See an Atlanta Home Go From Small to Sprawling to Make Room for a Growing Family

After several years of making their 1,700-square-foot home work, Chip and Joni Lay jumped into a large-scale renovation that gave them 4,400 square feet of living space for their large family.

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September 11, 2023

By: Beth Braden

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Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Meet Chip and Joni

Chip and Joni Lay live in Atlanta with their four daughters. Joni runs Lay Baby Lay, a lifestyle blog full of inspiration for decorating nurseries and kids' bedrooms. Their home is a spacious, custom-designed space with carefully curated rooms and Joni's vintage eclectic syle, but there was a time when the Lays were dealing with a growing family and a seemingly shrinking house.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage ...

... and then came their house. This is an undated photo of the house provided by the previous owners when Chip and Joni bought it in 2008, just a year after they got married.

It had vintage charm with a great yard, and the neighborhood was walkable. The home was going to be a temporary stop; they always assumed they would eventually move to a bigger house, but they just couldn't bear to leave. There was only one solution: a massive renovation that would make the home work for them.

Before: No Vacancy

Prior to the renovation, their two-bedroom, two-bathroom house came in at 1,700 square feet, which was doable when they only had two children, but they knew it couldn't work forever.

Joni and Chip's bedroom felt more enclosed with dark paint and a small window.

After: Open and Airy

Now, their bedroom features a large window, new bed, funky oval bench and forest-themed wallpaper.

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Pacific Northwest Wallpaper

Something Old, Something New

Joni kept the midcentury modern dresser for the remodeled bedroom, and it really fits her vintage eclectic vibe.

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Pacific Northwest Wallpaper

Before: Just a Little Cramped

Prior to renovating, the dining room was a closed-off space at the back of the house with just enough seating for their family — which had grown to include four daughters and two pet rabbits.

After: Always Room for One More

The renovation converted the home's old living room into the new dining room while preserving the fireplace. It also gave Joni plenty of space for the large, eight-person table she'd been dreaming of for years.

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Nemus Dining Table

Midcentury And Definitely Modern

The dining room definitely lives up to Joni's vintage eclectic vibe. One of the home's original archways was preserved during the renovation, and the chairs and side table give off a major midcentury modern feel.

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Nemus Dining Table

Books and Baubles

Chip and Joni recessed the space between the studs in the wall to create built-in shelving where they display various vintage knick-knacks and lots of books.

What Are You Drinking?

The dining room also includes a built-in beverage bar where Chip can make coffee or they can set up adult beverages for a dinner party. Before the renovation, there was an archway into a sitting room where the bar is now.

Before: Cute, But Maybe Not So Functional

Joni loved the cute checkerboard flooring in the old kitchen, but it left a lot to be desired in terms of counter space and storage. The character was definitely there, but the functionality was not.

After: Cute and Very Functional

There is plenty of space in the new kitchen, and the large island has seating for five. The light wood cabinets have flat fronts, so Joni opted to add molding to the back wall of the kitchen for texture. There's also a bit of a secret: the support poles? Chip and Joni sourced them from a pole dancing supply store.

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Copen Blue by Sherwin Williams

A Snack Spot

There's a sitting area directly in front of the kitchen island where guests can relax and enjoy appetizers and drinks while Joni and Chip finish cooking dinner, but it also serves as one of their daughter's favorite places to read.

Before: Fireside Chats

Recognize that fireplace? Before the renovation, the space that is now the dining room was the living room. While Chip and Joni never used the fireplace that much, it was still a focal point in the room, and they preserved it during the renovation.

After: Gather 'Round

The new living room is part of the open concept kitchen and sitting area, but the furniture placement still makes it feel like it's its own space. Joni and Chip loved the fireplace in their old living room so much that they had one installed in the new living room during the renovation.

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Heatherfield Two-Cushion Sofa

The Kid Zone

The entire second story of the Lays' home was added during the renovation, and it is curated specifically for their children. This loft space upstairs is where the girls play, and it leads directly into their study, which features kid-friendly desk space for doing homework or other projects.

Roommates Wanted

The three oldest daughters share one big room together, and Joni says they love to be together at night after being apart during the day for school. Their youngest daughter has her own nursery so the big girls don't interrupt her sleep.

The Unexpected Library

This space off the girls' room was supposed to be a closet, but Chip and Joni couldn't bear to let the space go to waste when they saw it framed out. Instead, they turned it into a library decorated with yellow and white wallpaper covered in cartoon cats.

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Smitten Kitten

In With the New

When it was all said and done, the renovation took 10 months and definitely went over budget, but Chip and Joni have no regrets.

“I really wanted it to feel like our house just grew up," Joni said.

See an Atlanta Home Go From Small to Sprawling to Make Room for a Growing Family

Related To:

Shop This Look

Meet Chip and Joni

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage ...

Before: No Vacancy

After: Open and Airy

Shop This Look

Pacific Northwest Wallpaper

Something Old, Something New

Shop This Look

Pacific Northwest Wallpaper

Before: Just a Little Cramped

After: Always Room for One More

Shop This Look

Nemus Dining Table

Midcentury And Definitely Modern

Shop This Look

Nemus Dining Table

Books and Baubles

What Are You Drinking?

Before: Cute, But Maybe Not So Functional

After: Cute and Very Functional

Shop This Look

Copen Blue by Sherwin Williams

A Snack Spot

Before: Fireside Chats

After: Gather 'Round

Shop This Look

Heatherfield Two-Cushion Sofa

The Kid Zone

Roommates Wanted

The Unexpected Library

Shop This Look

Smitten Kitten

In With the New

This Tiny Atlanta Cottage Is Home to a Family of Six 14 Photos

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