HGTV’s “Good Bones” Replaced This Rotting Building with a Minimalist Farmhouse-Style Cottage
When a historic home has a sturdy foundation and bones, it can be built upon and renovated. But unfortunately, not all projects have this happy ending, as seen in the season finale of “Good Bones.” The home that was planned for renovation completely collapsed overnight. But, as Karen said in the episode, “death to a caterpillar is birth to a butterfly”—and a new build plan was born.
Laine and her daughter/ co-host Mina Starsiak purchased the 900-square-foot house in Indianapolis that they planned to renovate into a cozy cottage inspired by its history. When the structure fell before the project could start, the team switched their plan and went with a new build that would be a minimalist, modern farmhouse-styled cottage.
Laine and Starsiak decided on an open layout that combined the kitchen, dining room, and living room. The first area upon entering was the kitchen, which they wanted to keep clean with white shaker cabinets, white countertops, and white subway tiles. And although white brings brightness into a space, it doesn’t exactly contribute to warmth—which is where the copper knobs on the cabinets came into play.
An extra special detail was tucked away in the kitchen nook—shelves that incorporated refurbished corbels kept from the front of the old house. Not only does it make for additional storage in the kitchen and contributed to the farmhouse vibe, but it also adds charm and pays homage to the house that once stood there.
And then, there was the light-filled living room. Windows of different shapes and sizes bordered this room, bringing in natural light from every corner. All the furniture and decor complemented each other with a neutral color palette, and the rustic wooden details—from the coffee table to the side tables and the flooring—blended together.
There’s plenty of other minimalist, modern farmhouse touches in rooms that we didn’t cover above—but you’ll just have to watch the episode to see it for yourself.