Five years ago (has it really been that long!) we bought an older home in an established neighborhood. It had been on the market forever because of its OFFENSIVELY yellow color. Julie calls it "highlighter" yellow. The price was right so we bought it. Within a week or two of closing, we had it painted. We remember neighbors pulling over, rolling down their windows, and applauding as they made their way home from work. One neighbor was a little upset though..."Now how will I give people directions to my house? I always just said to turn left past 'the ugly yellow house!'"
It's amazing what a little paint can do (and a little yard work). We chose a warmer much warmer grey/tan/taupe color, did away with the kelly green door, shutters and awnings and contrasted the taupe with black accents and a red door. Here was the result... drum roll please!!!
The inside was pretty dated as well. The house was built in 1972 and we bought it from the original owner, an eighty-something year old woman who took immaculate care of it. Oh yeah, we used Devoe Paint, color "stone grey" I think...
The living room before and after...
Kitchen... We painted the cabinets this color (Green Briar, Valspar paint) because Julie had an antique mixing bowl this color and thought it would be just perfect for kitchen cabinets. I was a little hesitant at first, but (as usual) she was right.
Den and Breakfast Area... We removed a large section of wall opening the two rooms into one which made the flow much better for entertaining.
Half Bath... We loved how this one turned out. The granite was a scrap piece from a local granite yard, and I did the faux technique on the walls by making 12" squares in opposite directions with bronze glaze (from the Home Depot). We found the sink and faucet greatly discounted on Overstock.com. Did I mention that we are BARGAIN SHOPPERS?
The Office... This room was the last one we renovated- mainly because we just used it for storage for the first 4 years! But when I changed jobs and began working from home, I needed a place to set up shop. Our total cost in this renovation was (give or take $250). We mixed paint we already had to get the wall color and used wood stain and floor varnish to paint over the 1970's floors. I bought the sofa for $50 after finding it on craigslist and painted the desk I found for $60 at a local thrift shop.
Renovating this old house reminds me that God can "make all things new" and bring beauty from the ashes of our lives. Julie and I know that our home is simply a place to live and it holds no eternal value. One day (probably soon) it, like everything else will be outdated and ugly again. Matthew 6:20 says, "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal." Our friends are our greatest treasure. We enjoy restoring things only as a hobby.
In December we put our home on the market. Stay tuned... if we sell it we will find another ugly house in the same general area to fix up.
