Updating every element
In the fall of 2018, Tim and Courtney Heinrich purchased a home that had been on the market for three years. Despite the idyllic location, it had been used as a vacation rental property for about 20 years. As a result, much of the love and attention that would normally go into a home… hadn’t. “We went as far as to explore a complete knockdown and rebuild since almost every element of the home is being touched,” Tim remembers.
First and foremost, some safety concerns needed addressing—leaking windows, broken siding and rotten trim. Once those were taken care of, the couple started thinking more about possible design approaches, but kept getting stuck. “We struggled with the opposing roof lines and overall boxy shape, and knew that we needed help,” Tim says. And for this, Tim and Courtney looked to Michelle Bjorum and Home Joy Studio.
The three made a fantastic team. Michelle provided examples of past work and a summary of her services. Tim and Courtney shared inspiration they’d spent years collecting, including a few options they wanted to start with regarding colors, accents and orientation. Within a few weeks, Michelle provided six renderings, each with distinctive features and inspiration. “We worked through combining elements from one to another to come up with our final selection,” Tim says.
Tim and Courtney’s home is still a work in progress. But they did map out a ten-year plan that balances functionality, cosmetics and safety—and they’re getting there, bit by bit.