Modern Take on Rustic Renovations: An Interview with The Grit and Polish

Cathy and Garrett Poshusta, the dynamic duo behind the Grit and Polish blog, are renovating, innovating, and spreading smiles across the Pacific Northwest.

11 years ago, Cathy and Garrett Poshusta began their renovation journey when they purchased a “fixer” home that was built in 1916. The house, nestled in a wonderful Seattle neighborhood, was originally purchased to be a forever home. Those plans changed when their careers took a turn and Cathy was laid off from her job in engineering. To help with bills, Cathy and Garrett began “house hacking,” adapting the house for renters to help pay off their mortgage. This strategy worked: by following the BRRRR model (Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat), they actually began making money with the change of plans. After some research and a lot of hard work, Cathy and Garrett began renovating more properties across the greater Seattle area, continuing to rent most of them out. Their dedication paid off and now, at the age of 34, Cathy and Garrett are retired. They have taken the skills they learned from renovating and began doing what they loved; raising their family, renovating properties, running their home/design blog, and even guest starring on HGTV shows!

Inspired by their story, we reached out to Cathy and Garrett to learn more about them and get their take on modern trends in interior design. Here are Cathy’s thoughts on some upcoming trends, their favorite project and more!

JDM: “What made you fall in love with interior design?”

Cathy: “I’ve always been inspired by space and form, old architecture and the natural world. I lean heavily on these ideas in my interiors which embrace old craft details, natural materials and light (mostly white!) colors. The spaces we inhabit influence our mood and how we think. Interior design is a creative way for me reflect my feelings about a space in a visual way. “

JDM: “Tell us the story of one of your favorite old home renovations.”

Cathy: “My favorite is always the one we’ve just done or are currently working on! Some highlights though are finding a 5-foot-wide pocket door buried in the wall at the Porch house (you can see that in our HGTV pilot called Master Plan!). I love finding original finishes hidden under newer work like wood floors under carpet, or hexagon tiles under laminate like we did at the Ravenna house. “

JDM: “What are some of your favorite designs/trends?”Cathy: “There’s certainly a trend toward natural materials like reclaimed wood shelves that I’m into. I also love the resurgence of historic details like medallions, paneling, and craft mouldings.”

JDM: “What is this year’s must-try trend?”

Cathy: “I feel like this year has a thin-to-win aesthetic as opposed to a chunkier one. We’re doing 2cm marble counters in our kitchen and I absolutely love them! In general, I try to stay pretty classic with my designs. I want my spaces to be inspiring and lovely today and in 50 years.”

JDM: “Dark colors are rather popular right now, what do you think will be the next color sensation?”

Cathy: “I’m a layered neutrals gal so I’m pulling for warm whites and soft greys and greens.”

JDM: “What advice do you have for someone who just got a new house or shed, and who has little experience with interior design? How do they get that rustic feel they are going for?”

Cathy: “First try to highlight/expose the elements that are already there. Maybe there’s planking behind sheetrock or a higher ceiling above the dropped one. Exposing the structural elements like we did in the Ravenna House basement is also a great way to add interest and a more rustic feeling. You can also bring in planking or barn wood or steel to give a space some heft and edge.”

To learn more about Garrett and Cathy’s journey you can head over to their website at https://www.thegritandpolish.com/about-us.

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