Ryan and Heather Filippini go way back. They met as youngsters at St. Anne’s Catholic School in Lodi, followed separate paths to college, got reacquainted in Sacramento and married in 2010.
Now they work mostly from home. Ryan works in real estate. Heather works for a tech support company. East Sac is their base.
“Our first East Sac home was a two-bedroom, one-bath near Bertha Henschel Park,” Ryan says. “We then upgraded to a larger house across the street. We loved our neighbors and our tightknit neighborhood, especially during COVID lockdowns.”
In March 2023, the couple found a Cape Cod-style residence on 41st Street. “With two children, age 9 and 11, this home was ideal for us,” Heather says. “We jumped right in and made it happen.”
But the house needed upgrades and improvements. It would be the family’s third renovation project—one more test of their ability to work as a team.
Repairs on the 2,175-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath vintage layout took months. The Filippinis rented back their previous home and stayed in hotels.
“The floors gratefully had always been covered with carpet and never refinished,” Heather says. “But Ryan is a skilled carpenter, and we could both visualize how even just resurfacing, retexturing and repainting could go a long way.”
The couple handled much of the demolition themselves. Now the living room is open to the entry hall and dining space. French doors between the backyard and living room are painted black to add depth.
White kitchen cabinetry stayed, but the family replaced tiles and appliances. New hardwood floors in the kitchen tie everything together.
A back porch became a new sunroom. It has a long leather sectional sofa and black and white checkerboard marble floor. Black and white accents extend to other rooms.
The center stairway is highlighted with dozens of small, square, black framed photos—a family gallery. Upstairs bedrooms are light and bright with multiple windows.
The windows are decorated with natural woods and white and cream shades with colorful accents. The bathrooms have white and gray marble counters and mosaic floors with subway tile walls.
The backyard is a green paradise highlighted by a rock waterfall built by the former owner. “Years ago, the yard was on a garden tour and folks really like seeing that waterfall,” Heather says.
I’m always curious how couples adapt and persevere through months of hard, heavy remodels.
“We have a similar vision for our home design,” Ryan says. “But sometimes we face decision-making fatigue, so the other of us has to step in to resolve.”
This pair found the challenges empowering.
“We realized that we have a lot of skills together as a couple,” Heather says. “Combined with the knowledge we have amassed along the way on three projects.”
Ryan agrees. “It feels great to know we can so positively transform an old house into a new home tailored for our family.”
The Filippini family home is on this year’s Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour, Dec 6, 7 and 8. Tickets are $35 to $45, available online or at Sacred Heart School at 856 39th St. on event days. Visit sacredhearthometour.com.
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