Midcentury modern goes from ugly duckling to Tampa stunner

Remodeled home blossoms into stunning midcentury modern gem

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The symmetrical design of the modern kitchen allows the space to be a focal point in the home rather than just a cooking and eating area. Imperial granite was used to create the dramatic waterfall countertop on the island.

Visionary couple Julie and Todd Bodnar turned a vacant eyesore of a Tampa home into an absolute stunner—and now the neighbors are thanking the couple for fixing up the place.  The 1960-built, four-bedroom, three-bathroom home offered 3,400 square feet of prime space for the couple to redesign and remodel. The Bodnars had previously lived in a high-rise condominium on Harbour Island for six years, and they decided to trade the downtown pace for a South Tampa lifestyle in a single-family home.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The renovation completely revitalized the front façade of the home, which now includes an entry that features Pro-Fit Alpine Ledgestone in Pheasant and a 2 ¼-inch thick solid mahogany entry door from Borano.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Home exterior before the renovations.

“We both have a love for midcentury modern architecture and design. We grew up in single-story, ranch-style homes and we knew we had to own one,” Julie says. “We had a lot of fun during the hunt for our midcentury ranch. Finding our ugly duckling was love at first sight.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The symmetrical design of the modern kitchen allows the space to be a focal point in the home rather than just a cooking and eating area. White quartz countertops complement the dramatic waterfall island.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Kitchen area before the renovations.

A vision of love
Finding the home was just a prelude to the massive revamping. The Bodnars, however, weren’t intimidated by the undertaking, as they already had plenty of experience in the décor realm. The Bodnars’ company, HOMESWAGG, specializes in home design and event rentals throughout the bay area, providing curated furnishings and accessories for indoor and outdoor occasions.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Stunning slabs of Imperial granite were used to top the island and waterfall counter design, creating a beautiful focal element in the kitchen, reminiscent of petrified wood, marrying the counter to the wood floor.

So, for their personal project, they were prepared to create an eclectic masterpiece. The house they chose was double the size of most Tampa ranch homes the Bodnars had seen, and they could immediately envision open-concept living and entertaining there. The residence is also located on a huge lot in a convenient area—10 minutes from Tampa International Airport, five minutes from Interstate 275 and six minutes from the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
A custom midcentury turquoise leather tufted sofa and a complementary bench are positioned around the 96-inch black seared oak table in the dining room. Black sputnik light fixtures hang overhead, completing the design of the eclectic space.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Dining room before the renovations.

“The home was a complete eyesore, even after being majorly cleaned up by a large flipping company based in California,” Julie says. “There was a long history of lack of love for this home, but we could see the beauty in it and committed to the challenge well before our Realtor, Matt Silverman of Silverman Real Estate Group–Remax Bay to Bay, was able to get us access to see the inside.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The beige Bracci Clarissa Italian leather sectional juxtaposes the Corning Black Rundle stone adorning the fireplace wall in the living room, creating the ultimate spot for relaxing after a busy day.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Living room before the renovations.

In addition to their love of midcentury architecture and design, the Bodnars also adore Italy and all things modern Mediterranean. They intended to create an open-concept, midcentury modern, Mediterranean-style look in the renovated home.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Custom vintage leather Barcelona-style lounge chairs, a hand-carved tree root coffee table with a glass top, and an Urchin light fixture add a variety of visual interest to the living room.

“Our favorite Italian town on the Amalfi Coast is Sorrento, known for its limoncello. In the center of our new front yard was a producing lemon tree and we felt this was really cool inspiration to see our vision through,” she says.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The open floor plan allows the family room to blend in perfectly with the kitchen. The slate color of the Macy’s custom chenille sectional sofa pulls from the hue of the kitchen cabinetry.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Family room before the renovations.

“We knew how we wanted daily life at home to feel. Our home had to be functional, while reflecting the elements of places and things we love without being cluttered or overdone. We wanted to feel peaceful and relaxed, truly zen, inside and outside. We wanted to feel like we were at an amazing spa resort and it was important that our family and friends have this organic experience whenever they come to visit.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
In the master bedroom, a handmade Italian crystal chandelier purchased on a trip to Sorrento, Italy, hangs above the Cocoon black leather bed designed by Thomas Althaus for Ruf Betten.

A modern renovation
But there were definite hurdles to executing this vision. “Our biggest challenge was constantly explaining why we weren’t tearing the house down—why we were gutting the house and not rebuilding a brand-new home,” she says. “Tearing the house down was never a consideration for us. We were attracted to the solid construction of the home; it had weathered many storms since 1960 and we were excited about the footprint and the idea of modernizing it in an uncommon way.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
This elegant sitting area in the master bedroom features a Z Gallerie Jackson chair in Bella Asphalt.

The couple had the ceilings raised from eight to 10 feet and eliminated as many walls as possible. The fireplaces in the living and family rooms are now comprised of floor-to-ceiling stacked stone walls in Corning Black Rundle. The warm, 7½-inch, hand scraped distressed maple floors reflect the couple’s casual living style.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Custom cabinetry with a gray finish, topped with white quartz counters and undermount sinks, sets the soothing tone in the master bathroom.

Their front door and roof are particularly special to the Bodnars. “We set out to change the entire identity of the home. To transform the exterior into a modern Mediterranean, the front door and roof choices were extremely important. Once we discovered Borano’s Stockholm double-entry door, we didn’t look any further,” Julie says. “We had dreamt of having a concrete barrel tile roof; however, the weight was a concern. We went with a black barrel stone coated metal roof that is lightweight, durable and a modern twist to the traditional clay and concrete roof.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The corner shower features a gray tile focal wall and rain showerhead and is located alongside the MTI Andrea freestanding tub.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Master bathroom before the renovations.

Inside the home, Todd enjoys whipping up meals on his Wolf induction cooktop. When he is in the outdoor kitchen, cooking on the 36-inch Twin Eagles grill or The Big Green Egg smoker, his guests can utilize the ample outside seating to watch him work his culinary magic.

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
A VintageView floor-to-ceiling wine storage system is tucked along the perimeter of the welcoming bar, which features a custom granite and glass-topped two tiered counter.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Bar area before the renovations.

“Once you come into the house, you have long forgotten that you are on a busy street in the city,” Julie says. “The back yard, which once was nothing but dirt and weeds, is now a staycation destination with privacy, a lush landscape, outdoor living and dining spaces, and an amazing Italian-inspired modern pool, hot tub and a waterfall.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
The outdoor kitchen includes a high-top granite bar in Baracuda Blue with Besarcon Birdnest barstools, eye-catching tile and stonework, and a grill and smoker.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Outdoor kitchen area before the renovations.

Making friends with the community
And the feedback from the community has been overwhelming, to say the least. “One of the most heart warming things about our remodel and pride in ownership is the response from the community—from locals, who were raised in south Tampa, stopping by to tell us stories about the home’s history; to Westshore commuters honking, waving and yelling out the window that we’ve done a beautiful job; to neighbors thanking us for rescuing the home and improving the neighborhood,” she says. “We are thankful to have created such a special place.”

From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
A modern pool, with a sun shelf, bubbler, Sheer Decent water feature and adjoining hot tub, creates the ultimate escape in the back yard.
From Ugly Duckling to South Tampa Stunner
Backyard pool area before the renovations.

RESOURCES Interior design Julie and Todd Bodnar, HOMESWAGG, LLC; Landscape design Dan Lawhead, Keystone Landscapes; Furniture Doma Home Furnishings; Scan Design; Window treatments Lago Interiors & Design; Living and dining room lighting Lights & More; Windows PGT WinGuard Impact-Resistant vinyl windows; Entry door Borano; Fireplace and feature walls Corning Black Rundle stone; Sinks and faucets Kohler; Danze Parma; Appliances Asko dishwasher; Wolf induction cooktop, wall oven, hood, warming drawer and microwave; Sub-Zero refrigerator, supplied by Famous Tate; Pool Charles Dray, Landmark Pools; Air conditioning CJ’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.; Kitchen island countertop Imperial granite, SK Stone; Kitchen countertops Vanilla Ice Pompeii Quartz, United Materials, Inc. (UMI); Outdoor kitchen countertops Baracuda Blue and Kashmir Cream granite, Acme Stone; Bar countertop Verde Alligator granite, Stone Warehouse of Tampa

Article appeared in Housetrends Tampa Bay – March/April 2019

To see another home with midcentury roots check out The Wright style, the right home

Article by Abby Weingarten/Photos by Joe Traina