Inside The House On Sugar Hill And Their Instagram-Famous Bonus Room

When a house is in need of a major renovation, it’s sometimes difficult to imagine it ever looking nice. But one look at the photos of Jodi Bond‘s home below, and you’ll see how it really is possible. In this home tour, Jodi of House on a Sugar Hill, tells us all about how, at first, she refused to even go see the house her and her husband eventually purchased. After falling in love with the location and seeing that it had good bones, they decided to go for it, and the rest is history. Now it’s hard to believe it ever looked anything but amazing. Find out more about Jodi, her family, her home, her career and so much more. Enjoy!

Tell us the story of your house! What drew you to it and why did you choose it?

When we were shopping for a house, there was not much to choose from on the market. I was worried we were not going to find something we loved. This house however, I refused to even go see. From the listing photos, it was overwhelmingly dark and dingy with tight quarters and nary an update since 1986.

Out of desperation, I decided to just swing by one day. As I drove around the corner, the house was sitting high on a hill surrounded by mature trees, lush grass and a gorgeous backyard terraced garden. I couldn’t believe how charming it was. ‘Please let this inside be beautiful, too,’ I whispered under my breath as I waited for my realtor to arrive and let us in.

Sadly, the interior was about as bad as the photos had shown. However, I had fallen in love with the location and the bones of the house. My husband and I decided on the spot that we would renovate it, something we hadn’t been considering during the moving process.

How would you describe your personal décor style?

While I love to grab from a variety of styles, the description of my own personal style would be a modern take on colorful boho. I typically like to have a bright white background to build upon, while I add in splashes of uplifting color, lots of texture and of course, live greenery. I like to keep my furniture more modern, sometimes with a nod to the ’60s, and I’m not afraid to let my furniture colors be lively. For me, having unexpected pops of color from my furniture has been one of my favorite ways to experiment with color.

What’s your favorite DIY in your home?

My favorite DIY to date are the plywood floors we laid in our bonus room. The room previously had 30-year-old ‘cat carpet’ as I affectionately called it. Because laying hardwoods wasn’t in the budget, we took on the low-cost project of having plywood sheets cut into eight-inch strips, sanding them smooth and then laid them in a diagonal pattern throughout the room. We finished the look by painting them white.

What are some of your favorite spots to shop for home décor items?

My staples are West Elm, CB2, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, and always Target. But when I’m ready to invest in a piece, I love partnering with small shops or shopping local to add something to my home that is truly unique.

What does a typical day look like for you as a mom and a creative?

This fall is the first time that all my children are in full-time school, so my days look significantly different now than they ever have. Since much of my work takes place on my phone, I try to intentionally leave it upstairs while I’m getting the kids ready and off to school. I want to be fully present without my mind jumping to the day’s to-dos, or getting mindlessly stuck staring at a screen. When the last child hops on the bus around 8:45, I try to always start my day with some kind of inspiration, whether that means taking a walk and listening to a podcast, taking time to meditate, reading or even just spending some time with our puppy. I’ve found that pausing just a bit before jumping into work affects my entire day. Then it’s go time! My day involves a mix of social media upkeep, home DIY’s, staging and photography, and blogging. All of that keeps me busy until the bus arrives at the end of the day. It can be a struggle to separate home and work life when you are working from home, but I always try my best to drop work when the kids arrive. I want to be there in the kitchen with them, cooking dinner, helping with homework, hearing about their day. The days I’m able to fully present when they are around always are the days I value the most.

Where do you draw creativity from? How does creativity play a part in your design process?

I’ve found something surprising about the way my creativity works. I’ve discovered that so much of it comes from within. It comes from the feelings of home, of family, a feeling of abundance. When I take time to be still and foster those moments, the ideas start to flow. When I try to force ideas, they tend to come out feeling flat or stale. It’s a real back and forth inside of myself because it’s counter-intuitive, but a way I’m trying to go. I’m focusing on having more moments of rest. When I do that, my mind starts to wander into all sorts of magical and inspirational ideas.

You are raising a family with ‘intentionality.’ What does that mean to you?

Hands down the first thing would be to the ability to stay in the present when we are together. To look them in the eye when they are telling me about their day, to truly hear about their struggles and not brush past them. To be a listener, to be in it, with them. If I get just that down in being a parent, I think everything will end up alright. Besides that, we try to be intentional about making memories together. We love taking trips together, and one-on-one trips with the kids when they get a little older. We’ve always prioritized hosting people in our home. It’s been one of the things my kids often mention that they love and miss when we don’t have. I think it’s the sense of community that comes with spending time with people, something that is happening less and less in this digital age.

How do you incorporate your children into some of your DIY projects?

Growing up, my dad was a big DIYer, and often involved us in the process. I have great memories of laying tile, building sheds, and not so great memories of learning how to change the oil in my car when I was 16. Now that I’m a parent, I absolutely love involving my kids whenever I can, even if it’s something as small as assembling a piece of furniture. You can see the sense of accomplishment on their face as we put it together. A big reason I’m not intimidated to jump into projects is because as a child, I was modeled that it’s OK to ‘figure things out.’ To not be afraid of failure, and to know that you can accomplish pretty much anything you set your mind to! I hope to pass that down to my children.

What do you feel makes a house into a home?

To me, it’s in the small details. It’s the fuzzy throw on the couch that my sleepy-eyed daughter curls up with when she first gets out of bed. It’s the music playing softly while we are making breakfast. It’s the candle lit after dinner, and the fancy plates that makes the kids feel special when I set them out. Any part of my house that is used to show love and care is what turns the house into a living breathing home.

You are always changing things up in your home! How do you ensure you meld all of your incredible ideas together?

I’m am always inspired by new styles and things I come across, so keeping my house cohesive has been a struggle at times. There are some decisions that I get wrong, and I just have to redo it (thank you Facebook Marketplace for letting me easily resell), but the more I design, the more I’m honing in on what truly represents me the best. I’m working hard to stay true to that even when it I realize that means saying ‘no’ to something I would really like to incorporate.

Which room in your house are you the most proud of?

My living room. It has been a challenge to design because of its oblong shape, and having to work with the flow of traffic. I’ve finally gotten it to a place that I’m happy with, where it feels cozy, yet not over filled. The pink couch, the oversized cactus, the whitewashed fireplace, all work together to inspire a feeling of playfulness and ease.