Like many recent residential real estate shoppers, the Miller family — dad Derek, mom Jennifer, twins Claire and Louisa, and cat Olive — had to settle for a purchased property they really didn’t want. But thanks to ample resources to transform their new dwelling, they’ve arrived at something stunning. Terri Akman unlocked the Millers’ real estate journey for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The clan wanted out of the Philadelphia townhouse it occupied.

But finding the right home proved difficult, especially when property turnovers were lightning fast.

They settled for a Penn Valley home built in 1952.

Derek called it “the ugliest, smallest house on the largest lot,” referring to the near acre of ground on which the rancher sat.

Derek and Terri were, however, entranced by the landscape and embarked on an 18-month gut it and make its vistas visible from the interior.

A Philadelphia architectural firm used floor-to-ceiling windows and an open floor plan to bring the surrounding environment inside.

The Millers purposefully kept room color schemes basic. “Black and white is timeless,” Derek said, describing the new floor coverings. “When you look back at the home 20 or 30 years from now, it will still feel modern.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer has more detail and numerous photos of the newly revised Miller home.

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Here’s another instance of a classic rancher getting an upgrade to being more light and airy.