1960 Ranch Living Room and Open Floor Plan - Before & After

My first thought when I walked in the door - this place is tight and dark.  The walls were painted deep green and the windows didn't let in a lot of light.  In order to make it attractive to a future buyer, we needed to change all that with an ambitious plan.

And it was ambitious indeed!   Tear out the wall between the living room and kitchen and raise the ceiling.  It was a big job, because to support the new cathedral ceiling we had to add a new ridge beam and a new truss system.  It was the single biggest budget item on the whole house.....but to my way of thinking, money well spent!

The result?  A real wow space!  With lots of light streaming through!

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And some of the key features?

Board & Batten Wall - I don't know anyone that's ever found a shiplap wall in Maine.  But board and batten is traditional and adds some great architectural interest to the room.  It's also a great way to highlight the volume of the space.

Reclaimed lumber - we wrapped the structural ridge beam with reclaimed wood, but didn't stop there.  We also created a custom stove hood as well as a backing for the peninsula (an added bonus - it can take lots of abuse from scuffs and scrapes from the stools!).

Recessed lighting - to keep the whole space well lit, we installed lots of LED lights across the ceiling.  They won't need bulb changes for many, many years.  But thanks to dimmers, they can make the space bright or cozy.

Natural Light - thanks to new windows and a skylight, the whole space is light and bright.  The updated 2 over 2 styling gave the room a bit more character.  But they also have a lot more glass than the old windows and bring in a lot more light.  Oh, and they're much more energy efficient!

Details - we always incorporate special touches like these gorgeous doorknobs with the crystal handles.  Paired with the new two panel doors, they give the house some character that was missing with the plain old luan doors.

And of course I love the built in china cabinet we created from the antique window I found at Brimfield Antique Mart.  It's a huge improvement over the blank green door that was there before.

It was so much fun to hear people's reaction as they walked through the door during the Open House  This grand space is such a surprise in a 1960's rancher - and will be so nice for the new homeowner.

Living Room Sources:

  -  Window Treatments - Fabric from Home Remedies
  -  Sofa - IKEA Ektorp
  -  Blue Chair - IKEA
  -  Nesting Coffee Tables - Crate & Barrel
  -  Side Chair - Bottrell Tufted Side Chair from Wayfair
  -  Blue Arm Chair - IKEA
  -  Rug - Zara Home
  -  Painting - Holly Lombardo original
  -  Doorknob - Nostalgic Warehouse
  -  Lantern - Pottery Barn
  -  Pendants - Restoration Hardware
  -  Antique Double Mirror - Brimfield Antique Mart
  -  Paint Colors - Sherwin Williams:  Walls - Downy White, Trim - Extra White

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