DEAR decorator WITH CHRISTEN JOY
T H E N O RT H FA R G O F L I P BY Christen Anderson | PHOTOS BY Hillary Ehlen
QUESTION: I’M CONSIDERING FLIPPING A HOME – WHAT ROOMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME? Thanks to the fabulous duo, Chip and Joanna Gaines, they’ve made flipping homes a task that anyone watching has said, ‘Hey, I should do that!’ My latest client thought the exact same, so let me walk you through a recent flip I’ve been working on in North Fargo to tell you a bit more about the important changes that not only brought this house back to life but also increased this home's value.
BACKGROUND ON THE HOME This North Fargo Flip was the home of the owner’s, Mike and Zac Wanzek— father
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and grandfather. After considering selling it, they decided they wanted to create a house that would become a home for a new family to enjoy for years to come — so, they decided to flip it. This four-level split built in 1968 had great bones, however, the layout and finishes were in need of some major TLC. The Wanzeks enlisted me to assist with the selections and provide direction on recommended changes to ensure the house would gain value, be functional and appeal to the masses while still having some personal touches that Dad and Grandpa would be proud of.
FLOOR PLAN After a walk-through of the entire space, the demo quickly started with the removal of anything that wasn’t still intact. Once completed, we were able to gain a more idealist vision of what was needed and wanted; the real fun started by creating a fresh and open concept floor plan. Originally, as you walked through the front door, the main floor was divided into four rooms - kitchen, living room, a pantry and entryway. We immediately knew that ripping out the walls would create an open concept floor plan that would not
only create a loveable open space but would also accommodate future buyers who envisioned a large gourmet kitchen with endless natural light pouring in. Extra bonus: off the kitchen, we left the fourseason porch but planned a complete makeover for it. Upstairs is home to the master, two additional bedrooms and a shared bathroom. Considering most growing families enjoy having everyone on the same floor, we kept the layout while updating the closets to provide additional space for personal items. The large bathroom would be home to a new layout that provided better flow, function and key