Thursday, January 28, 2016

The Cherished Bungalow - Before Interior Photos

Good News!  The inside of this 90 year old bungalow is already charming.  It has beautiful woodwork, great light streaming through the windows, and original features throughout.  Our challenge is to retain that charm, while updating it with modern amenities and a nice flow throughout the living space.

So let's start at the front.  There is a nice bright sunporch that runs the whole width of the house.  It faces west, so it's lovely to sit here on a cold winter afternoon and just bake in the sunshine!

The living room is big, but has some pros and cons.
Pro:  A nice fireplace at one end and beautiful built in bookcases at the other.

Cons:  A long narrow footprint that makes it tricky to furnish, and with the sunporch along the front, the room is a bit dark, even on a bright, sunny day.  The fact that there are no overhead lights makes it very dark on a dreary day.


View from Living Room to Dining Room and Kitchen
There is a lovely, big dining room, thanks to a gracious bay window that faces the south - bringing in lots of sunlight!


And the staircase to the second floor is hidden in the corner.

The kitchen?  It's a good sized room.



And I love, love, love this original sink!!!  What a great focal point for the kitchen!  It's supported by a nice, custom built cabinet that will also be staying.


 This is the hallway that leads to the bedrooms and bath.  It's a really nice little space, that also has a door to the basement stairwell.

The first bedroom is in the back of the house and has two good sized windows (and drapes that I love!)


The smaller bedroom is across the hall.

And the bathroom?  Yup, it's pink!!!  It might be time for an update  Ha ha!!!


And the 2nd floor?  Well it's a blank slate!  We're still noodling over ideas, but it's so much fun to have a space like this to finish.


Last, but not least, is the basement.  It might be funny to highlight it, but at the Open House, everyone was talking about it.  Why?  Because for this part of the country it's amazing.  It's big. It's bright.  It's dry (with no funky basement smell) There is a high ceiling.  It includes a laundry area, with an antique soapstone sink.  And it has a nice garage at one end.  Seriously, in this neighborhood, it doesn't get any better than that!

So what do you think?  Lots of possibilities?  Click here to see more exterior photos.

Thanks to all the folks that came to the Open House, I've got lots of great input for the design.  We're meeting with the structural engineer this week and hope to get plans finalized, so we can get started!!






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10 comments:

  1. LOVE that sink! - I almost started drooling.

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  2. I lived with one of those pink bathrooms in our first tiny home! Its a great house, Laurel and I think it will be a great size and very lovely when you update a couple of things.

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  3. Last week I commented about the kitchen sink which was identical to one I foolishly disposed of from a house in NJ. When I saw the laundry room soapstone sink, I suddenly remembered that house had one of those, too! It stayed where it was, though!
    This house has wonderful possibilities; I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

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    1. Isn't it amazing that this house has 2 great sinks??? Everyone that comes in the door asks if I'm keeping them - and offers to take them off my hands :-)

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  4. So glad to hear you all like it!!! Can't wait to get started!

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  5. Wow, what a great house! You're right, it is one of the nicest houses you've worked on.

    I wonder, can you take some of the space from the sunporch (I'm assuming it's long and narrow) and open it up to add that space into the living area?

    Can't wait to see what you've got going on with this beauty.

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    1. We are noodling over some ideas to utilize that space......it requires some structural fixes that we're exploring. Stay tuned!!!

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  6. The house has been well taken care of all these years. I have a pink bathroom and a pink kitchen in my Victorian/Bungalow/Mid-Century mashup and I love them. That particular shade is very flattering and bounces light all over, and looks to be in great shape. Check out the websites Save the Pink Bathroom and RetroRenovation for more information and source to save these vintage beauties, and find info for vintage kitchens and such too.


    Color tile started to become popular in baths and kitchens at the end of the 1920s. This one probably dates from the 1950s in a color call "Mamie Eisenhower Pink." I think a retro design for the kitchen and bath would serve your budget and this house well.


    The sunporch is really nice. I would paint it light colors to reflect light into the living room. I would even consider reopening part of it back into the original porch, although that is a tough decision for such a nicely finished space in a small house. It could add curb appeal and bring more light though. Adding transoms are another option.


    If you look at old renderings of Craftsman interiors, living rooms typically did not have big sofas and coffee tables. Instead, the main piece of furniture was a library table, and assorted settees and side chairs. I would consider making the bookcase end a library space with a centrally place library table and reading chairs, with allowances for tablets and such, and the other side by the fireplace for seating and some new built-ins by the fireplace. Dividing the space into zones will shorten it and make it more cohesive. Frequently spaces like this had separate rugs to delineate separate spaces. I can see one for the library, one by the entrance as a reception area, and one by the fireplace. Could be quite nice and dramatic. Check out Antique Home Style for information and renderings. Daily Bungalow on Flicker and Arts and Crafts Magazine are also good sources.

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    1. Wow Kathy - thanks for all the input!! You really know your stuff! I've actually already written a post on Mamie Eisenhower Pink, you'll see it soon. But we don't have a true pink bathroom, ours looks like a 50's remodel. But I love seeing all those old style baths. I'd love to find a mid century modern home to redo!!

      I have a huge stack of Arts & Crafts magazines, but this bungalow is an electric mix of styles. We have victorian style molding and other interesting touches that I'd like to maintain. 1927 seems to have been an interesting crossroad of styles in this neighborhood!

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  7. Awww, I'm a fan of the pink bathroom too. I bought a 1940s bungalow with an "updated" bath (brown and seafoam) and I promptly ripped out the brown (not a fan of that color in bathrooms) and slapped a coat of pink paint on the walls! My taste runs to the vintage in bath and kitchen design, so while I'm sad to see you guys get rid of the pink bath, I love that you're keeping the big vintage kitchen sink and the custom cabinet surround.

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