Decorating & Design
See How This Photographer Became A DIY & Design Personality
Published on May 16, 2022
When the pandemic hit, professional photographer and mother of three Jenna Rutherford suddenly found herself with a lot of extra time. Like many others, she decided to focus all of that energy into a long overdue project: renovating her home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. When she started sharing her before-and-after transformations online, she racked up more than 150,000 followers on Instagram and 725,000 on TikTok. From her pantry makeover to her laundry room redesign, Jenna’s videos have now garnered millions of views.
Scroll down for our chat with Jenna about her passion for DIY!
House & Home: How did you get into DIY?
Jenna Rutherford: I always had a passion for it, but I was doing professional photography and my husband was busy with the plumbing company he owns, so neither of us could really pursue it. When COVID hit, I was stuck in the house with my three children and needed a creative outlet. I took woodworking in high school, but hadn’t touched a saw since. My brand name From House to Home came from the idea that our house went from a builder-grade space to a cozy home where our kids could invite friends over, and we could host gatherings.
H&H: What did you change about your daughter’s room (pictured above)?
JR: Originally, her room was a grey box that didn’t suit her style, and there was plenty of wasted space that could benefit from added storage. I added custom built-ins, including a desk where she could do school work, open shelving where she could display her medals and awards from gymnastics, and a a window seat where she could sit and watch the birds and trees outside. I originally painted the shiplap to match the built-ins (Breezy, Sherwin Williams) but it made that side of the room feel very heavy and disconnected, so we switched back to a more neutral tone for the walls.
H&H: How would you describe your signature style?
JR: When I first started, I thought I was going to lean into the farmhouse vibe, but since then I’ve gravitated towards traditional-meets-modern with rustic elements. My husband would like to put an antler chandelier in every room, so I added in a few rustic touches for him like the faux rustic beams in the living room. When I bought the couch for this room my husband was worried because it’s completely different than the rest of our furniture, but now I think it fits well. I’m keeping it more modern and I want every room to feel unified if we ever sell.
H&H: Which room best exemplifies that look?
JR: I love the living room. It was initially my kids’ playroom but I added trim molding in here, the faux beams and a Murphy bed. I was inspired by this room when I was creating the rest of the spaces.
H&H: Tell us about your beautiful pantry!
JR: My inspiration for the pantry actually came from another blog, called the Jettset Farmhouse. I knew I wanted a modern farmhouse look, with wood tones and a moody vibe. There aren’t any windows or lights in the pantry, so I leaned into something cozier; chevron tile and shiplap helped achieve the look we wanted.
H&H: Can you tell me a little about this corner office space?
JR: There are no spare rooms in our home for an office, so I created an office nook out of a corner in the hallway that was originally meant to be a kids play corner. I added personality to the space with a fresh coat of paint and a vertical wood accent wall. I also hung pin boards and file holders for a stylish storage solution. Don’t be afraid to renovate awkward corners!
H&H: How did you differentiate this daughter’s room from the one above?
JR: I wanted to add a feature wall to one of my daughter’s room, and I saw a version of this design on the blog HoneyBuiltHome. This chevron wall, commonly referred to as Herringbone board and batten, was done using a 2 1/2 inch trim board and each batten is cut at a 30 degree angle with 12 inches in between. My daughter asked for warmth and pink in her room, so I chose neutral shades of pink that can grow with her as she gets older.
H&H: Let’s finish with some rapid fire questions. What’s your go to paint color?
JR: Snowbound and Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams.
H&H: Where do you buy most of your furniture?
JR: Most of our furniture is from local retailers, but for bigger retailers, we have pieces from Article, International Furniture and Ashley’s — to name a few.
H&H: What’s next for you?
JR: I would love to start teaching other people how to DIY their homes. That’s a dream of mine!
Jenna Rutherford