metric tons. PLEASANT — A historic 1917 home in Mount Pleasant recently received a special interior designer makeover when Jerilyn Horne chose to utilize her skills to make her space into her family’s “forever home.”
As the owner of Jerilynn Horn Kitchen and Bath Design Company, Horn spends most of her days helping clients realize their kitchen and bath design dreams, but this time, she had to do it for her own home.
“I’ve remodeled a lot of kitchens in our other homes, but this is like our first kitchen remodel, I would say, you know, where I did everything I wanted to do, and I didn’t really think I would sell it during five years”.
Designing for herself proved to be a challenge, as Horne clearly did not want to “repeat a design that (she) or anyone else had created in the past.”
“Having designed several effortlessly unique kitchens for many other clients, I found that throughout this entire project it was very difficult to choose materials for personal use as I realize the vast amount of options available,” Horn also said.
“The main goal of the kitchen and dining room redesign was to open up multiple rooms to each other while still capturing the privacy of each space,” Horn explained. “This was a common concept for homes of this era and we wanted to maintain that idea.”
“Virtually opening the spaces to each other creates more space for dining and entertaining while providing an abundance of seating for family and friends,” she said. “Using borders with luxury vinyl plank flooring will be essential in defining individual spaces.”
According to Horne, another important goal was to preserve and protect anything that was original to the 1917 house.
“The most important piece we kept is the beautiful leaded glass built-in that divides the kitchen and dining room,” Horn said. “We completely refurbished the frame and then enhanced it with black paint. Finally, we added new interior glass shelves and interior LED lighting. This historic piece now serves as a focal point, as it stands along the back wall of the dining room.”
While her recent home renovation included work on the kitchen, dining room, laundry room and living room, Horne says her favorite part is her kitchen.
The kitchen renovation involved a lot of functionally beautiful decisions like recessed and concealed appliances.
“The microwave is hidden under the countertop,” Horn said. “It’s a microwave drawer that opens up for you. That’s probably one of my favorite features.”
“It’s amazing, it’s like the controls are turning on you,” she said. “So you don’t have to bend over, you can literally stand on top of it, look down, and then you push the open button, and it pops out just like a dresser drawer.”
Additionally, the Horn kitchen features plenty of storage space, double ovens, and a built-in grill.
“It’s great because we can make cheesecakes and grilled pies and all that on it,” she said of the baking sheet.
However, Horne’s favorite pieces in this renovation are the ones that celebrate family like the hood above her range in the kitchen.
“My husband and I wound up working together,” Horn said.
Horn’s husband, Tyler, has already helped with much of the renovation work.
According to Horne, she and her husband attended the Illinois Institute of Art. I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts for Interior Design and Tyler studied Animation.
“Believe it or not, he has a very good eye for interior design,” she said. “So he knows 3D design very well… He even designed 3D models of rooms in our house as well.”
Like many other aspects of the design, this Venetian plaster mantle includes a cherry wood shelf made from a piece of wood that Horne’s father obtained from a local forest.
Another way Horne incorporated the importance of family into her design is seen in the living room located just off the kitchen/laundry area.
“This has gotten new furniture, carpet, new paint and then this beautiful wall of family history photos,” Horn explained. “We designed this wall so our children and other family members could see historical family photos.”
“We have a historic house that dates back to 1917 and we try to keep it eclectic and vintage overall and add a lot of personal touches,” she said.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com