By Michaela Bankston
Photos by Kathleen Ivy

Brent and Destini Malone bought a house in Trussville after they married in 2005. As they began having children, they realized different needs their current house was not meeting. Between the amount of traffic on the road and the rattlesnakes in the backyard, Madelyn, now 18, and Rylan, now 12, did not have many places to play. Consequently, they looked for a new place and fell in love with the historic Cahaba Project, where they would bring the children to ride bikes.

“We just love the streets, the old trees, the character of the old houses, the size of the lots,” Brent said.

They looked for a few years before Brent saw someone on the front porch of an empty-looking home in the area. The owners were working on repairs after decades of renters. Brent simply asked if they had thought about selling, and the timing worked out. 

After purchasing the home in 2015 and renovating it, the couple and their two children moved into the 1,200-square-foot, three-bedroom, one-bathroom home the following year.

A few years later, they decided it was time to expand. Conveniently, Brent, a builder by trade, has completed many house flips and renovations. He, with a little help from both of their fathers, completed the addition, which included an upper level.

“I kind of just wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do it,” Brent said. “I wouldn’t do it again, but I’m glad I did it.”

Later that year, they would find out Destini was pregnant with Linley, now 5, making the expansion even more necessary.

Each of the three children have had some say in their own rooms to highlight their individual preferences. As for the rest of the house, many pieces or parts came from other houses and buildings set to be demolished. Like Brent, his dad is a home builder and helped with connections on those. In particular, several pieces came from “the Wheeler house,” the second oldest house in Trussville.

They have gathered furniture and decor along the way from estate sales, antique shops and anywhere they find it.

“If we find it, and we like it, we just get it,” Destini said.

Face of the Home

Their home in the Cahaba Project was originally built in 1938. While the Malones have maintained the historic nature of the house, they have adapted it to their style, which they hope people feel welcome in.

Entryway

The front door came from the Wheeler house. Brent built the entryway to house the door.

Original Living Room

This coffee table is from Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant and Waterfront Market in Panama City, Fla., where Brent’s family went on vacation as a kid, and it sits atop his grandmother’s rug.

Linley’s Room

Linley’s room is part of the original house, but during the renovations, they converted an exterior window to a doorway that connects to Destini’s closet for easier access.

Dining Room

This room was originally the kitchen and has undergone a complete transformation to become this now-exquisite dining space, which is Destini’s favorite room in the house. The original house did not have a dining room.

Butler Pantry

The butler pantry is the beginning of the addition but still holds a piece of the original. Brent moved these built-in cabinets from the original kitchen, now dining room, to here.

Kitchen

The kitchen is far larger than the original kitchen. It centers around a large island Brent built using framing timbers from the Wheeler house.

They sourced the nook’s table from an estate sale at the Wheeler house, later stripping the table down to reveal its natural finish.

Jadeite pieces add fun pops of color throughout the darker-toned kitchen.

Living Room

Compared to the original living room, this much larger space accommodates many people. Family, friends, coworkers and even friends of friends gather to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween and any other gathering at the “holiday house.” 

Just off from the living room, these lockers were installed for the kids to put their backpacks in when they get home. Brent acquired them from a school in Insley that was being demolished.

Master Bedroom

Brent also built their bed that matches the French doors leading to their bathroom.

Master Bathroom

After sharing a small bathroom with two children for multiple years, Destini requested a much more spacious one, which also features a dual-stalled steam shower.

Brent’s Closet

More than a closet, Destini called this Brent’s “man cave of wonders,” which includes an antique barber shop chair along with his own drawings and favored memorabilia.

Destini’s Closet

Destini’s extra-large, walk-in closet loops the addition back to the original house where it connects to Linley’s room.

Madelyn’s Room

Madelyn chose the decor for her room, which is inspired by her love of horses and dream of being a barrel racer.

Rylan’s Room

Rylan is a big Marvel fan, which is the basis for his room, featuring posters, artwork and his action figure collection.

Part of his collection of heroes rests on the shelves beside his bed, effectively posed to save the day.

Theater Room

The theater room is great for family movie nights, as well as hosting sleepovers and playing lots of video games. 

Screened-in Porch

When the weather is nice, the Malones like to eat dinner on the porch. This is also where they spend many fall Saturdays rooting for the Crimson Tide.  

Velma’s

The Malones first went on a blind date that did not lead to a second one before running into each other a few years later at the original Velma’s.

“And then we’ve been together ever since,” Destini said.

The Malones keep this drawing on display as a tribute to how their story began.

Paul “Bear” Bryant

“We were kind of bred to be Bama fans.” – Brent Malone

Brent’s grandad was good friends with Paul “Bear” Bryant, and this photo of them golfing rests in the living room.