6453 Monitor
An abandoned home reclaimed, reimagined, and rebuilt with heart.
At Muffet Designs, we believe that good design starts with listening:
to the house,
to the neighborhood,
and to the people
who will call
it home.
I started Muffet Designs in 2017 with a passion for organizing and designing interior spaces with functionality and charm in mind. I then grew to become a certified professional organizer, general contractor, and project manager, undertaking countless projects throughout Pittsburgh. From downsizing to bathroom renovations to complete house remodels, I have completed a wide variety of projects for my clients, joyfully learning and growing all along the way.
In August 2024, I took a leap. After seven years of project management experience, I was ready to tackle something completely my own. I purchased this house that had been left abandoned for 15 years. It was a huge undertaking, but I had my amazing team helping me, including my daughter, Kylee. This project was a unique opportunity to wear all my professional hats as a general contractor, designer, and organizer under one roof (pun intended!) I originally posted a project blog on this site, chronicling the phases of this project for a few reasons:
To pull back the curtain on some of the unexpected challenges that can arise in any renovation project, even for professionals.
To show why it helps to have experienced professionals in your corner to tackle the unexpected.
To document this massive project so that my team and I can always look back and remember all that we accomplished.
To share some inspiration for DIYers, the renovation-curious, and the designers at heart.
It wasn’t easy to take a long-forgotten structure and not only bring it up to code, but also to transform it into a beautiful, functional, and welcoming home. But it is possible!
Now that the project is complete and the home’s first renters are enjoying all of our hard work, we’ve repurposed the blog posts here to tell the whole story from the abandoned, cluttered beginning to the warm, cozy, and homey end.
Scroll below to see how each room came to life — the choices, the challenges, and the little victories along the way — ending with a finished photo gallery showcasing warm textures, smart layouts, and quiet moments of beauty. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, considering hiring a contractor, or one of those quintessential Pittsburghers who just love old houses, we hope you find practical insights and inspiration.
The Finished Project
Tell us about your project!
If you have questions about this renovation or it sparked some inspiration for your home project, please reach out.
Schedule a free phone consultation to see if we might be the right fit for your remodeling, design, or organizing project. We’d love to hear about it.