Considering home purchase - how can we refresh the look?
callash
4 months ago
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Considering purchase of older home, any pointers?
Comments (16)To the point about getting an inspector--definitely find one of your own, and make sure he/she is experienced with historic houses (Victorians if you can find someone). An inspector who is used to dealing with new builds could likely freak out at a little cracked plaster, when in reality those cracks could just be your house expanding/contracting with the seasons. Doesn't mean your walls are caving in, doesn't mean you need to immediately rip them out and replace them with drywall. Plaster is sturdy stuff! Take a look at the bottoms and tops of doors, even if they open and close easily. If the doors have been planed to be skewed, the house has undergone some settling. Settling isn't a deal-breaker but can tell you something about the house. Most important things on a historic house: --foundation --roof --structural stability --integrity of frame (hopefully you won't find extensive wood rot, especially in structural members) The rest (plumbing, electric, etc.) can be updated. Granted, they may be expensive to update, but not as expensive as jacking a house up to pour a new foundation, or completely replacing the roof or all the trusses because of a leaky roof. All of this said, there are few things as rewarding as having a historic house to call your own. :) After having owned three other historic homes, DH and I bought our dream home last year. She's a beaut! Relatively untouched, which for some people would be a real pain in the you-know-where. It's perfect for us, though. We consider ourselves very lucky to have found a diamond in the rough. Good luck with whatever you decide, and enjoy the new grandbaby!!! :)...See MoreCan this home be improved how we'd like?
Comments (36)I agree with those who said the view makes up for a lot. We bought an ugly duckling lake house that needed (and still needs) a whole lot more updating than either of the homes you've linked to. Sometimes I get frustrated with the plastic showers, the fake marble vanity tops ... and the green tub ... but slowly but surely we are turning this into our forever home. And in the meantime, when I think I just can't stand the ugly parts a moment longer, I look out at that view and know we made the right choice....See MoreHow would you prioritize a refresh on this 1960 ranch home?
Comments (30)Lovely home in need of an update, but nothing you can't live with for a while. You will get a ton of people telling you NOT to paint brick, and NOT to paint wood. Each person has their own opinion. I would paint the brick. The fireplace is massive and painting the brick white would modernize the room. My daughter just did her fireplace, and what a difference it made. As to the wood ceiling. I'm not sure - I'd do the fireplace and then see how you feel. As far as the kitchen cabinets go, I don't think that color is coming back anytime soon. In addition, they are the same color as the floor, so nothing shines. If they are "builder grade", or you feel you are going to make layout changes, then let them go for now as I wouldn't want to waste money painting them. If they are good quality cabinets, then that's a different story. However, before you decide to paint them, I'd be sure the kitchen layout worked for me. It looks like you have a built in refrigerator, and those can run 10K, so I wouldn't want to replace that with a cheap one. The other appliances could use an update, but again, live with them and see what is and isn't working for you. The backsplash needs to be replaced, as do the countertops, but again, make sure you know where you're headed before tackling that. I would totally paint the exterior brick. I simply LOVE painted brick and feel it makes a home much more charming than the sometimes ugly pink/red color. I'd also remove the mexican saltillo tile in the foyer and lace in hardwoods if possible. The front doors, while very charming, don't seem to go with the home. Painting the exterior white would help those doors to stand out. The columns on the porch look too skimpy and could be beefed up a bit. Yes, the landscaping needs help, but that is never my top priority. BTW - the home while built in the 60's, in no way reads Mid Century Modern to me. It simply reads 60's ranch....See MoreNeed ideas on refreshing the look of the outside (front) of our home
Comments (7)This brings back memories as I lived in the North Dallas area in the 60s. Your trees are wonderful. I would focus on making significant changes to the landscaping to update the exterior of your home. I do think getting a more MCM front door and painting it an accent color—teal or a bright green would be interesting and draw attention to it. Get rid of the wrought iron gate and put in one with cleaner lines. Get a new porch light in a rectangular shape. If you search this site for MCM exterior I’m sure you will find examples that appeal to your taste. Definitely get rid of the shutters! If the pole light in the yard isn’t functional and you don’t need it, I would remove it. Get rid of the ground cover under the large tree on the right side of the house. All of the landscaping is so mature it would be best to start over with a fresh design plan. You can work with one of the local nurseries to design and install new plantings. I think re-landscaping like some of the pictures Beth H shared would make a huge statement — just decide if you like the more structured looks or curving beds since either one would look fine with the house....See Morecallash
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4 months ago
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