To say that Jenn Todryk had jitters about reimagining Greg and Alicia Jardine's family home is pretty much the understatement of the year. “Taking on friends’ homes is a weird feeling, because I feel blessed that I’m able to do that and help people that I love and care for … but it also adds a lot of pressure,” she confessed. Luckily, Jenn and her BFF's bond is so tight that she'd spent serious quality time in the house before she had $150,000 and six weeks to reimagine it. So, of course she knew just how to smooth over the space's dated details to suit her pals’ style and personality. (Spoiler: They love it.)

The Jardine’s house was built in 1989, and while they initially planned a gut renovation, they grew to love (most of) its quirks. Some details, like the vaulted ceiling’s red oak exposed beams that culminated in an ultra-deep coffered feature, were a little too “80s law firm” in their original state. Instead of peeling back the original glossy stain, Jenn used a darker stain paired with brighter walls and an angular contemporary chandelier to modernize the feature.

In its original form, the living room’s charming built-in cabinets and shelves featured a wonky wet-bar area that didn’t suit the family’s needs. Jenn removed the left half of the piece, then replaced it with new construction that mirrors the right side and blends in seamlessly — a move that saved $3,000. She also tucked a schmoopy photo of Alicia and her husband, Greg, on the finished hybrid unit.

Jenn knew her friends’ home would be stunning once she was through with it: “It is such a cute house, it just needs some makeup and a new change of clothes, you know?” Bringing it up to date was all about adding understated organic accessories like these house plants in textural woven baskets and a trio of mineral votives. The cool stain on the credenza, in turn, counterbalances the original overabundance of warm woods.