My Houzz: A DIY Gold Mine in the Heart of Texas

French teacher, designer and blogger Camille Dickson is a DIY convert of the highest order. There is hardly a surface in the 1950s ranch house she shares with husband Kyle that they have not painted, scraped, re-surfaced or gutted themselves. "I figure if someone else can do it for hire, we can do it for free," she says. The home is a gold mine of home improvement inspiration, with projects ranging from a fully renovated kitchen and bath to an accent wall entirely covered with book pages from a French study guide.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Camille and Kyle Dickson, children Chloe (age 12) and Colin (13), and Boston terrier Rufus
Location: Abilene, Texas
Size: 2,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

A gallery wall consisting of nine identical frames showcases a circa-1739 map of Paris. Camille saw a large map costing more than $1,000 in a popular catalog and created a similar look for about $150 in her living room using frames from Target.

Paint: Old Country Tan, Lowe's


A striking wall covered with book leaves greets visitors as they enter the home. "The pages are from books I had around the house," Camille says. "Two were old French study guides; the other two novels I got at Goodwill for about 50 cents each. I just used my stapler from school to tack the pages up there."

The piano, a gift from Camille's grandfather, is one of her prized possessions. "He gave it to our family when I was in third grade, and I took lessons all the way through high school," she says. "I have many happy memories associated with it."


A gallery wall sets off a curated collection of mementos and travel treasures in the foyer. "My personal style seems to be dictated by what I like at the moment, and I feel that the things in your home should tell you and your family's story," Camille says. "Almost everything that is on display has some sort of significance behind it, whether it be from our travels, a family heirloom or simply something that one of us has made. That is at the root of my design philosophy."

Table: Cost Plus World Market; side chairs: Thomasville


The living room is a heavily textured and layered space achieved with patience and time. "We've lived here for nearly 10 years, and the house has slowly evolved into what you see today," Camille says.

The dog bed under the piano is from Holly Mathis Interiors. Mathis is a longtime friend of Camille's, and the design is named for Rufus, the Dicksons' dog.

Coffee table: Overstock.com; area rug: Joss and Main


A Boston terrier–print throw pillow on a cornered slipper chair is also a nod to Rufus. The table lamp is one of Camille's DIY projects; she gave the base an update with silver spray paint.

Slipper chair: Overstock.com


The French-inspired dining room is awash in light blue, softened with wheat-colored curtain panels and natural linen pillows embroidered with French words.

The table is from a local antiques shop and was what Camille calls "a Marsha Brady yellow." She gave the rounded ends a quick buzz with a circular saw, then stripped the tabletop and stained it with Rust-Oleum Sunbleached Wood Stain. She then painted the legs and apron white and sanded them down. Her cheap secret weapon for aging furniture: black and brown wax shoe polish.

Paint: Milk Pail, Home Depot; curtains: Ballard Designs; chandelier: Quoizel, Lighting Universe; area rug: One Kings Lane; chairs: Kmart


Camille repurposed a wood plank from her in-laws' old fence and attached it to two antique corbels found at a shop in Fort Worth to create this shelf.


The blue and tan color scheme continues in the main suite, where a wooden sleigh bed takes center stage. "I mowed down the footboard about 12 inches with my reciprocating saw, because I was frustrated by how it made the space seem so tight," Camille says. "Now it's like a panel bed. Kyle thought I'd lost my mind when he saw me sawing away, but he thinks it works better now, too."

Wall paint: Woodlawn Blue; ceiling paint: Manchester Tan, both by Benjamin Moore; quilt, duvet: Pottery Barn


A small collection of glass cloches found at Goodwill and Hobby Lobby adorns a dresser in the main bedroom. "The one with 'Gateaux' etched on the front was a recent purchase during a trip to NYC, from the Morgan Library and Museum," Camille says. "I lugged that thing all over the Garment District while fabric shopping, then in my carry-on bag on the way home."


The couple completely renovated their formerly pink-tiled, glittery-Formica-clad main bathroom. "Everything in there was original and needed replacing," Camille says. "Now I love having two sinks instead of just one. It makes mornings much more civilized."

She created the dual vanity from an antique buffet found at a consignment store for $200. After painting it white, the couple topped it with a Carrara marble remnant from a local stone yard.

Paint: Wedgewood Gray, Benjamin Moore; knobs, pulls: Anthropologie


Camille keeps clutter to a minimum with DIY organization projects like this framed jewelry corkboard in her bedroom. "I don't like a lot of stuff in the house," she says. "In fact, I'm known for cleaning up with a trash can in hand."


Camille renovated the kids' hall bathroom on a $1,200 budget. She converted their tub to a dual tub and shower, painted the cabinetry, replaced the glitter-specked Formica countertop with black granite, tiled the floor and installed new lighting. "I learned a lot about constructing walls, carpentry and electrical, as I did it all myself," she says. "But I left the plumbing to the experts."

Camille learned to tile by watching her father and reading up on techniques and supplies. "It isn't difficult but does take patience, especially if you decide to learn using little bitty tiles, like I did. Not my smartest move. I used a manual tile cutter for the bathroom, then later a wet saw for my kitchen backsplash, and there is no question that the tile saw is much easier to use."

Wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart; tile: Lowe's


A 1970s-era credenza, purchased at Goodwill for $30, has been painted black and now serves as a buffet in the kitchen. "I added panels to the drawer fronts to add a bit of detail and hide the recessed drawer pulls," Camille says. "I also added turned legs to the bottom and an MDF top, then routed the edge to give it a finished-countertop look."

Buffet hardware: Hobby Lobby


Two-toned cabinetry, subway tile and marble countertops give the kitchen a dressed-up vibe. Kyle reconfigured the kitchen by pulling out the original wall oven and retrofitting a slide-in range. He also replaced the lower cabinets, upper cabinet doors and countertops. "Once those things were done, it really started to feel like home," Camille says.

The most recent upgrade to the home involved replacing the kitchen and dining floors with hand-scraped walnut. "We had a major leak while we were on vacation and were forced to replace the floors," she says. "While we were at it, I decided to replace the carpet in the living room and hall with wood as well. I think the biggest splurge to date is the wood flooring we chose, but it was worth every penny."

The couple purchased the stainless apron-front sink on clearance. It sat patiently in the garage for some time before the renovation began. "I highly recommend large single-bowl sinks," Camille says. "They can hide a lot of dirty dishes."

Upper-cabinet paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore; sink: Overstock.com


Camille made excellent use of the space above and around the cooking range. A hanging rack keeps pots and pans at the ready; it shares space with an open wall-mounted spice rack from Ikea.

Wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart


The back of an antique oven serves as a magnet board attached to a kitchen wall. "It had such a beautiful patina," Camille says. "I had to save it and turn it into something practical."


A large family room replete with cushy seating and including an entertainment center is opposite the kitchen and enjoys views of the backyard. "Truthfully, there are a lot of things about our home that I would change if I had carte blanche, but we live here. Like, really live here," Camille says. "I want for the kids and those who come over to be comfortable. So the ivory linen sofa can wait. For now, we'll watch movies and put a little extra butter on our popcorn as we snuggle on the couch, which also doubles as a giant napkin."

Curtains: Lowe's; sofas: Ashley Furniture; wall paint: Rosemary, Walmart


A door wreath, potted greenery and a small Boston terrier sculpture create a welcoming vignette at the front entry. The door mat reads "Bonjour," giving visitors a little taste of what's inside.


Kyle's brother, who lives across the street, alerted him when the house went on the market 10 years ago. Then, about four years after they moved in, the house next door was purchased by their parents. "We like to call our neighborhood 'the compound,'" Camille says.


"There are so many things to love about Abilene," says Camille, shown here with Rufus. "True, there are not a lot of trees and it is quite hot and dry in the summer, but we do have a thriving arts community, including multiple museums and galleries, ballet, a symphony and lots and lots of great places to eat."

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