Good Bones: Living on the Edge in Bates-Hendricks

Mina and Karen get outside familiar territory — and outside their comfort zone — when they undertake a renovation on the southern edge of Indy's Bates-Hendricks neighborhood. Notable challenges include water-damaged floors, a tight budget and lots (and lots) of unwelcome bugs.

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August 24, 2017

By: David L. Haynes

Show: Good Bones

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Photo By: Mary Ann Carter/Getty Images

The Singleton House

Mina and Karen brought new life to this 1700-square-foot bungalow on Singleton Street that, prior to the renovation, came with limited curb appeal, sagging wood floors, severe water damage and several thousand uninvited guests — of the six-legged variety.

Kind of Blue

The ladies kept it blue and basic in the newly remodeled main living area, with pale blue walls, plush sofas in beige and medium blue and neutral area rug. An upholstered chair and throw pillows in bold patterns help tie it all visually together.

Pretty In Pink

...and burgundy and magenta. The new first-floor master suite is located in a completely transformed and repurposed space at the rear of the house.

Locally Grown. (Very Local.)

Early on in the renovation, Karen had a vision — and the vision was a hydroponic window garden in the new kitchen for growing fresh vegetables and herbs.

Reaching for Heights

When it comes to kitchens, Mina likes things dramatic. In this case, a fresh and dramatic feel is achieved with high ceilings, double-stacked upper cabinets and a ceiling-height tile backsplash.

Made in the Shade

A once-drab backyard gets a dose of panache with a new deck and outdoor furniture in bright, saturated hues.

The Singleton House, Before

The house is located on the outskirts of a transitioning downtown neighborhood, where property values can be uncertain, so a lean renovation budget was especially critical in order for this project to turn a profit. Mina and Karen purchased the house for $35,000 and hoped to complete renovations for around $120,000. On the exterior, the brick columns and porch were structurally sound but could use some freshening up.

The Singleton House, After

The exterior gets new siding, a new front door, and fresh white paint for the brick columns. The old chain-link fence gets replaced with wood pickets in a dark finish that offers a nice contrast against the light exterior paint.

Front Porch, After

The front porch gets dressed up with freshly painted floor, some bench seating, a vintage rocker, new exterior lighting and — what's that popular phrase? — pops of color.

Backyard, Before

Backyard, After

The rear of the house gets a facelift with new siding and deck, a door painted purple to match the one at the front and a new privacy fence.

Living Room, Before

The front portion of the house had a spacious L-shaped living and dining area, but the kitchen was in a cramped, closed off space at the rear of the house. The hardwood flooring and plaster walls were showing considerable wear and damage from water leaks.

Living Room, After

The basic layout of the forward section of the house is left unchanged, with the front entrance opening onto an L-shaped living area. The damaged wood flooring has been replaced and the space upgraded with classic chandeliers, recessed lighting, new window treatments and white wood trim.

Living Room, After

An arched room divide is replaced with a lower profile support beam to help give the space a more open feel.

Living Room, After

In the new floor plan, the living room now flows freely into the newly reconfigured kitchen and dining area.

Kitchen, Before

The small and dated kitchen was at the rear of the house. Water damage is in evidence in this space as well.

Before

In the new floor plan, this space, which had been the original dining room, would become the new kitchen — enlarged and moved to a more forward location in the layout.

Kitchen, After

The room's original bay window was retained and worked into the new kitchen design, providing natural light above the extra-deep countertops and apron front sink.

Kitchen, After

The countertops, in polished Carrara marble, are a full 40 inches deep. The backsplash is in tumbled Carrara marble tile.

Kitchen, Detail

Karen created this hydroponic planter using 5" PVC post covers to contain the nutrient-rich growing solution. A 4" hole-saw was used to cut holes in the container for the plants to extend through, and the front is covered with hex tiles left over from the new bathroom. Plants include bibb lettuce, red-leaf lettuce, basil, mint and tarragon.

Kitchen and Living Room, After

A contemporary gray kitchen with a marble topped table with yellow legs is shown, as seen on HGTV's Good Bones.

Stairwell, After

The stairwell was widened and reconfigured, leaving room to add a small downstairs half-bath tucked neatly beneath the stairs.

Downstairs Half-Bath, After

Before

In the original floor plan, the only bedroom on the first floor was this small one off the dining room.

Before

With the new kitchen moved to a more forward location, this original kitchen across the rear of the house would become the new master suite.

Master Bedroom, After

The pale blue-gray walls provide a calming backdrop for the bold color palette selected for the master suite. The bedroom gets a distinctly feminine look with a rich, burgundy area rug, antique console and classic chandelier.

Before

Master Bath, After

The en suite master bath features a double vanity, full tub and shower, and plenty of storage.

Master Bath, After

Upstairs Bedroom #1, Before

The upstairs had two bedrooms, essentially identical in dimensions.

Upstairs Bedroom #1, After

The upstairs floor plan was left relatively intact, but the two bedrooms get dressed up with fresh paint in soothing neutral tones and colorful accents.

Upstairs Bedroom #2, Before

Upstairs Bedroom #2, After

Minor modifications upstairs made room for additional closets. This bedroom has four of them.

Upstairs Bedroom #2, After

Thinking the upstairs bedrooms could make great kids' rooms, Mina and Karen staged this one with a safari theme.

Upstairs Bath, After

Karen designed a custom wallpaper treatment for the dramatic vaulted ceilings in this upstairs bath, which also features a double vanity with marble top.

Backyard, After

Behind the Scenes

Mina, Karen and Lenny discuss demo day plans.

Behind the Scenes

Mighty Mina rips away a large swath of siding, single-handedly.

Behind the Scenes

At the open house, Karen and Mina show the renovated kitchen to potential homebuyers Lincoln and Derrick.

Behind the Scenes

Mina and Karen give the home tour to potential homebuyers D.J. and Mallory.

Behind the Scenes

Mina talks renovation while Karen gets cozy with potential clients Tara, Samantha and Ki.

Mina Starsiak Hawk

Karen E Laine

Afterword

Afer purchasing the Singleton house for $35,000, Mina and Karen ended up putting around $190,000 into the renovation — about $70,000 above the original renovation estimate. They were able to list and sell the house at $239,000 for a profit of around $14,000.

If you enjoyed this Good Bones reno, we suspect you might also like this one: The Tiny House on the Fringe.

And keep checking back here for more new galleries, videos and show updates.

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