Alameda craftsman
Project Summary
I had my eye on this house for years. On walks around our neighborhood, I would often tell my husband, "I'd like to get my hands on that one!" So when the post went up for a for sale sign, he saw it first and encouraged me to go talk to the owner before it went on the market. I knocked on the door and my neighbor graciously gave me a tour. Wow - this house had a lot of potential!
I loved the original details of this home. The coffered ceiling in the dining room and the promise of fir floors under the shag carpet captured my imagination right away. And the commute, just down the block from my house, would be amazing! That said, the house needed a LOT of work, expensive work. I was disappointed when I ran the numbers. The cost of the purchase and repairs made it a losing investment.
Over the following months, the listing price came down. When I finally purchased the property, it was still a tough call from an investment perspective, but I wanted to contribute to my neighborhood and make sure the home wouldn't be torn down. Sadly, there's a lot of that going on around here!
Getting to the good bones of this home was like peeling an onion. We peeled off vinyl siding from the 70s to reveal the original cedar shake. We peeled astroturf and particle board off the front porch. We peeled carpet off the fir floors and faux stained glass off of the windows. We took out improperly installed stairs and opened up walls... During the ice storm, I slipped down the street and knocked down a couple of chimneys. The demo seemed never ending! With every layer removed, this house revealed her inner beauty and amazing potential.
It was important to honor the history of the home, even as we modernized it. When we removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room, we salvaged the old built-in and re-used it in the laundry room. Old bead board cupboards were repurposed as paneling in the powder room. I love these details and how they help new spaces feel like they were always there.
In the end, this house has all new mechanicals, an expanded kitchen, a gorgeous en suite, a finished basement and even a new roof! The sight lines through the house, with layers of cased openings illuminated with light coming through the original windows, are simply glorious. I'm so glad we took a chance on this one and I'm looking forward to meeting my new neighbors!
Before and after - Scroll for more photos!
