My Houzz: Elegant DIY Updates for a 1970s Dallas Home

Newlyweds Ilya and Arina Gurfinkel admit they were naive when they began remodeling their 1975 home in Dallas. After buying the home in March a few years ago, Ilya planned to have a Fourth of July party that same year to celebrate. "Two years later and that party still hasn't happened,” says Arina.

The setback came from them choosing to do all the remodeling themselves. They learned to do demolition, install tile, paint and build by watching online video tutorials and trying out the skills after getting home from their corporate day jobs. “It gave us the opportunity to add our personal touches," says Ilya. “We really looked forward to making the home our own.” The result of their patience and ambition is a stylish, comfortable house with a charming wine room and an updated kitchen. In other words, a great spot for a party.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ilya and Arina Gurfinkel and their son, Milan
Location: Dallas
Size: 3,200 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Year built: 1975

For the first 10 months, the Gurfinkels worked on their house through the evenings until midnight. During those 10 months they lived 20 minutes away in Arlington, Texas. By winter of the first year, they were finally able to move into the ground floor as they continued renovating upstairs.

They tackled the walls and ceilings first by redoing the framing and replacing wood rot before installing new flooring, to avoid damaging the wood. Along with some friends, they removed the existing ceramic tile and glued prefinished wood flooring directly to the concrete slab.

Two identical clocks flank the sofa; one is set to Dallas time, the other shows the time in Russia, where Arina's family lives.

Sofa: Kensington, Restoration Hardware; floor lamps: Rococo, Restoration Hardware; paint: Natural Linen, Glidden; flooring: Prestige (Chestnut Maple), Earthwerks; rug: Lash, Serena and Lily


The Gurfinkels worked with Jackie Maul from a local Restoration Hardware to furnish the living room area with pieces from that store.

All from Restoration Hardware. Chairs: French Upholstered Wing Chair, black; coffee table: 1940s Metal Cooling Rack; pillows: Vintage French Grain-Sack


BEFORE: The Gurfinkels kept the existing stone fireplace but removed the wood mantel and metal screens.


AFTER: To add a modern touch to the fireplace, the couple lined the interior with a cut sheet of stainless steel bent to fit. To save money, the 4-inch pit was filled halfway with sand and inexpensive fire rocks. The homeowners then layered a more expensive fire glass on top to give it a reflective shimmer. The fireplace update cost about $550.

Daybed: 19th C. French Empire, Restoration Hardware


This small room was originally a wet bar with a window to the backyard and a bar that extended into the living room. The Gurfinkels closed off the space with a sliding door and decided a wine room would fit perfectly. Ilya installed reclaimed cut bricks, alternating between the cut side and the finished side for an aged appearance. He fabricated the barn door using reclaimed fence pickets from a local fence company.


Ilya made the custom holders by drilling large holes into cedar 2-by-4 beams. Chalkboard signs indicate where each column of wine is from.


One of the couple's best memories was having both of their families visit. Ilya's family visited from Oklahoma, and Arina's from Russia. This dining table extends and allowed the entire family to dine together.

All from Pottery Barn. Table, bench: Benchwright; chairs: Grayson; paint: Olivewood, Glidden


The Gurfinkels purchased the lighting fixtures from a salvage shop and disassembled them. After using steel wool to remove the rust, they converted the electrical plugs to a hard wire to use the pieces as ceiling fixtures.

Mirror: Grand Palais, Ballard Design


BEFORE: The minute they purchased the home, the couple removed a built-in console separating the dining room and kitchen to open up the space. For a square room, the kitchen had a lot of empty space and wasn't being utilized to its maximum. Arina sketched out a more practical floor plan that included a new floating island, a larger range and a custom hutch for storage.


AFTER: The couple worked with Kane DuPont of DuPont Industries to add custom concrete countertops. The stainless steel backsplash behind the range was a DIY project. They researched what gauge was needed for fire resistance and had a sheet cut to size, glued to a wood backing and installed. To utilize the entire layout of the kitchen, they also added additional custom cabinets and a floating island.

Faucet: Bridge Kitchen Faucet, Rohl; sink: Apron Front Stainless Steel Sink, Rugby


A hutch with glass-front cabinets and new hardware was added to give the kitchen an updated look. The couple says that one of their best investments was having the cabinetry professionally painted, giving the old and new units a seamless finish. The additional unfinished (paint-grade) cabinetry that was added cost $2,500. Painting all the cabinets cost about $500 — "the best $500 we ever spent," says Arina.





In the main bedroom, floor-to-ceiling draperies and a large floor mirror give the illusion of high ceilings.

Mirror: Levico, natural, Restoration Hardware; paint: Revere Pewter (50% darker), Benjamin Moore


BEFORE: The closet to the right had opened into the bathroom. The couple removed the door into the bedroom to close off the space, which made the existing double doors to the main bathroom a grander entrance.


AFTER: Arina wanted to capture a feeling more than a style; she wanted a space that was serene and sexy, yet still comfortable for her husband. She chose linen for the draperies and bedding, giving the room a soft, airy glow.


BEFORE: The bathroom initially had a large tub that overpowered the space. The homeowners completely gutted the bathroom, doing most of the labor themselves to splurge on new fixtures.


The focal point is now this modern version of a claw-foot tub. To create a spa look, the couple chose matching vessel sinks. Arina and Ilya sourced more reclaimed fence pickets to build two large frames for the floor mirrors behind the tub and above the custom vanity. The mirrors were then installed in the frames by a local glass and mirror shop. The cost was less than $200 for all three.

Tub, sinks: Victoria + Albert Baths; vanity: (similar) Classic Double Sink Console, Pottery Barn


For the plumbing, electrical and any work out of their comfort zones, the homeowners hired professionals. Jim Ruppert of Above All Plumbing installed the toilets and tubs. He also removed the upstairs water heater and installed an energy-efficient tankless water heater in the attic.

The total bathroom renovation cost for materials and labor was about $13,000.


BEFORE: It took six weeks for Arina to strip away the carpet and sand the wood staircase. She removed the bulky wood railing too.


AFTER: A new contemporary metal wire railing and a striking chandelier updated the stair landing. "I like things that aren't over the top but you can't miss it," says Arina. "It makes a statement but doesn't scream at you."

For the gallery wall, Arina laid out frames on the floor and traced the edges onto a large sheet of paper. Her husband then took each sheet of paper and taped it on the wall to patiently pinpoint where to place the picture hangers.

Chandelier: Gyro Crystal Chandelier, Timothy Oulton; staircase railing: Amadeus Metalworks


The couple plans to have more children, so they created a gender-neutral nursery. The first piece that went in was a splurge: the wooden chandelier.

Crib: Martine Iron Canopy Crib, Restoration Hardware; paint: Grayish, Sherwin Williams


Arina and her son, Milan, enjoy their favorite room in the house. "It's very peaceful and gives me a great feeling," she says.

Chair: Ryder Rocker, West Elm

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