Moving forward (not backward)
This home is part of a residential development adjacent to a large dairy farm on one side & deeper woods marching northward a few miles to the Canadian border. The darkly painted siding, along with the deeper woods & ever-present grey skies made the house feel somewhat uninviting. The original contemporary northwest aesthetic included black aluminum windows with no trim but only a few of these remained at the kitchen & adjacent to the front entrance. All other windows had been replaced by the previous owner with more energy efficient, yet visually incompatible white vinyl windows. With the original aesthetic so compromised, wood trim was added to the new vinyl windows & the walls and trim were painted with sympathetic colors for better integration and curb side appeal.
Window trim had been added to the replacement vinyl windows by the previous owner.
Interior scrap out included larger pieces of furniture and the decorative curtain rods. The existing stained wood blinds were of high quality so were cleaned & repaired. The carpet was replaced with a lighter, more neutral toned color.
The deck structure was simplified & a new back yard access stair was added.
A stained wood beam, matching the dark wood exterior aesthetic, needed to have large cracks caulked & then painted. The house had sat vacant & wide temperature variations had damaged the wood.
Saving what we can for the budget but also sustainability
The kitchen solid wood cabinetry was in good, yet worn condition. A bright white, high gloss fresh coat of paint saved them from the landfill. The addition of hardware gave them the finished look they were previously lacking. We removed the black microwave, saved it for another job & found a white replacement. The counter tops were replaced due to heavy damage. Locally sourced plastic laminate counters were used as the granite we usually use is distributed from far too distant Tacoma.