Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Is It Possible to Transform a Boring Ranch into a Cozy Cottage?: Before and After

Our goal when we bought this house?  Transform a bland, boring 1960's ranch to create a bright, warm home that meets today's lifestyle.

Here's the 'before photo.  As one young couple told us when they looked at it 'before' - they knew it had potential, but they didn't have enough love or money to get there.  That's where we came in!  (want to see all the 'before' photos and the background story?  Click here!)

What did I learn from this project?  Renovating a small house (it's only 750 square feet) is hard.  Probably harder than a bigger home, because every square inch matters.  Storage, living space, amenities...... it all makes a bit difference.  I spent lots and lots of time figuring out how to maximize everything!

How did we do it?

Starting with the exterior, we desperately needed to improve curb appeal.  This house was a 'drive by' - most buyers wouldn't even want to go inside.  To change that, we kept the original siding (but gave it a major beauty treatment - click here for more info), added a front porch, new shutters, walkway and window boxes.  Now it's a house you'd want to turn into the driveway  (oh yes, that's new too!).

Transforming 1960's ranch curb appeal to cottage style


Inside, the biggest change was in the living area.  We knocked out the wall between the living room and dining room.  We ripped out the old ceiling  (a really big job that required a whole new rafter system and ridge beam) to create a big open space, complete with a reclaimed wood beam and skylight.
Living Room - Before

1960 Ranch Living Room - After

New vaulted ceiling required a lot of work!
A highlight of the living area is the board and batten wall, which gives the room some added architectural interest.

And once that was done, we installed a brand new kitchen.
1960 ranch kitchen - Before and After
New cabinets, quartz countertops with an updated subway backsplash and lots of reclaimed wood all tie together to give this kitchen some style.
Kitchen looking towards living room 'Before'

Kitchen looking towards living room 'After'
Living Room looking towards Kitchen 'Before' 

Living Room looking towards Kitchen 'After'

Quartz Counters with updated subway tile

Custom Reclaimed Wood Stove Hood

Using this antique window to create a built in, adds so much character to the room.
















But we didn't stop there.  Here's the before bathroom.

Bathroom - Before











We did a to-the-studs gut of the bathroom.  That let us move fixtures, add lighting, Velux Sun Tunnel and more.

Bathroom - After

The hexagonal marble floor is one of my favorite features!  (click here for more info and sources































The bedrooms didn't get major structural work, but new windows, doors, hardware and molding made a big difference (click here for info and sources).
Master Bedroom - Before


Back Bedroom - Before (we replaced that narrow transom window)
This new window made a huge difference in the back bedroom



Installing a basement waterproofing system was critical
Since this isn't a large home, we decided to finish the basement - to create a lot more living space.  What started as a dank, dark space filled with cobwebs is now a bright happy space (thanks to a waterproofing system and lots of new finishes - click here for more info).
Yeah.....there were a LOT of cobwebs!!!
We left the majority of the finished basement as an open space - to use however the new owners want.  In our case, I staged it as a kid's playroom 




and a media room.



We also created a big laundry room, with lots of built in storage.


But my favorite feature?  This half bathroom with an antique sink that I spent weeks refurbishing.  (What's it take to transform a nasty old basement?  A lot!  Click here for details


But to really appreciate the Before & After, check out this 3D video tour.  It's so cool!  It lets you walk through the space and really see the difference!


Can you believe the difference?  Is this a Cozy Cottage you'd want to live in?  To see even more of the process, scroll back by date on the lefthand margin.  

Thanks so much for following along on this adventure.  We'll be turning the keys over to the new owners shortly!

Want to see more?  We have just started a new small ranch transformation.  Click on the SoPo Cottage logo at the top of the page and scroll through for all the info.  Or for regular updates, follow us on Facebook or Instagram!  That way you'll see all the details!  









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54 comments:

  1. Great job! Can't imagine how fun that must have been. Great problem solving too. Is there a sold sign out front yet?
    I hope so. What is next????? I really enjoy your blog. My husband built spec homes and customs for the last 40 years ~ so your bloog really peaks my interest and I am a fan. Jane in Oregon

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    1. Thanks Jane!!! We are under contract and will be closing soon. In the meantime, I'm busy planning the next project. As I'm sure your husband has told you, new construction and renovations are different animals. But they both have their plusses and minuses! Stay tuned for more!!!!

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    2. The best I have ever seen.


      * PIQUED stimulate (interest or curiosity).

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  2. Spectacular!! I drove down the street the other day and it is absolutely the most adorable house on the block. I wish I could move into it! (My renovations are taking soooo much longer than your amazing projects do). Thanks for sharing all of the great info (and inspiration) along the way. :)

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    1. Oh thanks so much! I'm really pleased with how it all came together. And hang in there - we all get frustrated with how long renovations take!! Once it's done, you'll forget all about it and just be happy with how beautiful your home is!

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  3. Stunning! You did a beautiful job!

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  4. I can’t get over how well this turned out. I’ll admit, you had me wondering. �� Yours is the only design blog I read anymore because it’s so useful and inspiring but I do miss the chatter of the old days when there were design bulletin boards, etc. to share projects with. I don’t want to start blogging again. Now that I’m building our retirement home on Lake Michigan, I’m wondering where all those like-minded amateur designers went. Any idea?

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    1. Sorry Ellen - I don't know where they disappeared to. I think a lot of bloggers get tired over time..... but I enjoy sharing our adventures and really appreciate people like you that keep reading!!! Thanks so much for following along!

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  5. Somehow I missed this wrapup--saw your post on the new Colonial and thought "is the ranch done already?!" It is beautiful, as per usual!

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    1. It’s done and the new owners have already moved in!! Thanks for the kind words, I’ve never done such a ‘new’ house before - but it was really fun!!!

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  6. What an amazing transformation! Can you share your paint colors.... really love them.

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    1. Thanks so much! The walls are Sherwin Williams Downy, the trim is Sherwin Williams Extra White. The cabinets are from Thomasville in a brand new color called Oat.

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  7. Absolutely stunning renovation! I’ve done several small homes over the years myself, refinished wood floors with a drum sander, removed and updated tile, scraped up old linoleum to reveal wood floors, replaced old light fixtures, some roofing and landscaping, etc. I draw the line at plumbing and some electrical. I tend to live in my houses 2 years and then do another, I’m 57 years old and have rheumatoid arthritis but I still do quite a bit. I’d love to do a final project for myself like this, am curious about the costs mainly on removing the ceiling and opening up the space. I am going to follow along as I just stumbled upon this via apartment therapy. LOVE your work!

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    1. Thanks so much for the kind words Jill! I really loved working on this house.

      Regarding costs, it’s really tough to say, since so much of the work was being done at once. I’m not sure I could split out electrical, carpentry etc. and this was much more expensive than other vaulted ceilings we have done, because of the way the house was framed. You might be able to get away with collar ties, which would be much cheaper!!

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  8. This is so beautiful - great job! I was curious about the square footage. Does the 750sqft include the now finished basement?

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    1. Thanks! The 750 is just the first floor. We finished about 3/4 of the basement - leaving room for the boiler and storage.

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  9. We also live in a 750 sq foot house same layout -oh to have a basement for added space but alas in New Orleans basements don’t exists. Even though we downsized tremdously to fit in our house we still need to do more. I would buy that house in a New York minute

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    1. Come to Maine!! We left New Orleans many years ago and it’s taken a few decades, but we finally acclimated to the cold 😂😂. But our family will only visit in the summer!!

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  10. Hi — love your subway tile in the kitchen. What brand is it?

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    1. Hmmm.....if my memory is right, it's called SoHo by Hortus. My tile company stopped carrying it, which is a shame. It's so cool!!

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  11. Do you mind me asking what the renovation cost? I am thinking upwards of 75k with all that you did. Maybe more because of luxurious details. More like 100K? Whatever it was, worth every penny!
    Love it!

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  12. I so loved looking through this renovation! So creavtive, and I'm partial to this blue white color scheme. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a project that you are presently working on?'

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    1. We always have a new project in the pipeline!!! If you click up on the header of the site, it will take you to our latest project! Thanks for checking us out!

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  13. Incredible! Gosh I can't hang a wall picture right....so to have a vision and actually have it come together so perfectly and pleasing to the eyes would be a miracle.
    Well done!

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  14. I love the exterior house colors you chose! So charming! Would you mind sharing the paint you used for the door, shutters, siding, and trim? Great job!

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  15. We are planning a similar color scheme for the door and siding, can you share which paint you went with?

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    1. The siding was that blue when we bought it! But the door is a Sherwin Williams color called Yarrow.

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  16. Hi, I have a small brick home like this and want to transform it to a coastal cottage. Any idea how much it cost to do the interior ceiling and walls tear down? You can come to my home next!

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  17. I know costs are different all over the place, but can you ball park the "raising of the roof" that is key in my opinion. I couldn't love this anymore.

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  18. I, too, would love to know the final cost on your remodels. I'm contemplating buying a mid-century ranch with the hope of converting to a craftsman or cottage look. Would love to know if it's something that might be do-able down the road.

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  19. Please provide a ballpark total cost for your remodels. I'm considering purchasing a mid-cent ranch that I hope to turn into cottage or craftsman style. Would love to know how do-able it might be.

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  20. Sorry - I never share what our total investment is. I've quickly learned that what we spend in our area isn't comparable to other parts of the country. Your best bet is to meet with a local general contractor and ask them for an estimate.

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  21. I love the front door color! What brand and color name, please? Thanks!

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    1. Hmmm.... you're testing my memory! I remember it's Sherwin Williams and is named after a flower. So I think it's either Yarrow or Goldenrod. Hopefully you can get a couple of swatches and see if either one of them would work for your house.

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  22. Absolutely love this! I am working with a very similar "before" and wondered -- where did you find that front door? That is exactly what I'm looking for for our little 1950's bungalow!

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    1. Isn't it a great door??? It's from a company called Therma-tru. Check with local building supply company, I'm sure they can order one for you.

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    2. Will do! Do you know what style it is called? Thank you!

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    3. I don't remember a name, but it's part of their Smooth Star collection (for painted doors). If you use their Design a Door selection, you can choose it there.

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  23. Hi Laurel, you did fantastic job with the remodel. Your before exterior is like a twin to my house when we first bought it. Could you tell me the paint color name for the basement? I recently painted our basement but it's too dark and your basement color is just perfect. Thank you.

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    1. I wish I could remember the basement color, but my memory isn't that good :-). I frequently use Sherwin Williams Extra White, so maybe get a swatch of that and see how it looks in your space? It's a slightly warm white that goes with everything. Good luck!

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  24. I love the transformation. I have a ranch with the same exact siding color, but with white boring shutters.I love your color choice. Were the shutters store bought or made, and could you tell me what color blue the shutters are? I really enjoyed your post. Beautiful job!!

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    1. So glad you found our project! The shutters are from Home Depot, in black. I quickly learned you can't paint light colored shutters a dark color, when they get hot they warp!! So I needed new ones. Good luck!

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    2. Thanks so much...they looked like a navy color on my computer screen. I look forward to more of your posts.

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  25. I adore the whole house but I love the antique sink in the half bath!!! Wherever did you find it?

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  26. I love the results of your imagination, I have a similar house I will love to transform is any way you can show me the floor plans after and what is the square footage of the house. Thank-you!

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    1. Glad it provided a bit of inspiration! If you look at the blog on a laptop or tablet, there should be a bar on the left that lets you page backward in time. I have all the floor plans and progress posts available there with lots of detail! You just need to be patient- sometimes it takes a minute to load

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  27. Laurel, just beautiful work. I know you don't share final cost, but wondering how a remodel of this nature compares with just building new. Is it more the satisfaction of remodeling something -or- is there a financial incentive to remodel like this over build new? Thanks so much - very inspiring.

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    1. Cost is really only part of the story. If you look at it from a sustainability perspective, it’s far better to remodel an existing home. Concrete is terrible from a carbon footprint perspective, so to dump an existing foundation into a landfill and then pour a new one is a huge problem. Add all the rest of the building materials in an existing home that can be reused and it’s much better for the planet - as well as costing less given the crazy cost of materials these days. Besides, it's so much more fun to figure out how to renovate a tired old house to make it work for a modern family!!!

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  28. Hi Laurel, I love the exterior color combo. I know this project was done a few years ago, but I’m hoping you can recall the name of the blue. I found the color of the door. The entire house is adorable!!

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  29. I want you to know that your beautiful home project is now my inspiration. I am a 71 year old widow living in a mid century split level that has too many stairs and too much space. My daughters live in an 850 square foot ranch that their father and I, along with the two of them, gutted and totally refurbished eleven years ago.
    Fortunately they live only four streets away in my neighborhood and I have been toying with the idea of switching houses with them. The only problem was that although their home is cottage in size it is not very cottage in appearance. But then I visited your site and saw all the possibilities. I am beyond excited that the cottage I always wanted, along with a home I can live in safely as I age, is right here for me to transform. Thank you for all the ideas!

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    1. Oh you made my day!!! So happy to give you some ideas that will allow you to stay close to your family in a beautiful home!! ❤️❤️

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  30. front door front door paint- brand and color?

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    1. I think it’s Sherwin Williams Goldenrod. But my memory is a bit fuzzy!!

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