"I transformed my old farmhouse into a Barbie dreamhouse - adding $100k in value"
SWNS
2023-10-31
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A man has transformed his old farmhouse into a "Barbie dreamhouse" and added $100k in value.
Jonny Carmack, 31, bought the three-bedroom home in October 2020 for $256k and knew it would be a "fixer-upper".
Jonny started by painting all his rooms and on the day he moved in got to work
renovating the property and painted his bathroom pink.
Jonny has spent $20k on the place transforming it into "a dreamhouse" - by buying second-hand items at estate sales and vintage dealers.
The 1800s farmhouse, which he lives in with partner Mitchell Pozo, 29, has fluffy pink walls, grass doors and is filled with 1980s furniture.
Jonny, a small business owner, from Danbury, Connecticut, said: "My earliest memories of growing up I always leaned towards feminine in my style.
"I come from a blue-collar family, I had always wanted Barbie dolls and it was not widely accepted for me to have those interests.
"I remember being young and having to hide my toys knowing I wanted to live in a doll house one day."
Jonny moved into his house at the height of the pandemic, after living in New York, because he wanted to escape the city.
When he bought the home he said it was crumbling and filled with mould.
He said: "It was the first and only house I toured - it is my first home.
"It's got three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, it is the perfect size for me my partner.
"When I bought the house I knew I wanted to use it as a landing pad for my creativity.
"I was still a bit nervous as I didn't know how my family and friends would react."
Some of Jonny's second-hand items included a $50 Murano light, $1,000 bedroom set, a $900 big chill fridge and a couch he bought for $1,000.
Jonny said: "The day I moved in, I just wanted to transform the place as soon as I could.
"After I painted the bathroom, my first major project was the living room.
"I really wanted to get it looking right. I started that and it looks completely different to what it looked like originally.
"Each room has changed five or six times in the course of a few years."
Jonny said he is content with how the house looks and often collaborates with his partner Mitchell, a visual merchandiser, when he wants to change the rooms around.
He said: "Me and Mitchell share the same brain.
"He is super creative like me and visual, he is in tune with the whole process.
"He loves colour, it is super fun, and he helps me with a lot of what I do.
"Before I start changing a room, we will brainstorm with each other."
Since moving in, Jonny has added $100k in value to the property and only spent $20k renovating it, he claims.
Jonny said his family aren't so sure about his interior design skills but his friends love his style.
He said: "My family will come over and be like 'what the hell did you do?'.
"My family is more conservative - they don't say anything rude but it is a non-reaction.
"My friends love it though, this last summer we watched the Barbie movie here.
"Also when we are out, people will approach me about the house and my friends get a little kick out of it."
Jonny Carmack, 31, bought the three-bedroom home in October 2020 for $256k and knew it would be a "fixer-upper".
Jonny started by painting all his rooms and on the day he moved in got to work
renovating the property and painted his bathroom pink.
Jonny has spent $20k on the place transforming it into "a dreamhouse" - by buying second-hand items at estate sales and vintage dealers.
The 1800s farmhouse, which he lives in with partner Mitchell Pozo, 29, has fluffy pink walls, grass doors and is filled with 1980s furniture.
Jonny, a small business owner, from Danbury, Connecticut, said: "My earliest memories of growing up I always leaned towards feminine in my style.
"I come from a blue-collar family, I had always wanted Barbie dolls and it was not widely accepted for me to have those interests.
"I remember being young and having to hide my toys knowing I wanted to live in a doll house one day."
Jonny moved into his house at the height of the pandemic, after living in New York, because he wanted to escape the city.
When he bought the home he said it was crumbling and filled with mould.
He said: "It was the first and only house I toured - it is my first home.
"It's got three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, it is the perfect size for me my partner.
"When I bought the house I knew I wanted to use it as a landing pad for my creativity.
"I was still a bit nervous as I didn't know how my family and friends would react."
Some of Jonny's second-hand items included a $50 Murano light, $1,000 bedroom set, a $900 big chill fridge and a couch he bought for $1,000.
Jonny said: "The day I moved in, I just wanted to transform the place as soon as I could.
"After I painted the bathroom, my first major project was the living room.
"I really wanted to get it looking right. I started that and it looks completely different to what it looked like originally.
"Each room has changed five or six times in the course of a few years."
Jonny said he is content with how the house looks and often collaborates with his partner Mitchell, a visual merchandiser, when he wants to change the rooms around.
He said: "Me and Mitchell share the same brain.
"He is super creative like me and visual, he is in tune with the whole process.
"He loves colour, it is super fun, and he helps me with a lot of what I do.
"Before I start changing a room, we will brainstorm with each other."
Since moving in, Jonny has added $100k in value to the property and only spent $20k renovating it, he claims.
Jonny said his family aren't so sure about his interior design skills but his friends love his style.
He said: "My family will come over and be like 'what the hell did you do?'.
"My family is more conservative - they don't say anything rude but it is a non-reaction.
"My friends love it though, this last summer we watched the Barbie movie here.
"Also when we are out, people will approach me about the house and my friends get a little kick out of it."
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