Frankenhouses are the result of decades of additions and redesigns, often done by different people with distinct goals and aesthetic visions.
“A Frankenhouse is essentially a renovated home without a sense of continuity or cohesion,” says Jasen Edwards, a real estate sales expert and performance coach at Agent Advice in Austin, TX.
These unnatural aberrations are frequently the product of “do-it-yourselfers,” says Martin Carreon, broker and owner of Soco Wine Country Properties in Santa Rosa, CA. “Often, they’re designed by people who have no experience or knowledge of good home design.”
Unfortunately, the tight real estate market is creating an opportunity for sellers of these specimens.
“Most buyers of Frankenhouses are first-time homebuyers, or people who have smaller budgets,” says Gunner Davis, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in Tampa, FL. “These homes are like entering time machines, with a 1990s Tuscan kitchen, a living room with parquet flooring, and a hot tub–style bathtub in the bathroom.”
If you suspect you own—or are attempting to buy—a Frankenhouse, and you want to learn short- and long-term projects that will help you tame its beastlier attributes, you’re in luck: Creative solutions abound.
Fix it with lighting
Frankenhouses often feature light fixtures with a lot of personality. You might see track lighting in the living room, a fluorescent light box in the kitchen, and Hollywood mirror lights in the bathroom. When you embark on your Frankenhouse makeover, one of your first moves should be to update the lighting.
“Adjusting the lighting is one of the fastest ways to rectify a house lacking cohesion,” says Carreon. “It’s better not to use more than one color of lighting fixture. Using a similar kind of lighting fixture throughout the interior is smart, and it doesn’t require a significant financial investment.”
Fix it with new flooring
Frankenhouses are defined by their disjointed aesthetics. A good way to replace chaos with good flow is with new floors throughout. Opt for solid hardwood or an engineered alternative.
“These monstrous houses tend to have confusing paths from room to room, with different floors in each room,” says Ron Wysocarski, a real estate broker based in Port Orange, FL. “Replanning the floors themselves and the way the doorways flow will put you well on your way to a more cohesive home.”