Making It Ours: The Art of Home – Beyond Beauty
Making it ours...
The art of home - beyond beauty
We’re so excited to take you along on our journey to transform our beautiful house into a home that truly reflects who we are. Through this blog, we’ll share the highs and lows of our remodel, the decisions we’re making, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way—because home is so much more than just a space; it’s about creating a place that feels uniquely ours.
We’re Jon and April—veteran Blackhawk helicopter pilots who grew up in small, rural Nebraska communities, where hard work and resourcefulness were second nature. After leaving the military, we transitioned into new careers with the FAA, but our drive to create something meaningful together never wavered. Now, we balance family life, our FAA careers, and—did we mention we own a home decor boutique? But through it all, what keeps us grounded is our shared love for transforming spaces. Jon’s hands-on skills—whether it’s building custom features or overseeing major renovations—never cease to amaze me, and I get to dream up how it all comes together with my design vision. Together, we blend craftsmanship and creativity, please follow us on our journey.
Turning Hackney House into our dream home has been a winding journey. But it’s not just about the physical changes we’re making—it’s about a shift in perspective. From making small, aesthetic changes to diving into a full remodel, we’ve learned that a home is more than just beautiful—it’s about creating a space that truly feels like ours.
FINDING HACKNEY HOUSE
A Dream Turned Reality
We never intended for Hackney House to be “the one.” In fact, we were focused on finding something else entirely—something more within our original price range. We had already toured homes we liked, and there was one just a few blocks away from Hackney that, had it not been for one fateful moment, might have become our next home. I remember casually mentioning to our realtor, “Why don’t we just tour that other house down the street?” It was more wishful thinking than anything else.
But the moment we stepped inside Hackney House, I knew. It was like walking into the very space I’d dreamed of—a layout that felt open and inviting, with high ceilings and no wasted space. It had the flow I envisioned for our family, and there was something about it that felt right. Jon wasn’t sure at first. The house was beyond our initial budget, and there was hesitation about whether we could make it work. But as we walked through the rooms, I could see the shift in his mindset. We both knew, deep down, that this was the home we’d been searching for.
"Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home."
So, despite the fact that Hackney House was priced beyond our original expectations, we decided to take the leap. It felt right, and we knew this was where our next chapter would begin.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
The Path To Possibility
As we stood in Hackney House, it was clear that it was everything we wanted—beautiful, open, and full of potential. But the reality of the price tag was a little daunting. How could we make this dream a reality? How could we afford it without sacrificing what was truly important to us?
Our journey to making Hackney House ours started long before we even set foot inside. After transitioning out of the military, Jon and I moved to Colorado for new opportunities—Jon with the FAA and me adjusting to civilian life until I joined the FAA as well. Our first home in Colorado was an apartment in Stapleton, an up-and-coming neighborhood in Denver built on the site of the old airport. While it had its charm, it didn’t feel like the right fit for us. The urban environment was far from the rural, grounded lifestyle we craved. After just eight months, we knew we needed an immediate change. We began searching for something with more space and peace.
That’s when we found the Castle Rock House. We looked at many homes and had almost given up, considering a new build instead. But when we stumbled upon a bank foreclosure with great bones, I immediately saw the potential. I saw a blank canvas—an easy choice for a complete gut renovation. The house was in desperate need of love, but the bones were solid. We knew it would take time and hard work, but we were ready to pour ourselves into it. Over the next two years, we completely transformed the home. By the time we were done, it was beautiful—but still wasn't our dream home. We always joked that we made the perfect home for someone else. The profit from Castle Rock, along with our VA home-buying benefits, gave us just the right amount of resources to take the leap on Hackney House. The road to Hackney House wasn’t straightforward, but the experiences we gained and the hard work we’d put in before gave us the foundation to dive into this next chapter.
THE DILEMA
To Remodel or Not?
After securing Hackney House, we faced a dilemma we didn’t expect. The house, as it stood, was beautiful—so much so that we questioned whether we should even change anything at all. It felt wasteful, almost indulgent, to strip away what was already there. How could we justify making such drastic changes to something so beautiful?
We knew that if we were going to make Hackney House our own, we had to go deeper. And for us, that meant creating a space that reflected our family, our values, and our personalities—not just what would increase the home’s resale value. We decided to take the plunge and do it our way, knowing that some might question the decisions we were about to make, but confident it was the right choice for us. We were ready to dive into this remodel—not to improve a perfectly good house for someone else, but to create the home we’d always dreamed of.
