Remodel Before + After, Mix of MCM and New
Backstory: In 2020 I sold my long term family home where my (late) DH and I raised our kids and where I lived for ~25 yrs. Downsized to a rental. SO and I wanted a one level home with a large garage or room to build one (he has many vehicles) near the Chicago suburb where I spent all those years. Basically... a unicorn, since all the small houses on big lots in this area have been demo'd and replaced with McMansions. But we found one and purchased in January. Perfect for us because it's on a great little street, backs up to a wooded area with a creek, and hadn't been remodeled -- I wanted to gut and make it my own.
We changed just about every space, from raising the ceilings to removing walls to new floors and paint everywhere and of course a new kitchen for me. We mixed in a lot of SO's vintage / MCM lights and furniture with new purchases. We moved in just before Halloween and got to see the cute neighbor kids for Trick or Treating. (Not in the budget: renovating master bath and main guest bath, so those just got paint and new hardware. They're fine and we may tackle in the future.)
Front entry before/after:
LR and DR before / after:
Mudroom (completely new space.) Yes I like sunglasses :)
Kitchen (I was able to give my brother the refrigerator and DW and the workers took some of the other items. No surprise no one wanted the lights LOL):
We put a broom pullout in an empty space behind the coffee station where a closet used to be; it was the last cabinet installed (just a few days ago) because they needed to rework the tracks. That's why it's still empty.
Family Room area (we have not yet hung the TV over the fireplace; we added the two big windows. Back door is new too):
First floor powder:
Lower Level - This is SO's domain and has just a small bit of his vintage items. It's a work in progress and likely always will be:
Before LL:
After:
Bonus pics of the nighttime view from my office / guest room and some visiting neighbors:
Eating some of my weeds. I have plenty!
Comments (31)
chicagoans
5 months agoRelated Discussions
Another kitchen remodel 'before & after'
Comments (34)lcase Thanks! I chickened out on the peninsula as I was worried about clearance (and I am quite thin) It would have been slightly less than your space - so I think I made the right decision (and will keep telling myself I did anyway!) If I had not chickened out on the peninsula - the set up of our kitchen would have been similar - but stayed more linear. Great window - I am kicking myself for putting our new window in with our new siding and not waiting til we did the kitchen (I had not discovered gardenweb at the time) Enjoy your lovely kitchen Let me know how it works out. I will be posting soon....See MoreFlorida Before & After/ Remodeled House
Comments (19)mtnrdredux, I will definitely have better pictures for the listing! downsouth the old white ceiling fan in the dining room is replaced w/ a brand new nicer white one w/ a pretty light. I just swapped those out about 2 weeks ago. The bedrooms were painted and I switched out the doors in the master bedroom from an old slider to one of those new doors w/ the blinds between the glass. But the bedrooms are just kind of plain bedrooms, not really worth taking pictures of (although I'll obviously put the master up for the listing) bonnieann925, we are in Clearwater (Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area). I really like it here. Lots of happy hour dinner specials and fun beach restaurants, plus fancier places in Tampa and a lot to do. The beaches are very nice too, we've been to a lot of different areas in FL and I like Clearwater Beach best of the places we have been. gooster, yea that chandelier is over a little sitting area, which is kind of goofy looking. But that room is pretty dark to begin w/ so I don't want to get rid of the light. That whole room, with the dining table and that lounge chair, I just don't see the point of. I don't know what you're supposed to do w/ that room really since we already have a living room/dining area and the sunroom. I guess you could put a TV room in there but it is too big and awkwardly laid out. That area is where I would have moved the kitchen into if I was staying. I'm not sure where you mean to move the patio furniture to? I will have to move that around for showings, right now it is just pushed against the walls b/c the dogs can climb up on the arms of the sofa and see lizards in the eves when it is arranged a certain way. Then they just bark and bark at the lizards they can't reach (that they want to eat!) Seems like there is a consensus that I need to do something in that kitchen area. I will see if my handyman can find/put up some shelves for me!...See MoreMCM remodel, before and after pics-long
Comments (2)Here are some cool before and after comparisons...See MoreBefore & After Kitchen Remodel Photos
Comments (63)I thought it looked nice before, but it sure looks great afterward. I have a somewhat similar layout to your new kitchen, but your space is much bigger and your choices/finishes are more $$$ than mine. I am sure you have been thoroughly enjoying it....See Morechicagoans
5 months agolast modified: 5 months ago@M Miller: I'm delighted that you thought the counters might be soapstone, because I've always loved soapstone! They are actually leathered White Titanium granite. They were a happy accident because my original choice (honed Nero Mist) got away from me (the fabricator never picked up from the stone yard and someone else bought them after my hold expired.) May not have been accidental, because he told me later he thinks honed are prone to oil spots and finger prints. I don't know if that's the case, but I'm super happy with the counters I ended up with.
re: the wood floors: they are white oak, and a mix of old (entry, LR, DR) and new (kitchen, FR.) I wanted to keep them pale and here's what we used: Just one coat of the Bona and two or more of the Loba, with buffing between.
chicagoans
5 months agochicagoans
5 months agolast modified: 5 months agoHere are some resources:
- Designer (and awesome friend): @Matrix Design Group LLC
- Cabinets: custom from Romar in Channahon IL; some Rev-a-Shelf and Hafele add-ins
- Counters: Leathered White Titanium granite
- Refrigerator, range, speed oven/micro: Bosch
- DW: Miele (and wow - my first Miele and now I know why people love them! Cleans like a dream and so quiet.)
- Warming drawer / slow cooker combo: Kitchen Aid (paneled, it's below the microwave)
- Backsplash: Renzo picket style in Jade
- Appliance and cabinet pulls: Emtek Select (also all interior door hardware is Emtek)
- Kitchen sink: Rohl; kitchen faucet Brizo Litze (love this)
- Coffee and LL bars: sinks are Kohler, faucets are Brizo Litze
- Powder and LL bath: sinks are Krause, faucets are Brizo Litze
- Island and entry lights: Visual Comfort; DR light: Capital Lighting; PR and LL bath lights are Kichler; most other lights shown are vintage.
- New windows: Marvin
- New exterior doors: Therma-Tru paintable
- LL shower: HexArt Turquoise from Tilebar on walls; Festival White Stack from F&D on floor
- FR rug: Masland Palatial in Island (love this - so pretty in person); Entry and stairs to LL: Nourison Traverse in Denim
- Paint colors below if anyone is curious (prettier in person IMO):
chicagoans
5 months agochicagoans
5 months agochicagoans
5 months agolast modified: 5 months agochicagoans
5 months agoOne more update for those who like MCM lights (and maybe a chuckle): This is another of SO's vintage lights and it's big (the globe is about 24" high.) The builder and designer started calling it "the ball sack", and since it's tall we didn't want to use the hanging cord, even in the stairwell. I wish I had a picture of the young electrician's face when we told him that the ball sack needs to be really high so there's headroom below it.
Marcia B
5 months agoWOW! Absoultely beautiful... We are at the start of similar project, in the western suburbs of Chicago. Also wanted a ranch. this was was built in 1958. Needs work! Closed on Halloween and are now waiting to see what the architect comes up with! How long did your project take??
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5 months agoJulie
5 months agoChiming in as an MCM enthusiast to say that I love how you integrated the lights and furniture into a one-story to bring make that mid-century minimalism homey and cozy and a sight for sore eyes. I think that is the trick, or the conundrum. Also along with @Marcia B, we are engaged in a renovation, but at the tail end of one instead of the start, of a late fifties/early sixties home, in this case a split level in a New England city neighborhood. No backing up onto a wooded area, which must be fantastic, but we do have a few mature trees on our small lot (sidenote on "visitors": deer and coyote within a quarter mile, and bands of turkeys are sighted every few days on our streets). Your post has reminded me to try to gather together before and after pics once my head clears. Another side note: my grandfather and grandmothers MCM items were part of the furniture of my experience as a child, and my mother continued the tradition (inheriting and then restoring grandpa's Eames chair, the one you have in the photo). I got to "babysit" that chair for a few years before she bought her condo so my small children got to experience that chair as I did).
1956 Christmas photo (my mother's family), offered here to show you the curtain fabric!
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5 months ago
Leslie P