by stephanie toews | photos by kristin hartzler

Good Bones

DIY couple, Jeff and Kristen Yealy, have a love for old homes, and a vision for beauty within dated spaces. When the opportunity to purchase this hundred-year-old, diamond in the rough arose, they knew it was meant to be theirs. Though some thought they were crazy to tackle such a beast, the results are proof that old homes, with good bones, can sometimes be better than new.

Childlike Joy 

Childlike joy manifests in many ways throughout the holiday season! One of the greatest places to create meaningful memories is in the kitchen.

Brothers Quinn (6) and Griffin (3) getting hands-on in their new kitchen

Building Togetherness 

Taking down the wall between the living room and kitchen has opened up more than just the space, it has become a place the family now loves to gather and spend time in.

Before | photo courtesy of the Yealys

Mixed Media 

The choice to use a matte finish butcher-block countertop on the very large island was a bold one that has proved to be both beautiful and durable. Another bold move for the Montana home was the choice to install blue lower cabinets throughout the kitchen. When the installers were delivering them, Kristen recalls a bit of nervousness when they told her they had never seen the color delivered before. The results, however, prove to be a kitchen straight out of an HGTV magazine.

The warm wood island beautifully balances clean, white quartz countertops.  

Sources: 

• Steve Wylie, Rimrock Cabinet Co.- Cabinets and Countertops 
• Sean Willems, Sean’s Custom Creations- beam, framing, cabinet installation 
• Abe McCauley, Magic City Metal Art- fireplace mantle, custom metal island surround 
• Jake Schreibeis, Rimrock Electric- electrical 
• Bob Larsen, Bob’s Plumbing and Heating- plumbing

Originally printed in the December 2018 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Never miss an issue, check out SLM's digital editions here!  

related articles: