At Country Living, we have a serious soft spot for a good makeover. Whether its a top-to-bottom renovation of a $15,000 fixer-upper purchased on Facebook Marketplace or the revival of a foreclosed hunting lodge that once had birds fluttering about in the foyer, its hard to resist a good comeback story. However, as much as we love a straightforward house before and after, were especially excited when that makeover involves an unconventional conversionmaybe its a tugboat transformed into a floating cottage, a grain silo turned into a guesthouse, or a 160-year-old grain mill transformed into an airy farmhouse.Thats why our ears perked up when Alabama designer Ellen Godfrey mentioned she had recently turned a century-old country honky-tonkthats right, a honky-tonkinto a multi-generational family home. The property, part of an area known as Queenstown Lake, was once a popular destination for Birmingham city folk seeking a day trip or weekend away. It included cabins, a boarding house, swimming hole, and, yes, a honky-tonk. However, by the mid-century, it kinda fell into disrepair, says Ellen.Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyNewspaper clippings from the propertys heyday appear throughout the home. During its earliest years, the venue attracted big-for-the-time names like Benny Goodman, a.k.a. The King of Swing, and brothers Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. A few years ago, the current ownerswho Ellen has known since childhooddecided to renovate, with the goal of turning the honky-tonk into a weekend retreat for friends and family. While Ellen wasnt part of the initial project planning, her talents were later enlisted in the name of making sure the character of the property remained intact. You could say the train had already left the station by the time I came on board, says Ellen, noting that decisions had to be made quickly as some things had already been set into motion. The train metaphor is fitting, as trains frequently come through the property on just the other side of the lake. Thats also why youll see vintage trains hovering just above the homes original booth seating right off the kitchen, and railroad crossing signage at the top of the stairwell. These sorts of storied elements and architectural quirks are what Ellen set out to preserve while simultaneously making tweaks to better accommodate needs of weekend guests. Since the transformationwhich now accommodates 16 houseguests at any given timethe homeowners have used it for weekends, assorted holidays, and, most recently, a daughters college reunion for a group of friends. In true honky-tonk spirit, thats music to Ellens ears. Whenever I see it in action, I think Oh, goodthats exactly what we were hoping for.Tour This Honky-tonk Turned Family Home:Working JukeboxMary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyOriginal to the property, the jukebox has been fully restored to working order. The leather chairs are vintage from Nicky Kehoe.Storied Stairwell Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyThe Queenstown Lake sign is a copy of the original sign that advertised the lake and boarding house. The stairwell banister was reclaimed from an old church balcony.Feed-a-Crowd Kitchen Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyGiven the homes history, the main floor was mostly open and the kitchen felt kind of floating out in the middle, says Ellen. To create zones more in keeping with a residencebut still capable of hosting large groupsEllen moved the kitchen back a bit to create more living and dining options in the main area. Six rush-seated barstools (Dorchester by Ballard Designs), a soapstone countertop, and three ovens and a warming drawer make for a highly functional gathering spot. The vintage pendant lights (for similar, Rejuvenation) are large enough to hold court in such a large open space.RELATED: 60 More Kitchen Filled With Timeless Ideas for Your Own KitchenBooth Seating Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyThe charming old-school boothsfour in totalare also original to the property. To up the comfort factor, Ellen added seat cushions made from a durable ticking stripe fabric (Tatton Stripe in Pumice by Perennials).Warm Welcome Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyOn the back side of the kitchen, youll find a new entry-meets-mudroom. Now when you come into the house, that space feels more like a proper foyer, says Ellen. In addition to serving up a proper entry moment, the new spacepainted Sandy Hook Gray by Benjamin Moore (now discontinued)offers ample storage for both coats, bags, and boots as well as serving ware and pantry items. Upstairs, a vintage railroad crossing sign is another nod to the nearby train track.Pastoral Patterns Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyA floral wallcovering (Apothecarys Garden by Trustworth Studios) brings whimsy to the bathroom. I like that the paper has a vintage feel. It made me think of being in the country in the middle of summer, says Ellen. The framed swim meet ribbons date back to the owners childhood. It wasnt until after we hung the wallpaper that I realized the exact same colors from the ribbons repeated in the paper, says Ellen. It was fate.RELATED: 40 More Inspiring Ways to Use Wallpaper in Your BathroomPool PartyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyThe basement became the game room as a matter of necessity. We had an old pool table, and it wasnt going to fit upstairs, so that dictated how the basement would be used, says Ellen.Upcycled Bar Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyThe wall-mounted bar is an old coat rack topped with a slab of wood. When paired with bar stools (from Urban Outfitters), it makes for an efficient use of space. The mounted fish, both real and wooden, are a nod to the familys time spent on the lake.Den-Like Downstairs Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyIs there a world where a tufted leather sofa doesnt make sense in a rec room? Here, a perfectly worn-in leather Chesterfield (by RH) sits pretty with patterned pillows. Just a stones throw away, a game table is always at the ready alongside a large antique RC Cola sign. Under-21 ClubMary Rosenbaum PhotographyIn the kids bedroom, spindle beds (Jenny Lind by Crate&kids) add classically country charm while whimsical horse wallcovering (Watercolor Horses by McGee and Co.) hints at the family-owned stables that sit adjacent to the property. RELATED: 70 More Stylish Kids Room Ideas That Even Grownups Will LoveClosing Time Quarters Mary Rosenbaum PhotographyMary Rosenbaum PhotographyWhen its time for the grownups to turn in, a pair of woven beds (Harbour Cane by Serena and Lily) outfitted with plaid sheets (by Piglet in Bed) will be happy to accommodate. Textured sconces (Wimberley by Visual Comfort & Co.) help brighten up the space, as does the lightened-up brick (painted Aloof Gray by Sherwin-Williams). In the adjacent bathroom, the neutral scheme continues with a small-scale wallpaper (Berain by Pintura Studio) and industrial sconces (Boston Head Light Sconce by Visual Comfort & Co.).Tour More Amazing Home Transformations:Rachel Hardage BarrettRachel Hardage Barrett has written for and edited lifestyle publications for more than 20 years. As the editor-in-chief of Country Living, she has covered all things related to country lifeincluding design, gardening, food, travel, antiques, crafts, and country pop culturefor more than a decade. Before Country Living, Rachel spent several years at Southern Living, where she served as Executive Editor covering travel, food, style, and features. Before Southern Living, Rachel was the Special Projects Director of Real Simple, where she wrote and oversaw books and special issues about food, travel, weddings, organizing, and parenting in addition to working on international editions and licensed products. Before working at lifestyle brands, Rachel started her magazine career at Glamour, where she wrote and edited relationship articles, celebrity interviews, as well as fashion and features content. When shes not working on the magazine, she can likely be found poking around an antiques shop, perusing country real estate listings, or dreaming of opening a general store.