A Lovingly Renovated Farmhouse

Written by Lauren Hofer

Photography by Bret Gum

Styled by Leslie Saeta

It’s rare that purchasing a new home also means tapping into family history. But that was the case for the owners of this carefully renovated farmhouse, Leslie Saeta and her husband. “My husband grew up in this house,” Leslie says. “His parents bought in in 1969, and then we bought it from them in 1998.”

Leslie still believes she’s lucky to live in the well-loved renovated farmhouse even after three separate renovations and raising three sons in it. The house was built in 1915, and it’s the inspiration behind Leslie’s blog, My 100 Year Old Home, where she shares her many DIY projects and farmhouse finds.

The white exterior of a 100 year old renovated farmhouse — With history and charm, this 100-year-old home has been lived in, loved and renovated by Leslie and her family.

100-Year-Old Perfection

Even after multiple renovations, the home retains its century-old charm. “We’ve completely kept the integrity of our home,” Leslie says. “The last thing I wanted to do was wreck the original beauty of the house.”

Renovated farmhouse living room with white couch and bookshelves — This built-in bookshelf is original to the home. Leslie lightly decorated it with vintage books and other flea market finds, such as silver water pitchers and an old license plate.

The first renovation included changes in the kitchen and family room, as well as adding a bathroom and making the backyard user-friendly. “It was built for a different style of living, so we wanted to open up the kitchen, make a bigger family room and create outdoor living,” Leslie says.

Her white coffee table, a favorite project, was originally a brown chest. “I bought it at a flea market, painted it with Old Milk Barn Paint and then attached two ceiling tiles on top,” she says.

Renovated farmhouse living room with white couches, fireplace, and white coffee table — This coffee table was originally a brown chest Leslie found at a flea market. She painted it with Old Barn Milk Paint and completed the DIY project by adding two ceiling tiles on the top.

A renovated farmhouse butler's pantry that is now a flower workspace. — Originally the butler’s pantry, Leslie transformed this space into a flower arranging room where she makes delightful creations.

A white renovated farmhouse kitchen with a farmhouse sink and a large window. — Originally the butler’s pantry, Leslie transformed this space into a flower arranging room where she makes delightful creations.

While working on the interior of the renovated farmhouse, they came across an unexpected surprise. “Right in the middle of our family room, when we took out walls, was a huge brick chimney,” Leslie says.

The contractor suggested they simply remove it, and so they did—brick by brick. They later used the same bricks to construct a large outdoor fireplace and complete the patio—a space the family enjoys year-round.

Renovated Farmhouse Style

Next came the master bedroom. With a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and a tiny closet, the space was simply not working effectively for the couple. With remodel number two, they created a larger closet and a separate bathroom.

A renovated farmhouse master bedroom with a fireplace and hardwood floors — The large, open master bedroom.

A renovated farmhouse master bathroom with a clawfoot tub and a window — Originally, the master bedroom shared a Jack and Jill bathroom, but during remodel number two, the Saeta family added a separate master bathroom.

Through all the projects, they worked to “make sure we could keep exactly right to the time period of our house,” Leslie says. They had moldings, doors and other features custom-made to be consistent with the renovated farmhouse’s original design and existing features.

A vintage table from the 1900s in a renovated farmhouse, covered in picture frames and decor. — Vintage finds and period items, like the pieces here, continue the integrity of the early 1900s when the home was built.

Find It At The Flea

Leslie defines her home’s style as flea-market farmhouse—fitting, considering that many of the pieces in her home came from local antique markets. She bought the chandelier above the dining room table even before moving in.

A renovated farmhouse dining room with a farmhouse table, DIY chandelier, and windows. — The dining room plays host to a few different DIY projects: Above the table is a vintage ladder with three hanging wooden chandeliers. On the far wall, old window frames that Leslie found at a flea adorn the space.

A renovated farmhouse dining room with a farmhouse table, chandelier, and windows. — The dining room plays host to a few different DIY projects: Above the table is a vintage ladder with three hanging wooden chandeliers. On the far wall, old window frames that Leslie found at a flea adorn the space.

When shopping at flea markets, Leslie recommends looking with an open mind. “Don’t always look at an item with one purpose in mind,” she says.

In her home, she has repurposed many items and even entire rooms, such as putting ceiling tiles on walls and coffee tables or turning the butler’s pantry into a flower arranging space.

Leslie found this old mortar parts chest at a flea market. Now, it serves as the perfect craft room storage space. The cow painting on the wall is a Leslie original.

A renovated farmhouse guest bedroom with a paisley bedspread and a window. — Cool blues accent the guest bedroom, alongside Leslie’s signature flea-market finds, including a nightstand, a vintage window as wall art and corbel accent on the nightstand.

A renovated farmhouse guest bedroom with vintage sports prints. — Cool blues accent the guest bedroom, alongside Leslie’s signature flea-market finds, including a nightstand, a vintage window as wall art and corbel accent on the nightstand.

A Happy Home

For Leslie, part of the charm of her renovated farmhouse is that it’s been lived in. “Our house is one hundred years old, and it has a lot of flaws,” she says. “I love the fact that there are scrapes and dings that my kids caused when they were growing up.”

A vintage general store cabinet in a renovated farmhouse. — This piece is Leslie’s favorite. It’s an old general store counter, and she had been looking for something like it for a long time. “When I found it, I cried,” she says.

Her son’s soccer cleats have completely worn down one side of the coffee table in the family room. “I wouldn’t change that,” she says. “That table will be in our home for as long as I live here. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” But a perfect living space for her family it has become.

Vintage mason jars filled with scrabble tiles.

Love this look? Check out this dilapidated barn that transformed into a beautiful barn home! Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!