Renovation Innovation
Home gets a new look
By Tracey Ellis
When Ron and Anne Baker bought their home on Selkirk Avenue, they knew they wanted to breathe new life into the home. But they didn't want to be left breathless by renovation bills. The changes they wanted to make were mainly cosmetic--a lot of paint (over 30 gallons), some floor coverings and a new front door designed to instil a new sense of welcome to the world outside their home.
The right approach
Anne turned to a book for her design inspiration: Not So Big Remodeling by Sarah Susanka presented ideas for the homeowners. The writer's message is that homes should and can be better, even when they are smaller. The author also urges homeowners to put their renovation ideas in three Not So Big categories: working within the existing footprint; creating room "bumpouts" that extend the space by a couple of feet; and smallish, cost-effective room additions. Her advice for renovations is to make every dollar count. For Anne and Ron, this meant doing much of the work themselves, from painting and tiling to putting together kitchen cabinets.
Call in the experts
When it came to making cost effective changes, the Bakers turned to local interior designer Audrey McLeish of McLeish Redesign. Anne states McLeish's advice was invaluable and an excellent investment. The designer helped them plan a colour palette that blended with the home's features that they did not want to change and coordinated textures within that palette.
"The modern colours speak so much to me," says Anne. "The house feels happy, re-energized; it's a positive, moving forward kind of energy."
To create your own designer's palette, clip photos of elements you desire to incorporate into your renovation from magazines and glue them down on a piece of posterboard or keep them in an album. Bring this with you when you visit local suppliers so they can better help you realize your project.
Shop local
Anne said they found 98% of the items they needed right here in town. There were many quick trips to the building store where they always found ready advice and suggestions.
Budget for going over budget
"We wanted it done right and I tried very hard to stay in budget, but we soon found everything adds up," Anne admits. "I fell in love with these blinds and had to have them," Anne says, gesturing to the window coverings in the living and dining area. Her advice is to plan the budget and pad it for an overage of 10 to 20%.
Recycle, Reuse, Retrofit
Unable to bring themselves to throw out a perfectly good vanity that was clearly too large for the upstairs bathroom, the Bakers moved it to the downstairs bathroom and gave it a new life with a fresh coat of paint, new drawer pulls and tiled the countertop. They saved hundreds of dollars on the cost of a new vanity.
Use the Internet
The Bakers found the Internet to be a great source of how-to information for the DIYer. Online videos can be found at big box home stores websites and even YouTube carries video how-to's on almost any renovation project that can be thought up.
Expect the Unexpected
Renovations can sometimes uncover nasty surprises that can send your renovation costs spiralling out of control. The Bakers were lucky and found few things they had to correct. "Our attitude has been so healthy, happy and positive, every day of this renovation has been filled with fun," she admits with a smile. An unexpected delight for the homeowners is the pantry cupboard they incorporated into their new kitchen. The tall cupboard gives height to the room while adding additional food storage space. "We'd definitely do that again."
What's next?
"It was my husband's dream to renovate a home," Anne admits. The couple took the year off to accomplish his wish. "I love the lifestyle of Powell River," says Anne. "We've had a blast."
What's next for the couple? It would appear they are hooked on homes, "We're building a new house," Anne says. It would appear they've done their homework for their next project by completing this whole-home facelift.
