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Design Services

a home can tell a story, evoke a feeling, and just feel good to be in.

Home Renovation and Design Services

Hi, I’m Jen Boulden, a home renovation and design expert with a passion for breathing heart and soul into homes. My approach focuses on honoring a home’s original character while creating spaces that bring about a sense of harmony with the inhabitants and our earth.

From New York City to Bozeman, Montana, to Los Angeles to Santa Ynez, my renovation journey has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and invaluable lessons. I’m excited to share my experiences and projects with you here.

I believe homes should reflect the souls of their inhabitants while preserving their own history. I’m tired of the cookie-cutter, commercialized approach to design. A home with heart and soul is far more valuable (both emotionally and financially) than one chasing fleeting trends that will soon be dated and in need of another renovation or make over.

My Journey in Renovating Historic Homes

New York City

Los Angeles

Bozeman

Santa Inez

There’s something magical about bringing a home back to life while staying true to its soul. I also believe home design has become far too commercialized, so this approach feels rebellious in the best way—and it’s sustainable, too. The process hasn’t been easy. There have been grueling moments, but also magical ones.

Here is a bit more about my journey . . .

The Early Days: My First Renovation

New York City

West Village, 1,200 square feet

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My very first renovation was my apartment in New York City, at Bleecker and Broadway. I didn’t know much then, but I figured out that making a space prettier meant I could sell it for more—so why wouldn’t I?

My dad drove up from Virginia with all his tools to help me. It was 1997, and cell phone coverage wasn’t what it is now, so I’ll never forget that day when I came home from my early Internet job to find blood everywhere… and dad was nowhere to be found. I eventually tracked him down at St. Vincent’s Hospital—he had cut off his thumb. Thankfully, the doctors were able to reattach it.

Blood stains gone or painted over, the apartment’s transformation was incredible. It went from a dated, drab 1990s soulless box to something with real character. That experience taught me how much joy I could find in creating beautiful spaces. (Oh, and then yes I did sell it for exactly double what I paid, which gave me the launching pad to acquire more houses!)

Falling in Love with a Craftsman

Bozeman, Montana

Mountain Town, 2,400 square feet

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Fast forward to 2005, living in Bozeman, Montana, I fell head over heels for a 1908 Craftsman home. Every day, I drove past it on my way to work and thought, “That’s supposed to be my house.”

When it went up for sale, I pounced on it and spent the next year bringing all my burgeoning design ideas to life. One of my favorite finds for that house was a huge copper star from an antique mall. I hung it on the front porch, and it became so iconic that people started calling the house "The Star House."

And through my work with Ideal Bite (a daily eco-living email I co-founded), I discovered a world of sustainable renovation materials and ideas… like American Clay, which looks like a soft plaster, so I used it to cover some industrial brick around the fireplace.