When you move into a new space, it can be hard to resist the urge to rush into renovations. But Robert and Christina Martinez, the husband and wife duo behind the blog New Darlings, chose to take their time fixing up their Phoenix home — and it paid off.
The couple, who now share the house with their toddler, Oliver, had lived in Arizona for a few years and decided to put down roots in Phoenix. "When we found our 1930 Tudor home we were immediately drawn to the character, narrow hallways, arched doorways and original built-in nooks throughout the home," says Robert. "The house definitely had a story and we were excited to put our stamp on it while still preserving its beauty."
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When they purchased the house, they were traveling frequently for work, which provided tons of inspiration for a renovation, but not much time for actual renovations. "As our travels slowed down a bit and we lived with the house more, we learned how we actually used the house, how each room flowed into another and how we gathered in the space," says Christina. That info helped them when they eventually started renovations, which included expanding the main bedroom and dining room and refreshing the kitchen.
Throughout the renovation, they made sure to keep the 1930s charm of the home intact. "Fighting the urge to modernize everything in the middle of a renovation can be tricky," says Robert. "For example, when we updated the kitchen, we made sure to choose cabinets that had an ogee [an S-shaped curve] detail for a more vintage feel, but added in a more sleek and modern custom range hood. Keeping that balance was key for us."
