Home Design Tips for Fall from HGTV’s Mina Starsiak Hawk

If you haven’t done a major binge of HGTV’s show Good Bones, you’re in for a treat.  Allow us to introduce you to the show’s star, Mina Starsiak Hawk. She was just a self-taught DIY-er flipping homes in Indianapolis when HGTV came knocking. Her incredible creative vision has caught on with audiences and inspired loads of homeowners. Don’t worry, you won’t have to don steel-toed boots or crawl through the windows of abandoned homes to get her trademark flair. We’ve distilled it down to some key points.

Get your story straight.

For every home that Mina buys, she starts with a story. How does this home want to feel? Look to create one unified story for your whole house. Would you like to feel energized and creative? Or does the idea of a calming oasis appeal? Step back, take a look at the big picture and distill the story of your home down to a phrase.

Open it up.

The homes that Mina fixes up are never very large— in fact, most are under 2,000 square feet. She takes those old “starter-homes” and makes them luxurious by maximizing the space. This isn’t the mania of knocking out every non-load-bearing wall. No—the key here is light. Mina is into big windows. A dark room can feel like a small room. Don’t be afraid to change the size of your window, and feel free to play with different styles of window openings. Consider swapping out the traditional double-hung window for a casement window. Remember if you’ve got a door, a closet, and a window then it’s a bedroom— something to keep in mind if you’re considering putting your house on the market someday. Adding a bedroom can attract more buyers.

Add pizazz by getting the details right.

Mina always keeps her eyes on the budget. If your kitchen is perfectly functional, perhaps all you’d need is a new tile backsplash to liven things up. Details like a great new fixture in the dining room and a fresh coat of paint is a shortcut to a major remodel. Even a simple detail like putting your chandelier on a dimmer, and lighting taper candles on your table gives a home personality.

Be strategic with trends.

Mina isn’t afraid to welcome bold touches to a room, but they have to play well with others. Big splashy trends don’t always age well. One trend we’ve noticed in her embrace is black window frames.  These are some of the most pinned images out there, but it’s not a trend that shouts. Those sleek black window frames allow you to forgo heavy window treatments, and they set off an outdoor view nicely.

Take care of the bones.

They don’t call her show Good Bones for anything. The first thing Mina does with her crew is to assess the status of the major components of the house—the foundation, the insulation, the windows. There’s plenty of home rehabbers out there that plant flowers, freshen the paint and never look back. Not Mina. She’s investing in the neighborhood. Honestly, the only time Mina keeps an old window is when she’s going to make some kind of craft project with it. She knows that the best energy efficient windows for your home are major factors in a home’s energy efficiency. As a mom, she wants to make sure that the home is able to keep a consistent comfortable temperature throughout the year.  She knows it’s a smart move to invest in energy-efficient high-quality windows that will last you for a good long time.

Keep it local.

One of the joys of watching Good Bones is the rapport she has with her crew. She’s got her ride-or-die crew on speed dial. When it comes to home remodeling, that’s the secret weapon. Window Nation has the expertise and deep knowledge of your community that you want. They’ll know just what to expect with the seasons, and they know the kind of homes they’re working in. When you’re ready to take on a fall home window remodeling project, be sure to give them a call.  Take care of the Good Bones of your home, and you’ll have a showplace Mina Starsiak Hawk would applaud.