Every Photo Ty Pennington Has Shared of the Historic Savannah Home He's Renovating with Wife Kellee

See how the Trading Spaces alum and his wife of two months are restoring their 1853 home in the heart of Savannah

Photo: Ty Pennington/Instagram (2)

Ty's Savannah Story

On September 1, 2020, HGTV star Ty Pennington and his then-girlfriend Kellee Merrell got the keys to a historic house in Savannah, GA that they would soon call home — and eventually would call their wedding venue!

They began working on the 1853 property immediately, intending to restore the home and make it their own while still honoring its original roots. According to a post from Pennington, 57, on Instagram last week, they've "been renovating ever since," with plans to finish the main house this summer. Then, they'll start on the detached carriage house out back.

Pennington has been sharing sneak peeks at their progress, letting fans in on what a real renovation looks like off-screen, and teasing what's to come for the stunning 19th-century home.

The Exterior

Though he's not showing the front of the home for privacy reasons, Pennington has let fans take a peek at the back of the home, where the courtyard, pool and detached carriage house are located. This shot in particular was "taken from the rooftop patio."

"We'll be tackling the inside of the carriage house in the spring and can't wait to show you the plans for that. Stay tuned!" he teased in January 2022.

The Courtyard

The courtyard is where Pennington and Merrell held their intimate November 2021 wedding. They hosted just eight guests in the space, where they set out a long table with lush greenery on the brick pathway beside the pool. They also hung an antique chandelier to set the mood.

The Pool

Pennington and Merrell made a big addition to the backyard after they moved in: building a a tiny, five-foot-deep pool, which doubles as a hot tub.

"We had a dream, and that dream was to make the world's smallest pool (9'x9')! Many thought we had lost our minds but boy did she turn out realllll pretty," Pennington captioned this photo of the feature, adding that he uses it almost every night.

The Living Room

After their wedding, Pennington and Merrell stashed their leftover flowers and greenery in their living room, which is outfitted with stunning blue-and-white Portuguese tile floors.

"What remains..." he captioned this photo from December 2021, less than a week after the backyard nuptials.

The Living Room

Pennington decorated the living room, which is centered by a dark stone fireplace, with thoughtful decor, including a caned chair, subtle florals and bold art.

The Dining Room

In the dining room, Pennington opted to mix an ornate crystal chandelier with a modern table and Hans Wegner wishbone chairs. He also made sure to preserve the original wood flooring in the room.

"If the floors look a little rough it's because they're 170 years old," he wrote in November 2021, "but we like them anyway!"

The Dining Room

The room has a door that leads out to the back courtyard, allowing it to be filled with "morning light," Pennington wrote in January 2022. There's also a cozy built-in nook by the windows.

The Kitchen

Though he again left the original blue-and-white tile flooring, Pennington gave the kitchen a major makeover. That included adding new appliances, painting the walls and cabinets, switching out the stone on the island and hanging modern light fixtures.

The Kitchen

One of the most eye-catching parts of the kitchen is the sleek stove, which is contrasted with a white tile backsplash, navy cupboards and brass pots and pans.

"Saturday morning scenes…" Pennington captioned this shot in July 2021. Later that year, he called the kitchen, "One of my favorite spots in the house."

The Kitchen

Here, Pennington shared a "shelfie" of the reclaimed wood shelves he added to the main wall in the kitchen, decorated with a number of antiques, including a vintage camera and painting.

The Powder Room

Pennington transformed the tiny powder room by decorating the walls with whimsical, animal-printed wallpaper from House of Hackney (in the Trematonia print). He also painted the trim in a glossy black, and installed a cast iron sink and vintage gold mirror.

The Powder Room

"When the wallpaper installer has a sense of humor…. " Pennington jokingly captioned this close-up shot in August 2021, giving a detailed look at the Trematonia print.

The Guest Bathroom

Pennington went for a bright and boho-inspired look in his guest bathroom, which he painted a peachy color with a limewash finish to complement the zellige tiles. He also hung a unique wicker mirror above the reclaimed sink, which features a brass faucet.

The Guest Bathroom

"No place like home….. or our guest bathroom ha!" Pennington wrote in December 2021, showing off a wider shot of the space. "One of my favorite spots in the house."

The Primary Bedroom

"Sneak peek of our main bedroom reno in Savannah," Pennington captioned this photo in May 2021, showing off the new wallpaper and pendant lighting he added, as well as the bed's striped linen sheets and upholstered headboard.

The Primary Bedroom

In this shot from July 2021, Pennington gave a closer look at the mirrored "custom closet doors" with brass hardware in the main bedroom.

"Sidenote: mirrors are hard to photograph!! And no they aren't dirty, it's the antique gold finish," he wrote. "The color on the top left corner is the true color."

The 'Men's Bathroom'

"A bathroom fit for a gentleman….. Alright it's me! I'm the gentleman you guys," Pennington joked in this January 2022 post, in which he shared: "This bathroom is still a work in progress — much like the rest of the house but it sure is nice to have a working shower again."

Prior to the green-themed makeover, this bathroom's walls were painted white and the shower had plain white, square tiling.

The 'Men's Bathroom'

One of the unique features in the bathroom is the sink, which Pennington designed by insetting a cast iron basin atop an antique vanity, and then wall mounting a brass faucet above it.

"#savetheoldthings," he wrote in his caption, highlighting his love for giving old pieces new life.