HVAC, plumbing), other more cosmetic âimprovementsâ had to go.
The scope of work ranged from the easy (brass outlet covers, lots of paint) to the extreme (a top-to-bottom bathroom reno, rebuilding the chimney). And while most people in this day and age knock down walls with abandon, Candace opted to erect one in the master bedroom. âIt was one long room and we werenât using the space well,â she says. âOn one side, we had open racks with shoes and clothes everywhere, and it was always a mess that we could see from every angle of our bedroom.â
So she created a separate dressing room, outfitted with budget-friendly cabinetry. âWe went with Ikeaâs PAX system and then elevated it with fun hardware,â says Candace. She later found a center islandâa steal on Facebook Marketplaceâand painted it a complementary white.
The kitchen also needed extra attention even though almost everything in it was completely new. To get in the zone, she brought in updated hardware and appliances.
âCooking is a creative outlet for me,â says Candace. âI like to zone out when Iâm doing it, and it brings me peace.â
She also installed a hexagon-tile backsplash and upper cabinets for additional storage, and carved out an adjacent bar area in the eat-in nook. âThatâs for Pippa,â she explains. âWe really like entertaining and mixing up cocktails.â
Candaceâs signature sip is the Last Wordâgin, green Chartreuse, lime, and Maraschino liqueurâwhich originated in Detroit in the early 1900s; Pippaâs is a classic Pink Lady.
Now that their projects are complete, itâs time for the couple to clink glasses back in the spot where they met: the Windy City. Says Candace, âDetroit has been good to me and a special place for us, so the plan is to still take design projects in Detroit. But we are hoping to grow our little family, and it will be nice to be close to loved ones in Chicago.â
And of course, sheâs already started making a lengthy to-do list for the ânewâ houseâa faux prairieâstyle home built in the 1990sâbeginning with paint and ending with a totally refurbished kitchen.
âI donât think it would ever feel right for me to move into a house that is completely âdone,âââ she says with a laugh.
By Laura Kostelny | Photographs by Diana Paulson | Before images courtesy of Candace Griffin | Prop styling by Candace Griffin
15 Quick and Easy Home Decorating Ideas for a Fast Refresh
Need some fast, fun, and fabulous decor ideas to spruce up your space?
Read More