You likely know and love designer Luke Caldwell and builder Clint Robertson as the hosts of Boise Boys. But now, over a year after the last episode of the show's second season, Luke and Clint are changing directions while remaining true to their love of building and design. This time, instead of flipping houses, they're catering to the changing needs of static homes in HGTV's latest series, Outgrown. Ahead, discover 33 stunning spaces from the first season of the show, along with expert tips from Luke and Clint themselves.
Unconventional Gallery Walls
Oftentimes gallery walls are used to add personality to a space’s wall, but Luke reminds us that they can also be hung to create a sense of belonging amongst a family. For one Outgrown family who adopted their little boy, Luke created this unique statement gallery.
“It was really touching to me and my family because we’ve gone through that quite a few times, and it was so special to be able to work on their house and know how they feel,” Luke, who adopted five of his eight children, shared. “With our kids, when they were adopted, it’s scary. Even though there’s so much joy, there’s still a lot of pain and hurt, too. And I think that… the first thing that I wanted was for him and all the kids to see when they walked into the house for the first time is that ‘You belong here.’ This is your family; this is your home.”
Built-Ins Galore
Whether you don’t want to fuss over finding furniture that works well to house your electronics, games, and other goods, or you simply like the look of uniform shelves and cabinets, Luke and Clint are both big advocates for built-ins.
“From a functional perspective — Luke and I have always kind of been function and form — everyone needs to have a place, especially today when TVs are increasing in size by the minute, and so you need a functional place for your TV and a functional place for everything else,” Clint says. A built-in offers a great way to deliver on both.
Built-Ins Keep it Organized
Built-ins aren’t only for living rooms, though. They work well in bedrooms, too—especially kids’ rooms.
“With a lot of kids, everything needs a home,” Luke explains, noting that built-ins are a great solution. “When you love your house but there’s not a lot of free space, you have to figure out how to get things off the floor and go vertical with it.”
Ample Drawers
As great as built-in shelves and cabinets are, having plenty of drawers throughout your home helps add to an organized (and well-styled) space.
“I think that’s the goal: You have a certain amount of drawers and doors where things are hidden and you don’t know what’s going on behind [them],” Luke says. “But you don’t want an entire wall of just doors and drawers — you still want your personality and your family to tell your story.” With that in mind, Luke likes to decorate built-ins, shelves, and entertainment centers with everything from family photos to heirlooms and old books — anything that has sentimental value beyond first glance. “It’s a great way to tell your story when guests come over, and it’s also a reminder to your family of what’s important to you, and I love that,” he says.
Ample Drawers: A Place for Everything
More than anything, Luke says that order is everything, especially in homes of adoption. And having a home filled with drawers helps with that. “As simple as it sounds, everything having a home — we’ve noticed with our kids who are adopted that they really need structure to feel safe, and to know what their routine is — helps. And I think that the routine of your house — knowing that everything has a place to go and knowing where our space is, where our room is, where we gather together — it’s just so important.”
Ample Drawers: Kitchen and Bath
The idea of having plenty of hidden storage space extends throughout the house, but can be especially key in areas with high traffic and many items, like a kitchen or bathroom. By having a dedicated cabinet or drawer, everyone in the family will be able to know where everything belongs.
Structured Drop Zones
Homes with children can quickly become cluttered by bookbags, shoes, and coats being strewn every which way. By having a designated drop zone in your home, like this beauty that Luke and Clint brought to life, you'll be able to maintain the mess as soon as your kiddos walk in the door.
Curved Edges
As you watch Outgrown, you may notice that almost all of the mirrors in the show are curved in some way, whether they’re arched or round. There’s a reason for that.
“I love Americana and I love modern, but what happens a lot of times is that modern can go very clinical and feel very cold,” Luke explains. “Design-wise, I like houses to feel very inviting and cozy. And one of the things that you’ll notice, whether that’s with mirrors or artwork or whatever, arches give things a real warmth to them. It's like a cocoon, it’s just warm and cozy. And I think for a family, it’s those little subtleties [throughout the home] that work together.”
Curved Edges: Soften the Look
“Whenever I’m missing a little bit of character, or if it’s feeling a little cold, I’ll always gravitate toward more arches, more circular, more round because it’s softer than 90-degree edges,” Luke adds.
Curved Edges: Adding Intrigue
Here, Luke and Clint outfitted this renovated bathroom with not only an arched floor-length mirror but eye-catching floor tiles and statement wallpaper to add even more inviting intrigue to the space.
Wooden Accents
Another way that Luke and Clint like to add warmth and depth to a space is with wood.
“I love bringing the natural wood from outside indoors,” Clint says. “Luke and I are polar opposites in a lot of ways, but there are several things that we row the boat in the exact same direction on. We love our families, we care about each other’s families and each other, and, in a lot of ways, we’re agreeable on what makes a great home. I love a lot of light coming in, I like a lot of natural wood, and just natural elements indoors. And I know Luke designs heavily in that direction, which I think makes a big difference in our homes.”
Wooden Accents: A Natural Touch
This renovated space incorporates all of Clint's favorite things: lots of light, wood floors, and a beautiful view of nature.
Wooden Accents: Simple and Timeless
“Wood elements add so much character to a house in such a simple way that’s still very timeless,” Luke says. “It’s the one thing that I consistently want in a house.”
Wooden Accents: Bedroom
Mantels aren't the only place where Clint and Luke employ wood in the home. Here, they outfitted a hardwood floored bedroom with a stunning wooden bed frame and side tables for a beautiful MCM-inspired display.
Wooden Accents: Floors and Cabinets
Speaking of hardwood floors, in this space, Luke and Clint chose light-colored floors that, if you look closely, you'll see match the wooden cabinets in the background.
Wooden Accents: Cozy Character
As if the hardwood floors weren't enough to add character to this cozy bedroom, the dark-stained wooden ceiling beams certainly do the trick.
Wooden Accents and Arches: Warm and Inviting
With a picturesque wooden door, beautiful hardwood floors, wooden ceiling beams, a wooden China cabinet and an arched doorway, this space is about as warm and inviting as it gets.
A Little Bit of Everything
With a statement wood stove hood, gorgeous hardwood floors, lots of cabinets and drawers, and open shelves displaying special items, this renovated kitchen has it all.
Statement Walls
Another way that Luke likes to jazz up a space is by mixing colors and textures. Here, he did so with marigold paint and coordinating patterned wallpaper.
Statement Walls
When Luke veers away from wallpaper, he leans toward adding texture by pairing a standalone statement wall (like the evergreen one, here) with a variety of textiles and materials (like the linen and wood, above).
Statement Walls: Showcase Brick
Of course, you don't need to dedicate an entire wall to make a statement. Here, Luke and Clint opted for a contrasting black brick fireplace, which stands out beautifully in the living room — especially with the built-in shelves showcasing family trinkets.
Statement Walls: Behind the Headboard
Remember Luke and Clint's love of wood? Sometimes it even plays into their statement walls. Here, they used thin wood paneling to create a one-of-a-kind headboard backsplash.
Statement Walls: Contrast In the Kitchen
Statement walls can also come to life in a kitchen. Here, Clint and Luke paired black brick on one wall with loads of white cabinets on the others.
Funky Wallpaper
Hoping to make a bold statement in your space? Wallpaper will be your best friend. “With wallpaper, it’s a way to make a very strong impact in a cost-effective way,” Luke says.
Funky Wallpaper: Adding Texture and Character
Luke has a method to wallpapering depending on the space. “With wallpaper, I try to be a little more subtle in big areas and let it be more of a texture or color, which can really ground the space and add some character to your home,” he says. “In powder bathrooms, I’ll go a little bit avant-garde and just go bold and try something. It’s a fun place where your guests are going to go, and you’re not in there every day, so it’s not like you’re committed to it, or like it’s connected to your bedroom or anything.” With that in mind, and since powder rooms are more of a standalone place, Luke says that they’re the perfect place to create a really special moment with unexpected wallpaper.
Built-In Dining Nooks
According to Clint, adding a breakfast nook to your kitchen is a great way to maximize minimal space. “You try not to sacrifice your kitchen but you know what your limits are and build accordingly,” he says.
Built-In Dining Nooks: Space-Makers
If you ever feel like you don’t have a lot of options, Clint reassures us that there’s still at least one—you just have to figure out what it is. “When we opened up the fireplace, Luke decided we needed a little breakfast nook in there — a kitchen bar — and it kind of dictated to us, we’ve got this much space,” Clint says, noting that even with an addition, if done correctly, it can feel like you have even more space than when you started.
Built-In Dining Nooks: Raise the Bar
Of course, you don't have to build a sandwich counter to provide your family with plenty of dining space. Opting for a spacious kitchen bar works just as well!
Traditional Dining Area
Another thing that Luke thinks is incredibly important, especially in families of adoption, is having a space where everyone can sit together. “This is a place to gather, together, face-to-face across from each other,” he says. “You know, it’s such a simple thing but it’s so important.”
Choosing the Right Furniture
The most important aspect of decorating a home? Outfitting it with the right furniture. “I think furniture is probably the number one thing that clogs up a space,” Luke says. “If a space isn’t working for somebody, they likely have the wrong furniture in the house. Most people will carry their furniture pieces from house to house, even though it’s not sentimental, it’s not anything that they love but they have it or were gifted it or whatever it is, and they try to make a certain sectional or a certain couch work in their next home — and I think that’s a huge mistake.”
Choosing the Right Furniture: Flow and Function
“I think one of the main things you need to do is let your house dictate what furniture goes in your space because flow and functionality — and even the beauty — is found so often in the style pieces and proper furniture that needs to go in your house, whether it’s a circular table instead of a square or rectangle, or whether it’s a low-profile couch or a couch with two chairs instead of a sectional,” Luke adds. “It’s those decisions that really impact the functionality and the flow of your house. You might not even be that outgrown, but your furniture is so chunky and clunky and chubby that it just doesn’t work.”
Choosing the Right Furniture: Practical and Beautiful
Utilizing your space properly is such a common struggle for families, Luke admits. “Be very specific and intentional with every item that goes into a house because not only does it need to work practically, but it needs to be beautiful,” he says.
