Tara 2000 House Remodel | hindsight2020

Exterior Rendering

This project was a remodel of a 1930’s home into rental property for the clients, brothers and business partners, Jim and Charles. The brothers purchased the home together and would be doing the labor themselves, hoping to be able to keep within their low budget of $15,000. The house was nestled in a neighborhood full of young families, that was close to the elementary, library, and shopping center. The clients needed a design centered around an ideal future tenant. A house that would draw in a younger couple, or a young family, to fill the 4 bedrooms and a big backyard.

Floor Plan

This once small, charming home nearly doubled in size when the previous owner decided to add two rooms, and a large living room to the home. However, the house still lacked the functionality that the increased size allowed. The old cramped kitchen lacked storage, style, and a modern open layout; these are problems that the clients needed a solution to. To attract desirable tenats the layout of the small kitchen needed to be cracked opened and expanded to give room for storage. This reorganizing allowed for a small laundry to be added to the main floor saving the future tenant from climbing down the old steep stairs leading to the basement. The wall separating the tiny awkwardly long living room was torn down along with the old white painted cabinets and tiled countertops.

A look under the various colors of the shag carpet uncovered solid wood floors. They needed to be patched, but only needed a quick refinishing to renew their beauty. The yellow warm tones of the wood were not aligned with the current style of cool greys and dark walnuts. However, the use of Pale Oak, by Benjamin Moore, brought out the more neutral tones to create a cohesive styled feel to the space. To keep this effect 14 recessed can lights in a daylight temperature were installed throughout the kitchen, living room and entryway. Jim, one of the clients, wanted to add insulation to the attic and more energy efficient windows taking up a large portion of the budget, but in turn adding comfort, quality and light to the space.

Kitchen

Bath

The only bathroom in the house needed to shed its baby blue ceramic tile and dawn a fresh new style. The new design centered around an old clawfoot bathtub Jim found for free online. A glass dividing wall would be added in front of the tub to allow a shower head to be added above the bathtub. New tile would be added to the floor and 3 walls of the shower to draw your eye to the beautiful bath. The clients loved the design but were not able to complete it in their desired timeline. Instead the design simplified to keeping the original bathtub and tile and then adding a coat or two of a white shower and bath refinishing paint. Though not an original concern for the clients the problem of only having one bathroom was conflicting with the idea of the ideal client. This was solved by adding a small half bath to the basement.

INTERIOR

DESIGN

2000 House

Remodel

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