Designer Andrea Taylor Transforms a 1960s Ranch into a Bright, Modern Oasis in North Dallas

The home was built in 1968, but the current owners purchased it in 1997. While they did minor cosmetic updates to it, they were small. Fast-forward nearly twenty-five years and two grown children later, and the empty nesters were finally ready to update the home they loved. “We were at a point where we either needed to move or decide to stay,” says the homeowner. “We decided we loved the home and the neighborhood so much that we’d rather update the home than start brand new. But this house needed a lot of work.”

An instant upgrade in the dining room came in the form of the robin’s-egg blue–based wallcovering. “I think we’ve all seen chinoiserie done before, but this wallpaper is so well done and beautiful, monochromatic and tonal,” says Taylor of the Zoffany wallpaper choice in the living room. “It’s stunning and very subtle but still has all of those beautiful characteristics like artwork.” Not one to overlook reimagining her clients’ existing pieces, Taylor incorporated the homeowners’ dining table and china cabinet, which when coupled with the brass accents of the lighting, helps balance the icy tone of the wallpaper. “It all pulled together beautifully in this space, which was initially cast in yellow overhead lighting that made it look dark and gloomy.”

A lot of work indeed. Dull red brick floors—a staple in Dallas homes in the 1960s—wound throughout the home, jutting up against worn carpets, wood paneling, and dated built-ins. “The brick just felt so gloomy,” says the designer. Overall, the home was bland, says Taylor, who knew that harnessing natural light was a priority in brightening the home. “Ranches tend to have less natural light anyway, but we were also up against eight-foot-tall ceilings and dated millwork and flooring,” she explains. “They didn’t have color anywhere. Everything was very neutral. It was time to rip out everything.”

A quick coat of paint on the existing cabinets, new appliances, and granite countertops were all that had been updated in the 1960s kitchen. Taylor saw this as an opportunity to start fresh by gutting the kitchen, all millwork, and flooring. Though the layout didn’t change, everything else did: new custom cabinetry in timeless Farrow & Ball Cooking Apple Green served as a new neutral, instantly brightening the once dark, dated space. The custom hood with scalloped detail provides a pop of whimsy that complements the wallpaper by Nicholas Herbert Ltd. in the adjacent breakfast dining area. “It’s now a light, bright kitchen where you want to hang out,” says Taylor.

All of the living spaces needed the same attention: new finishes, cleaner millwork, and a fresh color palette. The red brick floors that had been such an eyesore for more than twenty-five years were replaced with hardwood floors. Existing off-white/beige drywall was swapped for textured grasscloth and fresh semigloss paint in colorful neutrals. Nondescript built-ins were removed in favor of a sleek mirrored backsplash and custom shelving and cabinetry, which double as storage and a wet bar. “The changes we made were impactful to the overall aesthetic,” says Taylor. No longer did the public spaces feel dark and cast in a yellowy haze. Now, they feel welcoming, happy, and relaxing, exactly what the clients ordered.

The home is barely recognizable with the changes and edits Taylor made—and her clients are thrilled with the result. “We love it so much that we’re now having Andrea work on updating all the bedrooms,” says the homeowner. “She was exactly the person we needed to give this home the makeover it needed. It exceeded our expectations.”