Renovations

Renovating my latest house.
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Table of Contents

     Introduction
     Before
     After

 

Introduction

I bought this house in May/June of 2001. I really liked the view, and the "bones" of the house were solid. But the interior hadn't been updated in years. So over the course of a year, I renovated pretty much every room.

Most of the big jobs (new cabinets, countertops, re-sheetrocking, etc.) was performed by contractors. I did a lot of demolition and painting. I pretty much lost the entire summer of 2001 (working during the days, at the house at night and weekends). But I think it was worth it.

This page has the before + after tour. There are sub-pages with more step-by-step details for those that are interested (see navigation panel at left).

 

Before

I put down an offer for the house in late May 2001. It took some time for the sale to close, but finally in June all the papers were signed and I got the keys. So the first thing I did was take my parents for a tour.

They were not impressed.

For one thing, the plumbing to the house was turned off. Apparently, the 2001 Seattle earthquake had ruptured the water main to the house. But it was pretty much a given that I'd have to replace most of the plumbing anyway.

The living room. Note the carpet, sparkly ceiling, and brown accordian doors on either side of the fireplace. The living room. Note the carpet, sparkly ceiling, and brown accordian doors on either side of the fireplace.

The living room, this picture from the other corner. My mother is attempting to peer out some very dirty windows. The living room, this picture from the other corner. My mother is attempting to peer out some very dirty windows.

Looking across the dining room, into the kitchen and across the deck. Check out the security gate on the sliding glass doors. Looking across the dining room, into the kitchen and across the deck. Check out the security gate on the sliding glass doors.

Standing in the dining room, looking into the kitchen. That's a groovy pass-through. Standing in the dining room, looking into the kitchen. That's a groovy pass-through.

A shot of the kitchen. Are these the original 1958 cabinets? And a small window. A shot of the kitchen. Are these the original 1958 cabinets? And a small window.

The spare (small) bedroom. Sparkly ceiling, dark brown carpet. The spare (small) bedroom. Sparkly ceiling, dark brown carpet.

The spare (small) bedroom, from another angle. Gotta love fake wood paneling. And all rooms had intercoms. The spare (small) bedroom, from another angle. Gotta love fake wood paneling. And all rooms had intercoms.

Piece de Resistance: The upstairs bathroom. Sparkly ceiling, great wallpaper, pink fixtures, no ventilation at all. Piece de Resistance: The upstairs bathroom. Sparkly ceiling, great wallpaper, pink fixtures, no ventilation at all.

A shot of the shower A shot of the shower

The large bedroom. Brown carpet, sparkly ceiling, but a lot of floor space. The large bedroom. Brown carpet, sparkly ceiling, but a lot of floor space.

The master bedroom (small). Lovely curtains. And a great view. The master bedroom (small). Lovely curtains. And a great view.

Looking back out of the master bedroom. Mirrored wall, and (of course) another intercom. Looking back out of the master bedroom. Mirrored wall, and (of course) another intercom.

The downstairs was particularly funky. The carpets had a strange wear pattern--I later found out that the downstairs flooded during heavy rains.

Downstairs, looking from the stairwell into the large downstairs room. Acoustic tile ceiling, and swinging doors. Downstairs, looking from the stairwell into the large downstairs room. Acoustic tile ceiling, and swinging doors.

Looking from the fireplace, back at the stairwell. Looking from the fireplace, back at the stairwell.

The downstairs bathroom. The picture doesn't do justice to the wallpaper. The downstairs bathroom. The picture doesn't do justice to the wallpaper.

The large (windowless) spare room downstairs. The large (windowless) spare room downstairs.

The downstairs bedroom (now my office). Carpet, baseboard, curtains--mmm. The downstairs bedroom (now my office). Carpet, baseboard, curtains--mmm.

 

After

The living room now. The living room now.

Looking back into the living room (yes, my tree is still up). Looking back into the living room (yes, my tree is still up).

Looking across the dining room into the kitchen. Looking across the dining room into the kitchen.

Same thing, different angle. Same thing, different angle.

Looking across the kitchen to the lake. Looking across the kitchen to the lake.

Looking into the kitchen from the pass-through. Looking into the kitchen from the pass-through.

The guest bedroom. The guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom (different angle) The guest bedroom (different angle)

The master suite entrance. The master suite entrance.

Master bedroom--other angle Master bedroom--other angle

The view out the master bedroom--downtown Seattle. The view out the master bedroom--downtown Seattle.

The other master bedroom window--Lake Washington and Mercer Island. The other master bedroom window--Lake Washington and Mercer Island.

The downstairs room now (my studio). The downstairs room now (my studio).

The office The office