Sick of Modern Farmhouse? ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals What’s Hot Now

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Modern farmhouse design has been popular for years, but if you’re tired of barn doors and shiplap, the latest episode of “Fixer to Fabulous” shows off a cooler alternative: modern industrial.

In “Old Dojo to Modern Mojo,” Jenny and Dave Marrs help Jennifer and Philip Cristofaros reimagine an old karate studio in Arkansas. They’re given a big budget of $215,000 to fix up this home, but they’ll need every penny because this space needs a ton of work.

Read on to find out how Dave and Jenny create the quintessential modern industrial home, which might inspire some upgrades around your own abode, too.

Cement siding, painted black, creates a modern exterior

This house was previously used as a karate studio.

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Jenny and Dave know that Jennifer and Philip love modern industrial style, so they start their renovation by giving the exterior a sleek upgrade.

They cover this former karate studio with cement siding to give it a clean, modern look.

“It’s really simple, has clean lines, and it’s going to look really sleek and modern,” Jenny says of the paneling.

Concrete panels make this house look modern.

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Then to finish the exterior, Dave and Jenny paint the siding black to make it look extra contemporary.

While black concrete siding on a house may sound dark and uninviting, when paired with a mature tree in the front yard and plenty of new greenery, this house looks both modern and comfortable.

Polish concrete floors for an industrial look

Jennifer and Philip Cristofaros love the look of the concrete underneath the carpeting they had removed.

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Jennifer and Philip love the industrial modern style, so when they pull up the carpet in their new home and find concrete, they decide to keep the look.

Jenny and Dave think this is a great idea, and they offer to bring in a team to make the concrete look even better.

“They take a diamond stone and come in here and grind the concrete,” Dave says, examining the floor.

These concrete floors go with the industrial style.

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When the polishing is done, the floors look shiny and sleek. This living room still has that industrial look, but now, with a glossy sheen, these concrete floors look finished.

Brick veneer can add texture—and look as good as the real thing

This old karate studio presented a blank canvas.

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While Jenny and Dave decide to use a lot of concrete in this industrial renovation, they realize that they’ll need to mix it up with some other materials so that the home doesn’t end up looking cold and flat.

Philip and Jennifer mentioned that they used to live in New York City, so Jenny is inspired to bring a little bit of city style to this house.

This brick wall gives the kitchen a modern industrial look.

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Dave adds a layer of brick to the kitchen wall, giving the space an urban feel. When it’s finished, the brick veneer looks surprisingly authentic.

“It just feels like you uncovered a wall in an old building like in Manhattan,” Jenny says of the finished product.

The brick provides texture and color to the industrial home and adds a warm, rustic quality to a space that otherwise might feel too modern.

A bit of color can keep an industrial space from looking cold

This mural is a great contrast to the modern style.

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While the brick wall adds color and texture to the kitchen, Jenny and Dave know it’s not enough to offset all of the industrial modern features in this living space.

So they commission a bright and bold mural to be painted on one of the walls. The floral statement piece is a stark contrast to the muted colors and clean lines in the rest of the house, which makes the home feel dynamic.

“It is the perfect contrast,” Jenny says.

Painted concrete looks just like modern tile

Jenny Marrs painted this concrete patio, and it looks just like tile.

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Dave and Jenny know that it’s going to take a lot of cash to turn this old dojo into a dream home, so they’re careful to save money wherever they can.

Jenny comes up with an idea to save money on the new patio by painting the concrete slab, rather than buying tile. She uses a stencil to paint a geometric design directly on the concrete.

“I do think it is going to define the space and set it apart from just a normal concrete slab patio,” Jenny says.

After the work is done overall, it’s hard to believe this house was once a run-down karate studio. It looks like Jenny and Dave have earned their black belt in modern industrial design!

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