Broker’s Corner by Tanya Chappell l Gainesville Real Estate, River Life & Monthly Insights l February 2026

Hello there!

BRRRRRR is definitely the word for this past month!

I’d love to say we just experienced the coldest winter ever in Florida, but a quick conversation with ChatGPT proved otherwise. It turns out this has been the coldest stretch since the legendary winter of 1977 — complete with sustained freezes and even snow in parts of the state! Still, records aside… this has been the coldest winter I personally remember. My poor plants would certainly agree — even with coverings, many didn’t stand a chance. True to Florida form, though, we’ve also had those random bursts of 70s and 80s sprinkled in, and they’ve been very welcome. If you’ve lived here long, you know the saying: “If you don’t like the weather in Florida, just wait — it’ll change.” Sometimes dramatically! One day you’re bundled up, the next you’re back in flip-flops. And let’s be honest… we don’t pack away our winter clothes until April. Look on the bright side — that just means we get to keep wearing our cute boots and sweaters a little longer.

A New (to Us) Boat — and Classic Florida Timing

About a month ago, we purchased a new-to-us Regency Tritoon boat in Fort Pierce. We finally got it in the water last weekend, and it was absolutely worth the wait! Of course, the very next day the temperature dropped to 56° with 20+ mph wind gusts. Classic Florida timing. Still, getting back on the water reminded me why we love living here — even if the weather keeps us guessing.

This Month’s Feature: Renovating My Own Home

This month’s feature article highlights the full renovation of my personal home. The project was completed just over a year ago, and I’m finally ready to revisit the journey and share it with you.

Living in the home during construction made the process… let’s say memorable. For a renovation of this scale, being on site daily was invaluable. I acted as the general contractor, coordinating trades, overseeing work, managing materials, and making countless design decisions along the way. With more than 30 years of experience caring for homes — plus a decade of renovating properties — I knew how important flexibility would be. Plans evolve, details emerge, and adjustments are inevitable.

The Right Partner Makes All the Difference

The person who made this project truly possible was my carpenter and all-around problem solver, Kimbo Murray. He showed incredible patience through design changes, offered thoughtful suggestions, and tackled challenges with a calm, solution-oriented mindset. Whenever something shifted, his response was usually cheerful:

“You’re the boss.” “I’m on your clock — whatever you want.”

Anyone in the construction world knows change orders can quickly drive-up costs. Having someone willing to adapt without constant renegotiation saved both time and money. Prior to meeting Kimbo, I had already worked with several contractors on earlier phases of the project. My ex-boyfriend — an excellent framer — built out the new front wall and installed the three doors across the front of the home. For the front porch rebuild, however, I went through three different subcontractors, which is unfortunately not uncommon in construction. The first two crews struggled with internal conflicts and reliability issues, sometimes disappearing for days without communication. The third contractor ultimately did a beautiful job completing the porch, but shortly afterward accepted a full-time position elsewhere. In total, it took nearly six months to complete just the front porch — a perfect example of how scheduling challenges, staffing issues, and changing availability can significantly impact timelines when working with subcontractors. Then fate intervened. During a jet-ski trip to a local spring, I met Kimbo, who added me to his schedule about six months out. Once he started, progress moved quickly — and ten months later we were in awe of the finished result.

Some of the most special touches developed along the way. One of my favorites is the custom drywall finish. I knew I wanted the walls to resemble wood grain but wasn’t sure how to achieve it. After searching online, I came across concrete stamp rollers — and voilà! Kimbo was unsure at first, but true to form, he was willing to try. After some experimentation, he perfected the technique. We both ended up loving the texture.

The fireplace build-out was another idea I had envisioned but hadn’t fully worked out, especially with the constraints of the existing chimney. With Kimbo’s help — and one evening of Duane and me daydreaming over a few cocktails — we developed a great plan. A hidden door on the side of the fireplace provides access to the router and electronics behind the TV, keeping everything clean and uncluttered.

I had previously acquired a beautiful Monkey Pod live-edge slab from American Timber in Gainesville, a company I discovered on Facebook. After selecting the exact piece and dimensions, they constructed, finished, and delivered my stunning dining table. I later purchased additional Monkey Pod wood, which Kimbo used to craft the floating shelves, mantel, and hearth for the fireplace wall.

The shower was another concept where I had a general vision but wasn’t certain about the final size and layout. It ended up larger than Kimbo initially recommended, and I second-guessed the decision during construction. Now, I’m so glad I insisted — it feels incredibly luxurious. For the glass surround, I returned to Sun Coast Insulators, a trusted vendor from previous projects.

All of the cabinetry came from RTA Cabinets (Ready-to-Assemble), a company I’ve worked with before. I provided the floor plan for the new kitchen, and their design team helped finalize the exact sizes and placement of drawers and cabinets.

The granite for the oversized bar — another major focal point of the home — was installed by Rob Martin, owner of Smart Stone in Gainesville, a trusted vendor from previous projects. He also fabricated the bathroom vanity tops.

For flooring, I selected a high-wear luxury plank vinyl from Lumber Liquidators and had it installed by my longtime flooring professional, Leroy Debose of Gainesville Carpet & Flooring. Leroy also installed the carpet in the two bedrooms and downstairs entertainment room. We’ve worked together for nearly 30 years and watched each other grow older along the way — he’s consistently reliable and does excellent work. Minor electrical updates were handled by my neighbor and trusted electrician, Brandon of River Bend Electric. I did use one of Kimbo’s plumbing contacts for that portion of the project. While the work was completed satisfactorily, it’s not someone I would hire again — personality and communication matter just as much as technical skill.

All stone materials and bath sinks were sourced from Floor and Decor in Gainesville. I do get a pro discount and the have a wide selection at good prices. I’ve used on multiple renovations.

The cypress was locally milled at Crackersaw Mill in Williston, who were equally pleasant to work with. Many fixtures — including doors, hardware, lighting, plumbing fixtures, appliances, and even the mirrored closet doors — were purchased through Wayfair, a vendor I frequently use for both business and personal projects due to their reliability and selection.

The master closet was finished in cedar from Lowe’s, and Duane and I installed the closet system ourselves, also from Lowe’s. The most challenging part wasn’t the installation — it was me stepping back and letting Duane take the lead. None of the boxes were labeled, and with two closets to assemble, we didn’t know which pieces belonged where until we started building. My organized brain struggled with that approach, but once I trusted the process, everything came together beautifully. When it was finished, we actually spent a few “happy hours” sitting in the closet admiring the result — thanks to Duane’s persistence.

Duane also conceived the fireplace wall in the bedroom. By that point, I thought my design energy was tapped out, but not his. His vision included adding another set of sliding glass doors to maximize the river view — because when you have that kind of scenery, you lean into it. Those doors will eventually open onto a large covered deck with a future jacuzzi.

Another feature Duane was instrumental in was the dining room window. I had considered adding it many times but hesitated, wondering if it might be too much — too many windows and too much added cost. With his encouragement, we moved forward, and it completely transformed the space.

A smaller change with equally big impact was the additional window in the spare room. Although it was originally included for exterior symmetry, one of the unexpected benefits was the natural light and the clear sightline it created — allowing you to see straight from the front of the home all the way through to the backyard.

The last leg of this journey was the exterior. I’ve been admiring some of the newer styles of siding and was thrilled to use some on my home. I went with Artisan Hardy plank with the Channell lock grove, purchased through Lowe’s. I am beyond thrilled with its look. We also took the beauty of the stone and wood inside - outside. With cypress gable ends and stone accents around the sliders on the front and soon to be side porch’s also trimmed in cypress. Then finished it off with Sherwin Williams Charcoal grey on the walls and black on the trim and garage doors. This dramatically changed the exterior of the home to a truly one of a kind look that I couldn’t be happier with. I did get a questionable look from Kimbo when he started putting that dark paint on the walls but true to form he didn’t question my ideas and did a fantastic job.

Hands-On Work Behind the Scenes

While we didn’t complete most of the construction ourselves, we handled a significant portion of the demolition and finishing work. We removed all the existing carpet, vinyl, and warped OSB underlayment, tore out the kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, finished the wood elements, doors, baseboards, and trim throughout the home, and coordinated the pickup and delivery of materials. Because we both maintained demanding full-time jobs, doing the entire renovation ourselves would have taken years. I’ll be the first to admit I’m far better at supervising and design than at carpentry. Although Duane has excellent hands-on skills, there’s only one of him — and he still needed to manage maintenance for the properties we oversee.

Custom Details That Make a Home Unique

Trusted Vendors & Quality Materials

Throughout the project, I relied heavily on trusted vendors I’ve worked with for years — relationships built through decades in real estate and renovations.

Key contributors included:

Smart Stone (granite countertops and bath vanities – https://www.smartstonecountertops.com/)

Gainesville Carpet & Flooring (flooring installation – https://gainesvillecarpetsplus.com/)

Floor & Decor (stone materials and sinks – https://www.flooranddecor.com/)

Crackersaw Mill (locally milled cypress – https://crackersawmill.com/)

River Bend Electric (electrical updates – https://riverbendelectricco.com/)

Sun Coast Insulators (glass shower enclosure – http://suncoastinsulators.com/)

RTA Cabinets (custom kitchen cabinetry – https://rtawoodcabinets.com/)

Wayfair (fixtures, appliances, doors, and furnishings – https://www.wayfair.com/)

Pella (windows and doors, purchased pre-COVID – thankfully! – https://www.pella.com/).

Design Choices That Transformed the Space

Some of the biggest impacts came from relatively simple decisions. Adding windows to create sightlines from the front of the home to the backyard. Installing wood-clad Pella windows for warmth and durability. Creating a luxury bedroom fireplace wall. Adding additional sliding doors to capture river views. Using high-wear luxury plank flooring durable enough for energetic dogs.

The exterior transformation was equally dramatic, featuring artisan hardie plank siding cypress gable accents, tone details carried from interior to exterior, charcoal gray walls with black trim and garage doors. The result is a truly one-of-a-kind home that blends modern finishes with natural materials and riverfront surroundings.

Living Through Renovation (and Surviving!)

Living in a construction zone is never easy — limited privacy, constant noise, dust, and disruption. It probably helped that Duane and I were newly in love at the time. When you’re building both a home and a life together, the inconveniences feel a little smaller. In a way, it made the finished home even more meaningful. Every space reflects decisions we made together, and the effort invested along the way.

Still a Work in Progress

Like many projects, this one isn’t entirely finished. Future plans include completing the downstairs living area. Building a side deck. Adding a pergola for outdoor relaxation between volleyball games. Installing a large awning window in the entertainment room downstairs to create a pass-through bar for entertaining. The goal is to further blend indoor and outdoor living — one of the best parts of life on the river.

Why This Project Was Different

After years of renovating homes primarily for financial return, this project focused on something else entirely. Creating spaces that are comfortable, functional, beautiful, and deeply personal. Even with experience, renovations come with disruption and uncertainty. But they also transform how you experience your home every single day.  After ten years of envisioning these changes, it was worth every inconvenience to finally live in the home we imagined from the start.

You can see the full before and after blog post with more pictures and videos here: