“We loved our house, but our living room had a giant west-facing wall with no light or air movement,” said Dr. Nikki Harken, who serves as the Internship Director for the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Northern Iowa.
Nikki and her husband, Matt, and their five children moved into their “newer” home in Shell Rock, Iowa in 2011. Nikki grew up on a farm and wanted to return to country living. “I need a lot of air and land. This house sits on a couple of acres, with a space for a garden, and is perfect for our family. When I first saw the beautiful gardens out front, I knew it was the right place.”
The house is also within an easy commute of the UNI campus in Cedar Falls and has a great setup for Matt to work remotely. The first few years, as the family was raising their children, Estelle, Madi, Tucker, Katie, and Alex, they tackled the major projects they could do on their own. This included pulling up carpets, finishing the basement, and removing a wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open-concept space. This transformation got them one step closer to their dream by creating a spacious central area but the larger exterior wall remained.
The family made do by adding colorful wall paint and art to the walls, but they knew it wasn’t a long-term solution. They dreamed of finding an affordable way to bring more light and fresh air into their home. Fast forward nearly 15 years, the Harken’s children are grown and out of the house, and the couple wanted to revisit what else they could do to create the beloved light and air they had been seeking.
What they ultimately realized is they needed the right remodeling partner to help them problem-solve all the ways they could make it happen. As it turns out, they also needed one that offered 0% financing for 60 months. The project would never have gotten off the ground without both key components.
Here’s a closer look at how this project unfolded.
A Bright Vision for a Home Remodeling Project
Like many homeowners, the Harkens initially dreamed of adding a whole new space—a spacious great room to enjoy views and natural light. “I love windows,” Nikki shared, “If I could live in a house full of windows, I’d be thrilled!” They envisioned an addition but after talking to several contractors, they realized the cost may jeopardize the low-interest rate they’d secured on their home during the pandemic, making the plan less feasible.
As the idea for an addition went “out the window,” Nikki was talking with her mom who mentioned she had just seen a Hometown Restyling television commercial promoting a 0% financing offer. But that’s not where the serendipity ended. Her mom mentioned that one of the Hometown Restyling owners, Tim Casey, was someone Nikki and her family had known and grown up with in Coggon, Iowa. For Nikki, who values working with a local team, it was too much of a coincidence to pass up. “I went to their website and thought Hometown Restyling was too far from Shell Rock to be an option, but after looking online, I was excited to see that we were within their service area!” Nikki recalls.
Creative Problem Solving Bring Home Goals to Life
After contacting Hometown Restyling, Mark, a sales consultant, came to the Harken home to help guide them through their vision. Initially, they considered a sunroom installation, but the costs remained outside their target.
At that point, Nikki and her husband decided to share their original goals with Mark.
“It’s this giant west wall that we want to change,” Nikki said. “There’s no light, no air movement. We’re always running the AC, and with our north and south windows, the wind catches just right and causes damage. We’ve had to replace a couple of windows because of the airflow.”
From there, Mark was off and running with ideas. He suggested adding large windows to the wall to create the ‘feeling’ of a sunroom without the added cost of a build.
Overcoming A Future Concern
Nikki’s husband was concerned that installing windows would be a wasted effort if they later decided to add a sunroom or three-season room.
Mark suggested a creative solution for this. “We could put in a giant sliding glass door. This way,” Mark explained, “you’ll have easy access if you decide to add a patio, create a three-season room, or build a sunroom down the line.”
They discussed options to balance natural light, airflow, and future expansion plans. Ultimately, the perfect answer surfaced: two large windows paired with a custom sliding glass door, resembling an oversized window and seamlessly connecting the room to the outdoors.
“This isn’t like old-school sliding glass doors. This is beautiful. It looks like just a giant window.” – Nikki
A High-Quality Window Installation Experience
Nikki said the combination of high-quality work and amazing customer experience is what made the project so special.
“The communication was amazing! Our calls and emails were always returned quickly. And when the installation team arrived, they were just fantastic,” she recalls. “They were patient with me, yet cracked me up. They showed up, and I was like ‘I can’t believe I’m going to let you cut out a hole in a perfectly good wall.” But Shane, Jake, Quinton, and Jordan’s patience and friendliness quickly set her at ease.
“The team showed up Thursday morning, and by Friday afternoon, they were done. I couldn’t believe the precision and professionalism. I even had to work that second day and had no problem leaving these ‘strangers’ in my home because of how much trust they inspired.”
Each team member showed dedication to detail, which is evident in the final look of the windows. “They made sure everything, from the inside to the exterior trim, matched perfectly. I went outside, and it looked like the windows had always been there,” she says. “That kind of attention to detail speaks volumes.”
Beyond the exceptional installation, our commitment to customer care truly stood out to the Harkens. About a week after the windows and sliding door were installed, Nikki’s husband noticed a piece of trim hanging slightly beneath one of the new windows. He took a photo and reached out to Tim Casey, who responded immediately.
The very next day, Tim was at their home to fix it, making sure everything looked and functioned perfectly. “Where else do you get that kind of service? Literally, nowhere,” Nikki remarked.
Tim said the team takes a lot of pride in making sure an installation is complete. “We want our clients to know they can count on us for quality and reliability, and that goes beyond the day of installation,” Tim said
Seamless Start to Finish
Nikki was also grateful for the transparent timeline which was a bit longer than typical because of the need to special order the extra large window and door. But, open communication meant they were kept up to date on expectations. “There were never any broken promises,” she recalls. “Back in May we were told installation would occur at the end of August or early September, and the first week of September it was done and we had a view!”
On Nikki’s way home from work on the Friday the project was completed, she pondered stopping at a hardware store to pick up white trim filler for the exterior nail holes she expected to come home to. “But when I got home, their team filled all of the nail holes. I couldn’t believe it. It’s these small details that set our minds at ease. You just don’t get that high-quality craftsmanship in every project.”
Living the Result: Windows & Views Reimagined
The window installation has added light, airflow, and a feeling of openness that Nikki and her husband cherish. “My husband looked at me one day recently and said, ‘This might be the best choice we ever made,’ and I immediately thought, ‘Why didn’t we do this years ago?’” Nikki laughs. Her children were also taken aback. “My son even asked if we had added a new room!”
For the first time, they can fully experience seasonal changes from their living room, watching the trees change color in the fall and soon anticipating the beauty of a snow-covered landscape this winter. “I can’t wait for the first snowfall to just watch it envelop the house,” Nikki said.
Why the Harkens Can’t Stop Recommending Hometown Restyling
Reflecting on her experience, Nikki doesn’t hold back on her enthusiasm. “I’ve told countless people about Hometown Restyling! So many of my friends have horror stories about contractors who don’t return calls or provide unclear timelines,” she says. “Working with Hometown was a completely different experience. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and communication are top-notch.”
Nikki also saw firsthand how the Hometown Restyling team keeps their promise to leave the home as nice as they originally found it. “The entire project was done–and with spotless clean up–in LESS than two days!”
Ready to Love Your Home Even More?
Don’t let creative problem-solving or financing stand between you and the home remodel of your dreams! We are here to help. We provide flexible financing options to make your project more budget-friendly, so you can start enjoying your beautifully upgraded space while making easy payments over time.
Currently, we’re offering:
- Up to $250 off per window installed
- 0% financing for up to 60 months
- 12 months, no interest, no payment
- 7.99% for 180 months
- 9.99% for 120 months
Get pre-approved without leaving your home with no paperwork required. To find out more or to get started, click here.
No matter if we’re replacing windows or upgrading a room in your home, we do our best to ensure it will be functional for years. To guarantee your project is a success, we offer something most of our competitors won’t—a lifetime workmanship warranty on every project.
This project is a beautiful example of how a thoughtful renovation can bring both functionality and a touch of magic into a home. We are so grateful to Nikki and her family for trusting us with their vision, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. If you’re considering a remodel to make the most of Eastern Iowa’s beautiful seasons, we’d love to help you start your journey. Reach out to us, and let’s make your home a place you love even more!
