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A Big New Reno Project

I have a big project to announce and I am very excited about it!

I have a big announcement for you today.

You may not quite believe this news.

But it’s true.

We bought another house. An investment. And a project.

A. Big. Project.

Ready to see what we’ve gotten ourselves into this time??!!

Come on in…

An old wooden door with a screen door ajar in front of it.

The house was built in 1973 and only has had one owner- they clearly loved their home and took good care of it. It has been very well maintained in many ways. And has quite a vintage 1973 feel to it, starting with the door and hardware. The wooden shelf divider at the entrance of the home adds to the vintage feel…

A wooden built in and old carpet.

The living room…

We are pretty certain that the carpets are original, and the gold mirror tile and wood paneling are certainly of the 70’s era as well. Check out the wood paneled valances- they even have built in lighting behind them. A lot of care was taken by the previous owners to customize their home to their liking.

A very dated looking fireplace surrounded by wood paneling in the living room.

Brown,orangish rug in front of the fireplace.

A mirror with a pattern in it above the fireplace.

A small built in seat beside the fireplace.

Isn’t this light fixture quite amazing? I think I have a friend or two that would love to take that one off my hands and use it in their own eclectic space.

The built in wood panelled shelf beside the front door.

If you are standing near the fireplace and looking towards the other side of the house you can see the (two) bedrooms and bathroom…

A wooden closet door.The living room adjoins to the small dining room area and then the kitchen.

A small dining room with the dated carpet and dated ceiling fan.

It has this cool old built in cabinet- I like the leaded glass in the top, but the amber glass in the bottom isn’t my fave. What do you think?

Built in cabinet with amber glass in the front.

The dining area flows right into the kitchen.

The kitchen with wooden cabinets.

It has solid wood cabinetry that I think we can salvage and reuse…

Solid wood cabinets in the kitchen.

Pretty sure that the fridge is original circa 1973…

A small off white fridge in the kitchen.

Though the stove and microwave hood fan are a little newer…

The kitchen counter has a little swing up portion of the counter that you can pull a chair up to…

Showing the swing out portion of the kitchen counter.

And you can see the back door goes off the kitchen as well.

Isn`t it amazing how the 70`s patterns are back in – like the pattern on the floor?!

Patterned linoleum floor in the kitchen.

And on the closet doors in the kitchen. These doors blow my mind…

More cabinet doors that are wood with amber glass.

And guess what`s behind them?!

The washer and dryer behind the cabinet doors.

Main floor laundry. Crazy, right?!

From the kitchen there is a little hallway/landing area and the two bedrooms, bathroom, and door to the basement are off this hallway/landing spot…

Looking at the white oven and stove in the kitchen.

The bedrooms are fairly small, but have a decent sized closet.

I would call the front one the Master Bedroom, but I think that might be stretching the term just a little.

Instead I will just call it the BLUE room…

A room painted blue with blue patterned carpet.

A small window with white curtains.

That is quite the carpet, too, isn`t it?!

Up close look at the blue patterned rug.

The side view of the room.

Wooden closet doors agar.

The smaller, back bedroom I affectionately refer to as the GREEN room…

Green is the colour of the second bedroom.

A green Tiffany style light is hung by the ceiling.

More wooden closet doors agar.

Between the two bedrooms sits the bathroom.

A small bathroom just off the bedroom.

A small mirror above the sink.

Wallpaper in a floral design in the bathroom.

Another wooden closet door.

And, yes, there is no tile in the shower. No tub surround either. Just wallpaper.

I don’t think it was ever used as a shower. The inspector thought it was totally dry, but I guess we will see when we open it up…

An old white tub in the bathroom.

Hey, look, the boys already got started on that wallpaper!

Two little boys ripping off the wallpaper in the bathroom.

The wallpaper coming off the bathroom wall.

Well, what do you think?

What would you keep?

What would you ditch?

Does it have your creative juices flowing? Or would you be running away in fear?

If you follow me on Instagram I will be sharing some more updates and changes as we tear this place apart!

It’s going to be on a BIG BUDGET. Full of DIY. And it’s going to be so much fun!

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17 Comments

  1. Hey Krista,

    I think the blue carpet is fun! I had a thought.
    If the carpet is clean enough, and not glued down, you could always cut the carpet and make an area rug.
    That way you’re not limited to a blue bedroom, the rug could be placed in any room of the house.
    God bless you, and have fun!!!

    1. Hi Rena,
      I agree – the blue carpet was super cool. Unfortunately it was really really dirty and stained. I guess that’s what over 40 years will do! The project is well on it’s way – quite a transformation is coming!!

  2. Congrats on this new adventure! I can’t wait to see what you do with it!! Its amazing how this cute little house it totally stuck in the 70’s. but it looks like it was totally loved at one time. Loooove the front door and the blue carpet! But the room divider at at the entrance of the house, the bathroom mirrors, fake wood paneling, mirrors in the living dinning and the rest of the carpet, yikes!! I do like the kitchen floor, the doors to the laundry, but my imagination won’t take me to how to work all those in to a new clean design.

    But you are so talented, so I am dying to see what you do!! I will be anxiously awaiting posts on what you have done to this little treasure!

    xoxo

  3. Such a fun project!!! It’s a different beast when you plan to rent or flip isn’t it? Those cool quirky things (like the neat kitchen floor or blue rug) would be totally heinous to someone who couldn’t see how you could design a room around them. I’m find with our flips that the more neutral and simple it is the more people will want it, which you, of course, know because of your last rental. 🙂
    If we were doing it was a rental I think we’d do the glue down “hardwood” everywhere there isn’t real hardwood under the carpets, it’s so durable. And if it was a flip what we would do would depend on what properties are selling for in that neighborhood. Rental: paint the cabinets Flip: replace them. 🙂

  4. Oh my gosh Krista that house looks so much like the one I grew up in here in Alberta. We had the exact same fridge, hanging light fixture in the entry, wood back lit window valance, and even the same switch plates. Loads of potential in that house and I can’t wait to follow the renovation. The kitchen cabinets and closet doors look salvageable.

  5. I really like the house. It has great “bones.” I would say all the flooring needs to be updated (I like the blue carpet but it’s so busy, I feel like nothing else with a pattern could go in the room without it looking like the carnival was in town), new doors throughout, a more modern bath/tub surround, and I’d replace the dark paneling to brighten it up. Also the blue and green paint would so have to go. New light fixtures.

    Hmm, I guess I’d do a lot of updating to it. I would have definitely bought it if I were you though. Houses with character like this one are hard to find.

  6. Congratulations on buying another home…. I would definitely keep the front door – minus the screen looking storm door, of course! I think it’s unique and it looks to be solid wood. I would also try to salvage the kitchen cabinets and do something fun with the doors that conceal the washer/dryer/laundry room. I’m not sure what’s “funkier”, the carpets, or the 70’s light fixtures!? I’m with Chelsea and Cassie – I think if the rest of the room were white, that blue carpet would work! As for the pattern on the kitchen floor…..that might be “doable” as well, if the rest of the room were neutral. Can’t wait to see how you transform it – I would love to do something like that someday!
    Blessings,
    Lanita

  7. We just put an offer in on a house that is somewhat similar to this… but a little bit more updated. I can’t wait to see what you do with the place… so much potential, so much fun!

  8. First of all, congratulations on the new house!

    What I would keep is the front door. If that is sold wood as it looks, it is stunningly unique!
    Also the amazing glass doors that hide the laundry. Those are classy-classic elements.
    Definitely the solid wood cabinets are a keep.
    The previous owners were quite modern and fearless. It does look like a well cared for house.

    I would ditch the carpets but then again, Iif I could I would pass a law forbidding permanent carpets. 🙂

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