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Before & After: Fresh Curb Appeal for a Midcentury Modern Bungalow in Michigan

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Curb AppealIssue — Curb Appeal

Before & After: Fresh Curb Appeal for a Midcentury Modern Bungalow in Michigan

October 13, 2026

The little red bungalow in southern Michigan needed work—and potentially a lot of it—but for serial remodelers and house whisperers Kim and Scott Vargo, of the design blog Yellow Brick Home, the fact that there was room for improvement was part of its appeal. The couple live full-time in Chicago and own an Airbnb in Michigan; they purchased this cottage, which is right next door to that rental, in 2023 and have been methodically fixing it up ever since (they hope to welcome renters in 2027). You can read all about it here.

What initially caught our eye on their latest project is the incredible new paint color—a rich oxblood red that stands out without a bit of garishness. And then we looked closer, admiring all the details that helped bring cohesion and modern style to the formerly tired and unremarkable exterior.

Below, Kim and Scott give us a tour of their stunning front-yard transformation.

Photography by Kim Vargo, courtesy of Yellow Brick Home.

Before

The real estate listing photo of the home, complete with an AI&#8\2\17;d lawn. (In reality, the front yard was more dirt than grass.) &#8\2\20;The house sits on four acres, although three acres of that is thick woods,&#8\2\2\1; says Kim. &#8\2\20;The one acre we had to work with felt like the biggest challenge for us, especially coming from postage-stamp yards in the city!&#8\2\2\1;
Above: The real estate listing photo of the home, complete with an AI’d lawn. (In reality, the front yard was more dirt than grass.) “The house sits on four acres, although three acres of that is thick woods,” says Kim. “The one acre we had to work with felt like the biggest challenge for us, especially coming from postage-stamp yards in the city!”

After

Tada! &#8\2\20;In terms of cost and impact, paint is the single most transformative tool we have when it comes to a renovation. After spending the prior two years replacing the roof, gutters, and siding issues (we had a woodpecker that munched on our home for lunch), the final step of adding paint brought it all together beautifully.&#8\2\2\1; The winning color: Benjamin Moore&#8\2\17;s Cottage Red.
Above: Tada! “In terms of cost and impact, paint is the single most transformative tool we have when it comes to a renovation. After spending the prior two years replacing the roof, gutters, and siding issues (we had a woodpecker that munched on our home for lunch), the final step of adding paint brought it all together beautifully.” The winning color: Benjamin Moore’s Cottage Red.
The most expensive part of the front-yard makeover was the addition of a new deck. &#8\2\20;We used TimberTech decking materials, which added to the expense, but we opted to do so knowing that it would require no upkeep over the years.&#8\2\2\1; They chose TimberTech&#8\2\17;s Antique Leather finish to better match the white oak flooring on the inside.
Above: The most expensive part of the front-yard makeover was the addition of a new deck. “We used TimberTech decking materials, which added to the expense, but we opted to do so knowing that it would require no upkeep over the years.” They chose TimberTech’s Antique Leather finish to better match the white oak flooring on the inside.
&#8\2\20;We replaced the brown roof and gutters with red shingles and rose-colored gutters&#8\2\2\1; for all-red everything. &#8\2\20;It’s a modern look on a mid-century home that feels clean and welcoming.&#8\2\2\1; A new organic-shaped driveway lined with river rocks softens the clean lines of the home.
Above: “We replaced the brown roof and gutters with red shingles [from Certainteed] and rose-colored gutters” for all-red everything. “It’s a modern look on a mid-century home that feels clean and welcoming.” A new organic-shaped driveway lined with river rocks softens the clean lines of the home.
The wall light is a budget find from Wayfair, as is the Corten Steel Planter under it. A pair of vintage Salterini Radar chairs and a Pebble Concrete Coffee Table (from Crate & Barrel) anchor the deck.
Above: The wall light is a budget find from Wayfair, as is the Corten Steel Planter under it. A pair of vintage Salterini Radar chairs and a Pebble Concrete Coffee Table (from Crate & Barrel) anchor the deck.
Above: At night, the path to the front door is illuminated by solar pathway lights by Deyrasion (available on Amazon).
Kim and Scott with their dog. The pair replaced the original small octagonal window (&#8\2\20;not a fan&#8\2\2\1;) next to the front door with a window from the back of the house.
Above: Kim and Scott with their dog. The pair replaced the original small octagonal window (“not a fan”) next to the front door with a window from the back of the house.

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