We're back at it! After some much needed time off, we were able to find our next house and here we are, our first official/non-official day back at work. Out of all our past projects, this house is probably in the best shape of them all...BUT it's funky and needs some serious layout and cosmetic changes. Though there's always a list of negatives when it comes to a fixer upper, this house has a plentiful list of positives...one being the location. Just a short walk up the hill from the Morrison House, we are very pleased to be back in the neighborhood again! We have always talked about doing multiple homes in an area and being able to secure another home in the Mt. Tabor / Montavilla neighborhood really excites us. Mt. Tabor is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Portland and just coming off a remodel in Montavilla, this house just fit into place.
A lot of work needs to be done on the exterior of this house. Obviously the roof is the first thing to be remedied but our main objective for this place is to give it some appeal from the street. Right now it's showing some wear and it's not very inviting. Our plan is to take away the left dormer and replace it with a bigger, gable dormer that is built flush with the face of the existing house. The new dormer will give the home some presence from the street and take away that large expanse of uninviting roof.
This is the view upon entering the house. The entry is a part of the living room which is completely walled off from the rest of the house. This wall will be opened up to the rest of the house including the kitchen. Yes, we will be saving that door!
The living room is very charming and a decent size. We love all the windows and the cove ceilings plus the oak floors under that carpet!
The main floor bathroom is a good size. Horrible layout. We will be changing the layout, updating the tile and adding some beautiful fixtures to make this room really shine.
The main floor bedroom is a great size and has lots of light, we will be sacrificing it however to make a larger kitchen and dining area. This room will be the new dining room.
The existing kitchen and dining room are small and very choppy. Our plans involve opening them up to the living area and reworking the layout.
This dining area will become a part of the kitchen while wall to the right will be taken down. The now main floor bedroom will become the new dining room!
This gives a good idea of the layout issues with this house. These walls will all be opened up into the hall and living room to accommodate modern living. This will create a large kitchen with generous cooking and prep spaces and an overall large, open feel throughout the house.
Another view. These walls will all be open!
Minimal changes will be made in the upstairs hallway. We plan on adding some warm lighting and updating cosmetically to make it more inviting.
The upstairs guest room will be getting the biggest makeover in the house. This room is where the dormer will be placed which will make it larger and a more functional room.
The master bedroom is a decent size so we will be making minimal changes in here as well. We plan on making more functional closet and storage space for this room and removing the bulky, nonfunctional closets flanking the window.
The master bathroom will be expanded and changed layout-wise.
The wall to the left will be taken down and that area will be home to the future shower.
Another view of where the shower will be.
The current basement is large and full of possibilities. We plan on making it a multi-functional space that is perfect for anyone.
Other than completely updating the area, we plan on adding two full bedrooms in this space as well as a laundry area and a theater room.
This room will become the house's second living room or theater/entertainment room.
Exiting the house from the basement back door we will be creating an outdoor entertaining area (with no deck above it)!
The deck will be removed from the house and we will create a large lower patio for outdoor entertaining.
We plan on keeping the front door but giving it a facelift. It's going to be gorgeous!
The garage is pretty charming in itself but we will be salvaging those cabinets and putting them back in the kitchen! Aren't they awesome?
That's it. Of course there are numerous details left out that would take a year and a day to explain on here but the main points were addressed! Add curb appeal. Open living and entertaining spaces. Update bathrooms and kitchen. Keep the character and add more where it's missing. Create a functional floorplan. Add extra living space downstairs. Create outdoor living. Sneak peek of exterior color? Check. This is going to be a good one.
She's not much now but with every visit, this house is growing on us. Can't imagine how we will feel when it's all done. Stay tuned...