Husband-and-wife team Lisa and Jim Janvrin have taken their home of 13 years to the next level, collaborating on a fresh remodel of their raised ranch in Chapel Hill with an all-white interior. After an extensive three-year planning process, they gutted their entire home March 2023, expanding their existing 2,000 feet by adding new additions to the kitchen and downstairs den, moving and installing all new major mechanicals along the way. They dug down and built up, knocking through foundation walls to extend the space back. Rather than forfeit location and atmosphere for a new home, the Janvrins decided to renovate the project themselves sans an architect. Lisa planned meticulously, and they hired out subcontractors to transform their living quarters into a European-inspired dream home.
Lisa, an interior designer who has serviced clients internationally with an extensive design background (if you have been to the Pie Barn at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, you can see a rustic design example of her handiwork), and Jim, a design engineer, executed the project from top to bottom. What started as a “hodgepodge” and cluttered starter home quickly took on new life and was reconstructed into a stunning modern oasis.
“When we bought it, [the house] was a very simple multi-level home. This project was a culmination of starting all over again and starting brand new,” Jim said, attesting to the remodel’s humble beginnings.
Lisa had lived in Italy during college and moved back to Elkhorn from New York in 2009 after reconnecting with Jim, her former beau from high school. She wanted the style of her new home design to reflect her time living in Tuscany and Florence and emulate a European aesthetic. Inspired by the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean and European coastlines, as well as emerging post-pandemic design trends, she decided to decorate her home in light and airy neutrals juxtaposed against a backdrop of Benjamin Moore Atrium white painted walls. Everything from the molding to the tiled flooring in the home is perfectly planned out and intentional in its design. Lisa wanted her husband to feel comfortable in the remodel but still make it her own style.
“Being back in the Midwest, I am making this space feel the way I want it to feel—European and international, but also like us,” Lisa reflected.
She wanted to steer clear of color, as white is psychologically proven to be calming and relaxing, and bright, loud colors didn’t fit her vibe. Lisa also sought to stick to a high-low design philosophy in which she could both splurge and save. She doesn’t mind spending money on things she’ll use often and premium products that have high quality value and longevity, as they survive more wear and tear over time. Some of those luxuries include smart features and modern upgrades, such as a smart GE Café double wall oven, Kasa Smart Switches and thermostat, and premium flush air vents. A PowerSteam Panel-Ready dishwasher she had installed is a high-end piece that can be used consistently. GE Café appliances and hardware help to elevate the look and feel of Quiet Luxury with their high-quality performance and aesthetic.
The Janvrins’ design aesthetic could be described as a hybrid of sorts: an underlying tone of Minimalism runs throughout (free of clutter with clean lines), with hints of Quiet Luxury (high-end and premium appliances and furnishings), paired with Modern Organic (natural, textured décor elements). There is even a touch of what Lisa calls “Midwest Coastal,” a term she has coined that is a take on the nautical-inspired stylings of Grand Millennial and traditional coastal interior design.
At the entryway, a mosaic of multi-colored fleck terrazzo tiled floors leads to a flight of whitewashed oak stairs with zig zag trim, leading up to the main level. Lisa’s pride and joy, an exquisitely honed (soft finish) Vermont Danby marble countertop in Montclair, is the focal point of the kitchen—a high-end splurge. Its green veining reminded Lisa of the rough green waves along the Atlantic coast, and she instantly fell in love with it. Jim built the marble island with custom supports. Her 10-year-old son, Luca, even assisted with the home project and helped to install IKEA cabinets, door, and drawer fronts with integrated handles—a practical investment.
“We built this kitchen together,” Lisa said. “We installed everything except for the countertops and the appliances. We were very hands-on.”
In the adjoining dining room, a vintage polished chrome table from the 1970s stands out against the original floor-to-ceiling windows. The color palette is tone-on-tone—harmonious colors in bright white. The Janvrins’ remodel is in a U-shape, so the kitchen segues into the living room. Decorated in earth tones with accents resembling coastal inspiration, including sand and shells in caramels and whites and natural light bathing the room, the idea of “Midwest Coastal” comes into play. A high-end white sofa with a cowhide rug completes the look.
In keeping with the guidelines of Minimalism, a simple yet clean design offers the primary bedroom serenity and an intimate space to relax. Picture windows let nature in but conceal it just enough to offer privacy. A horse trail runs past their fence where Lisa and Jim can walk outside onto a patio to have their morning coffee or take in the view and watch equestrian ventures.
A bathroom down the hall offsets the primary with a relaxing spa-like ambience. Natural stone shell wall sconce light fixtures with dimmer lights mirror a double vanity. The bathroom even has a modest bidet, a noted European feature. A modern walk-in shower boasts flat pebble tile floors and textured walls.
With European family ties and Italian and French heritage, the Janvrins have found a way to meld all their cultural influences together. Lisa is even working on her Italian dual citizenship. A map of Italy depicts the places they would like to go back to visit and eventually settle. They plan to make their home for now in the picturesque community of Elkhorn, but someday retire in Italy.
For more information about Lisa Janvrin’s interior design studio, visit janvrinandco.com.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Omaha Home Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
