The Granby Project
Norfolk, Virginia
At times, Granby felt like the longest marathon of a project especially since we began renovations in 2021 and ended in 2022. We had workers catch the virus, the wife of our project manager gave birth, no-show contractors and so many more bumps on the road that delayed the finishing of our third BRRRR.
Granby is our official third BRRRR for Team Wayne. This house was a “burn house” meaning it caught on fire was in need of a complete overhaul due to damages. Sean and Andrew (our dear friend but also project manager) plumbed the entire project together after inspections and permits were pulled and passed! They’re SO proud and should be!
The first day we listed the property, we were flooded with applicants and believe we found the right fit for our tenant for this home. The rental market here in Virginia Beach is so incredibly hot still and doesn’t seem to be cooling anytime soon. The Paneling Factory here in Virginia Beach is continuing to give us great quality cabinets. Countertops are Black Pearl from Trindco Premium Countertops and I loved the contrast of blacks and whites in this space.
At 11 cents a tile, Floor and Decor came in hot again with this Bright White Ceramic 4x4 tile that we used for the backsplash. If you’re looking for the details for the range hood we usually put in our properties and these black brackets, then look no further.
We finished these open shelves with common board that were rubbed with tung oil for a natural, warm finish. I love how open shelves give kitchens more depth, character, and an opportunity to display kitchen essentials, art, or photography. This sink and faucet from Amazon finished off the classy black and white look throughout the home.
And speaking of black and white… this striped bathroom though! It is for sure the cutest pattern in a shower we’ve done yet. I’m absolutely obsessed with how it came out.
I saw this picture from The Tile Shop and knew I could do the same. Imitation is the best form of flattery, right? Above is the Pinterest photo that totally made me swoon and fall in love with this striped shower.
We used black penny tile for the black skinny lines and these white subway tiles for the bulk of the shower. I knew I wanted to stick with white grout to allow the black pennies to do the talking.
I loved how the gold mirror from The Tile Shop photo warmed the space and when I came across a very similar one at T.J.Maxx that was $26, I had to buy it. This white glass light from Amazon went perfectly in the space and I will be 100% using it again. Here are the black knobs I switched out for the boring ones on this standard white vanity we used. Switching knobs for ones with more personality is such a great hack in this business. It’s hard to tell in the photos but the black knobs are a faux black leather! How fun is that!?
I’m so in love with this black slate floor from Floor and Decor that I have been dreaming about using it in our forever home some day! On top of it’s natural beauty, the boys said yes to my pleas of installing it in herringbone which was total icing on the cake. We used a tile sealer for slate on top that made all the difference.
The last space in this house was this cute little half bath close to the kitchen. I knew I wanted a wood vanity somewhere in the home (I usually want wood vanities somewhere in all my homes) so on Black Friday, I found this amazing deal on this vanity at Home Depot. It wasn’t the cheapest vanity we have put in our homes, but it was only 24 inches and didn’t break the bank entirely. Right now it’s over $800 but we paid $520 back in November! Another argument for the splurge was that we were keeping this house as a rental and it’s always nice to have a little nicer quality of some things in a house we keep.
Sean asked me to pick a texture for the walls since it seemed like a doable space to add some flare so we went with floor-to-ceiling board and batten. I loved the simple, yet classic look that elevated the space so much. I’m also obsessed with these black herringbone sheet tile we installed on the floor as well. This room is tiny and choosing a “middle of the road” tile that is a little pricer than we usually go was doable here in this small half bathroom.
We finished Granby just in time to welcome the new year but also just in time for the snow to hit Virginia Beach! It NEVER snows in Virginia Beach and this has been one of the most magical memories we’ve had here to date.
Of course we had to brave the conditions and go to the beach in the snow. The wind made it feel 20 degrees colder than it actually was but the kids did great overall…at least good enough for mommy to snap the picture.
Cooper was also completely obsessed with the snow and together with the open beach of Sandbridge, he basically died and went to heaven.
Sandbridge Beach 2022
We’ll be here attempting to sled if you need us but stay tuned for Palmer Turn (our next flip) and Our Tiny House BRRRR coming in a few short weeks.
Ann | DESIGN