‘Good Bones: Risky Business’ Finale Unveils How Mina Starsiak Hawk’s Dream Project Turns Out
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On the finale of the “Good Bones” spinoff “Good Bones: Risky Business,” Mina Starsiak Hawk is down to the wire, scrambling to pull off her most ambitious project to date.
For weeks, we’ve watched her renovate a historic Indianapolis mansion with the hopes of turning it into a special events center and bed-and-breakfast. She’s even named the place Charlotte Hall, after her daughter.
In the final episode, “Race to the Perfect Wedding,” Starsiak Hawk says she has four weeks before a bride and groom walk down the aisle. But there is still an enormous amount of work to be completed.
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“The carriage house is done, which is nice,” says Starsiak Hawk. “And almost the entire interior of the main house is done.”
Yet a leak in the kitchen ceiling has held up completion of that, the exterior needs a lot of the work (that’s where the tent for the ceremony will be placed)—and the speakeasy hasn’t been touched yet.
As Starsiak Hawk struggles to meet the looming deadline, she shows us quite a few slick ways to complete our own renovation projects in less time and for less money.
Take full advantage of used brick
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While working on the speakeasy, and many other important areas of the property, Starsiak Hawk elects to sandblast the existing brick and expose it, rather than covering it up with drywall.
The advantages are many, she says. It’s less expensive, adds character, and can be incorporated with many design styles—from midcentury modern to industrial to farmhouse.
Order your appliances early
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When the kitchen appliances arrive, Starsiak Hawk and her crew have a mighty struggle installing them. Getting them up the stairs and into the new kitchen is a huge (and dangerous) problem.
“There was a brief five seconds when my arms were under the fridge,” Starsiak Hawk recounts. “The boys were struggling significantly, and I was able to shove the dolly in just in time before my arms were crushed by 750 pounds of refrigerator. So … just another chill day at the office.”
She could have avoided all that if she would have had the appliances delivered earlier in the renovation process, before the doors and floors were finished and when more workers were on hand to help schlep them inside.
Remember that weather affects a concrete pour
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While the interior is all but finished, the crew are way behind on the exterior. When discussing the concrete pour with her contractor, Starsiak Hawk learns that the concrete on the sidewalks and driveway must set for up to five days (depending on rain and snow), and that the artificial turf can’t be laid until the concrete is poured.
This throws a major wrench in her schedule, because the temperature is on the verge of dropping to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and concrete cannot be poured when the temperature dips below 26 degrees.
The concrete expert informs her that they’ll have to wait until next week, when the temperature is expected to rise.
It ends up getting so warm that the concrete sets in only three days, and the work that is waiting on it can commence earlier. Fortunately, this buys more time.
Consider artificial turf—especially in cold or dry climates
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Many people living in warm climates with plenty of humidity diss artificial turf—they seem totally unaware of how difficult it is to grow a lawn in a drought area, or an area where winter brings snow and subfreezing temperatures. Starsiak Hawk is clued in, however.
“As much stress as the turf has caused, it’s always the right choice in my book,” she says. “It’s basically zero maintenance and looks epic year-round. So even a winter wedding can have a nice pop of greenery. Now, we have a nice, big, low- to no-maintenance yard.”
Faux copper stays looking shiny and new
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There’s a lovely turret on the front of the home, and Starsiak Hawk would like to use copper on it. But she doesn’t want it to turn green, as copper eventually does, and she doesn’t want to spend a fortune on it.
The metalworkers give her a remarkable option.
“Outside, we chose to give the turret a faux copper finish so it doesn’t patina and it will stay this warm, beautiful color,” explains Starsiak Hawk. “It was also a huge cost savings over the authentic copper, so it’s a win-win.”
Does Starsiak Hawk finish Charlotte Hall on time?
They didn’t call the show “Good Bones: Risky Business” for nothing. Starsiak Hawk appeared to be sweating bullets in every episode, dealing with setback after setback. But in the end, by the skin of her teeth, she finishes it and the wedding is lovely.
“I’m so proud of the whole team for not only saving this historic home, but giving it a new life as an events space and a B&B,” she says. “And I’m proud of myself for taking a chance on a risky project, so that I can continue to build a legacy for my kids.”
According to its Airbnb listing, it can currently be rented for $1,117 per night. With its five bedroom suites, kitchen, speakeasy, parlor, and formal dining room, the space has already hosted a wedding, baby shower, and birthday party.
And hopefully, the payoff will be more than financial, with Starsiak Hawk concluding: “Not only is this going to be a cool legacy in the community, but it’s going to be a really, really important place for so many people to have so many amazing moments in their lives.”
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