When Kaily and Conner Cockrell said, “I do,” they didn’t quite realize how many other “doers” would be involved in putting the finishing touches on their new home the very next week while they were on their honeymoon. Just a few short weeks prior, the Cockrells purchased a home in a cul-de-sac just minutes away from Kaily’s parents in Soso, where she grew up. They closed on the home April 16th and managed the majority of the renovation - floors, painting, light fixtures and more – prior to the wedding day. And when they returned from their honeymoon, they came home to a wonderful gift - the moving, decorating and heavy lifting had been done for them by their parents and grandparents.
The House Search
After their engagement, Kaily and Conner began the home search, looking for houses throughout Jones County. “We looked for houses inside and outside of Laurel and found something so close to home it was almost too good to be true,” said Kaily. The house was listed by the current home owners, who Kaily’s grandmother knew, so they were confident it had been well kept. The home, though tailored to the style of the previous homeowners, was a well-built house, allowing them to primarily invest in cosmetic upgrades to bring the home up to date. “Although there was a lot I knew I wanted to change, I could definitely see the potential,” Kaily said.
With a short timeline of one month, Kaily and Conner purchased the home and planned to be in the house by the time they returned from their honeymoon. This was no small feat considering the house was just one of the many life-changing events for their families over the course of that month. Kaily’s brother and his wife had a baby on April 5th, then Conner’s brother and his wife had a baby on April 10th, they closed the house on April 16th and the wedding was on May 5th. Needless to say, it was a busy time for the couple.
The Renovation
The first thing Kaily and Conner did after purchasing the house was visit City Home Center, where Deana Stevison and the team helped the couple make the biggest decisions – flooring, carpet and replacing the front door and fireplace. “We went to City Home Center first, and it made the rest of the process so easy” said Kaily. “Deana measured and measured and made several trips to our house to help us with the perfect plan that would allow us to stay within our budget.”
Painting the interior of entire house, top to bottom, came first. Going from a dark red dining room and other various bold paint colors to a completely neutral palette was a drastic change.
“One of the great things that Deana taught us was that you don’t always have to tear up to put down,” Kaily said. There was tile throughout the home with carpet in living room. We were able to place a beautiful laminate wood floor over the existing tile. Also, the new front door from City Home Center was an easy decision that completely changed the look of the home’s exterior.
Kaily’s favorite outcome of the renovation was the fireplace. By simply replacing the covering of the fireplace and keeping the same hearth, the living room focal point took on a whole new look.
The REALLY Fun Part, Decorating!
As a engaged couple, Kaily and Conner registered at Rubies Home Furnishings. During the home renovation, Kaily found herself walking from City Home Center to Rubies next door to pull all the various components of the home together. “Deana, my mom, my grandmother and I would walk back and forth comparing colors, design elements and décor items to be sure we had everything just right,” Kaily said.
Once the light fixtures were hung, decorating was the one thing that remained, but they didn’t have quite enough time to finish before the wedding. Luckily, Kaily had received a significant amount of home décor items prior to the wedding. And, as with all couples who register at Rubies, Kaily received 10% store credit back from the total spent on her registry. This allowed the two of them to purchase living room furniture. “Because of the value Rubies offers on gifts and home decor, friends and family could go purchase items at any price range,” Kaily said. “This allowed us to get not only the big items but the small things as well, which really added to the finished look.”
With everything purchased, the last thing to do was decorate. As Kaily and Conner were enjoining a honeymoon in Punta Cana, their parents and grandparents were working hard placing furniture and adding the finishing touches. One of their favorite accessories today was a bench from Rubies that served as inspiration for the dining room. “I matched some paint from City Home Center to the bench, and it resulted in a DIY project I’m really proud to have accomplished.”
All in all, the quick turnaround on the renovation allowed the couple to start from day one in their home – perfectly designed within their budget and suited to their needs. While Kaily and Conner are quite happy with their new nest, they have aspirations of updating the exterior of the home next. We’ll be sure to share when they have photos to show us!
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