Client Work: Cute Bungalow Refresh

Mar. 27

Ever wonder if a fixer-upper can be fixed up on a budget but look like a million bucks? Well, here's proof that it can. Friends Shannon and Mitch recently did a smashing job renovating the main floor of their adorable bungalow but needed help with the finishing touches. The catch? If they are to continue with their renovations to the outside and basement of their home, they couldn't spend a lot on decorating. Not a problem. We used a lot of what they already owned, found a few new key pieces, did some painting, and made some small improvements to the rest.

The kitchen was painted, got a new white subway tile backsplash, and new curtains for the patio doors. Colourful touches like artwork, vintage tins, and recovered chair seats add a pop of fun.

Here's what it looked like before:

The new paint colour is CIL Oyster Bay, a neutral light gray that modernizes and lightens up the room, while also neutralizing the dominant colour in the room - the yellow wood cabinets. The cabinets stayed as is because of the budget, but the backsplash was switched out to a classic white subway tile to modernize the space.

We kept their dining table and chairs, but covered the seat cushions in a cheery and modern orange fabric. Add some drapes to the patio doors along with books and plants, and even natural things from their backyard and it starts to come together. We also found vintage tins, wooden bowls, jars and a large mirror from in their storage room!

On to the living room.

They plan on building custom bookshelves to fill the fireplace wall around the stove, but until then, simple updates make the room modern and cozy. Trim was painted white and the walls painted CIL English Pine. The dark grayish-green goes nicely with the light gray from the kitchen, which you can see from the entry and the living room. They found a used modern gray sectional for a steel, which is nicely mixed with the traditional elements in the room like the stove and refinished wood floors. They already had two nice chairs that we moved to flank the fireplace. A white shag rug pulls everything together into the centre of the room for a cozy conversational feel. And a new white coffee table and black velvet bench complete the look. New curtains were added that pick up the black and white of the existing chair.

Small touches make a big difference in finishing the room. Fluffy white pillows and vintage mohair black and white throws invite you to sit down and curl up. A basket of books offers personality, and sticks and leaves in vases on the floor not only cover up electronics, but also add no-cost natural decoration. A gallery wall of family photos completes the space in a personal way that invites guests to get to know the owners better.

Couldn't resist getting the other owner, Sawyer, in a shot!

Finally, the tiny bathroom needed just a little refresh to make it sparkle. Again, we painted it CIL Oyster Bay to continue the feel from the rest of the house. The new gray and white shower curtain, fluffy towels, pretty jars and a picture in a surprising place add immediate interest as you walk in the room. The chandelier light we choose is a throwback to the original character of the house, as seen from their amazing restored doors and door knobs.