This do-it-yourself family worked their magic wooing an old fixer-upper.

BY REBEKAH WAHLBERG

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS B RADLEY STYLING BY LONDEN HUFFMAN

CAPE COD CLASSIC. Renovating an almost 80-year-old house is a long process requiring patience, and one of the constant works in progress is the landscaping. The front yard décor changes with the seasons, and for winter, it’s the tasteful greenery of garlands and wreaths.

Ethel is 78 years old and lives in a quiet neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago. She’s charming, timeless, welcoming—and Ethel is a house. When Londen Huffman and her family bought a 1,200-square-foot Cape Cod home in 2014 and immediately started renovations, the house didn’t seem willing. Things weren’t going the way Londen planned, until a friend gave her some unconventional advice.

OLD MEETS NEW. Different styles come together in harmony in the living room, from a cozy Ikea sofa to a traditional brick fireplace to a modern ghost chair.

For her, plants certainly don’t just belong outdoors. They’re a major element in making a house feel like a home. “Always have plants”, Londen says. “I really think that makes the space feel cozy and brings it to life.”

AU NATUREL. Londen says she prefers a palette of natural, earthy tones: creams, browns and grays. Seasonal plants—pine trees, for instance, during winter—add color, liveliness and comfort.

“My friend said, ‘You really need to name the house. Tell her about your family’”, Londen says. “So we named her, told her we wanted to make her pretty, and things started working after that.”