1. A Craftsman Restored to its Former Glory
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian Hickman, his son, Adam, and their blue nose pit bull, Ava
Location: Bluff Park neighborhood of Long Beach, California
Year built: 1919
Size: 1,100 square feet (102.2 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
When Brian Hickman purchased his 1919 Craftsman bungalow, it was in a fixer-upper state, with layers of add-ons that hid the original home. A serial old-home remodeler, Hickman was able to restore the home to something more historically acccurate. In a stroke of good luck, he found that the prior owner had removed the original interior doors but not disposed of them; Hickman found them in the basement. Original crown moldings had been stored in the space underneath the house. Hickman rehung the doors and hired a woodworker to reinstall the molding.
Most of Hickman’s restoration work involved smaller changes to the home, but the kitchen and bathroom needed to be taken back to the bones and fully rebuilt. His inspiration was farmhouse style, though the home is closer to a Craftsman architecture.
He did the kitchen renovation on a fairly strict budget, purchasing the vintage stove on Craigslist for $250 and the sink for $40 from a flea market. Not including the price of the fridge, the total kitchen remodel cost about $2,000, according to Hickman.
Though the kitchen is small, Hickman says that the constraints allow him to be creative. This homeowner finds that limiting possessions and living in a small space take less energy than having more space filled with more things. Besides, he says that even when he lived in a 4,200-square-foot home, he still tended to cook with the same pan and wooden spoon.
Read more about small-space living in this restored bungalow
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Cayley Lambur, her fiance, Kyle Blasman, and their cat, Finn
Location: Venice, California
Size: 750 square feet (69.7 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Cayley Lambur, an architect, stumbled across this home near Abbott Kinney Boulevard while checking out houses just for fun. When she found the 1914 Craftsman bungalow, it needed a lot of fixing up. It suffered from moldy walls as well as finishes she considered dated. Nonetheless, Lambur liked the house.
Bungalows are prevalent in Venice, which has long drawn designers, including Charles and Ray Eames and Frank Gehry. This particular example was once a changing cottage for early-20th-century beachgoers. Lambur updated the facade, including replacing the fence and painting the front door yellow and the siding a dark gray.
The living room is long and narrow but boasts plenty of natural light. Lambur bought the couch at an estate sale and had the coffee table and bookshelf custom made to fit the space.
Before the renovation, a third bedroom bulged into the living room. Lambur opened up the porch at the end of the main living area and tore down the walls of the third bedroom for a better flow. She also added windows and a skylight.
Lambur renovated her kitchen by removing a wall that divided the living room from the kitchen, adding a peninsula for an L-shaped layout. She says she prefers small homes.
She chose smaller European appliances to fit the scale of the kitchen. The range is from Bertazzoni.
Before the renovation, the bathroom was closed off from the master bedroom, accessible only from the living room. Lambur added a second entry from the master bedroom.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Catherine Arensberg, owner of Azalea Street Designs; her husband, Thomas Arensberg; their four children, Addie, 8, Thomas, 7, Gregory, 5, and Cecilia, 2; and their Doberman pinscher, Zoe
Location: Old Dauphin Way Historic District of Mobile, Alabama
Size: 1,400 square feet (130 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Year built: About 1925
BEFORE: Landscape designer Catherine Arensberg and her husband, Thomas, bought a bungalow two doors down the street from Thomas’ parents’ home in the Old Dauphin Way Historic District of Mobile, Alabama. It was a total fixer-upper, complete with unmowed grass and an old car rusting in the backyard. Over the course of eight years, the Arensbergs made the bungalow into a home for the family of six.
AFTER: The renovation involved technical and structural projects, including new electrical wiring and adding insulation. New paint and recessed lighting updated the living room, which was pink when the Arensbergs bought the home.
To create more storage and seating, Thomas built the fireplace bench from wood paneling that the couple took from the walls of their daughters’ bedroom. The Arensbergs did most of the work on this home with the help of family and friends. Catherine was skilled at finding great deals on Craigslist and elsewhere.
A wood armoire — a family heirloom passed down to Catherine — provides more storage in the dining room.
Daughters Addie and Cecilia share this bedroom just off the kitchen. Thomas designed and built the bunks, again using the original wood paneling in the room. Vertical beds save floor space.
A row of hooks in the corner provides a ready place for dress-up outfits the girls use frequently. The double doors lead to the master bathroom.
To keep the boys’ room feeling neat, Catherine uses a large bookcase to stow toys and books. The curtain closes for a more peaceful, uncluttered feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Dan and Erin Benedict, of Benedict August
Location: Anaheim, California
Size: 898 square feet (83.4 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
That’s interesting: Erin’s great-grandmother was the original homeowner in 1924, and the home has been in the family ever since.
Interior designers Dan and Erin Benedict remodeled their 1924 California Spanish bungalow, updating the space so that it felt current and worked well for entertaining. Though the home is a relatively diminutive 898 square feet, the couple has hosted parties with as many as 100 people and say the home did not feel cramped.
In their cozy family room, the couple added white paneling to create texture and character. The lower moldings are original to the home. The designers are fond of imbuing their rooms with contrasts, such as the plaid armchairs and dark leather sofa.
BEFORE: The couple decided to fully renovate the kitchen, which had bright yellow walls and avocado-green linoleum floors. Dan is also a contractor and did the work himself.
AFTER: The Benedicts removed a wall that divided the kitchen from the dining space and added a second sink and a small refrigerator to the kitchen island. Those features are helpful for entertaining.
The Benedicts use their home office as a place to show off Dan’s antique train collection. He has more trains than the shelves will hold, so he rotates out the display.
To add storage on the opposing office wall, the Benedicts placed floating shelves alongside the window.
BEFORE: Before the couple changed it, the backyard felt cramped. Erin and Dan cleared out weeds, grass and a heavy-looking patio roof to give the space a more open feel.
AFTER: The new patio is made of poured colored concrete and slate. The couple can access the three-car garage and art studio from an alley in the back.
Read more about this renovated Spanish bungalow in Anaheim
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Asher and Jessica Richter, with their three rescue dogs (Benny, Rosie and Coco-Bean)
Location: Santa Monica, California
Size: 950 square feet (88.3 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Asher and Jessica Richter, who own custom furniture and interior decorating business Weego Home, purchased a 950-square-foot bungalow with a cramped floor plan and a strong need for updates. The home was the perfect place for the pair to indulge their love of color, texture and pattern, while maximizing the space.
The 450-square-foot living room is the largest room in the house, and to help it feel even larger, the couple chose furniture with simple lines and open bases. These include the Kartell Louis Ghost chairs and the coffee table and ottomans, which came from the Weego Home store.
The media cabinet in the living room provides ample storage space, while placing the television on the wall saves visual space.
Asher Richter says that too often clients are afraid to use much color and end up with a room that falls a bit flat. Keeping larger pieces neutral allows a room to work with a medley of color and patterns, he says.
The homeowners began their remodel with the kitchen, installing new hardwood floors, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Accents like the green backsplash and bright chairs bring in vibrant color.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Markus and Lydia Tolman; their children, Max, 6, Pip, 5, and Gwendolyn, 2; and their dog, Krissy
Location: Upland, California
Size: 1,028 square feet (95.6 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1951
When Lydia and Markus Tolman relocated with their three kids from Bern, Switzerland, to Upland, California, they bought a 1951 bungalow that was just over 1,000 square feet. They updated the home by removing layers of carpet and linoleum and restoring the original wood floors. They added DIY furniture, a photography studio for Lydia and a kid-friendly backyard.
The family saves space and added storage through wall-mounted floating media cabinets, which helped to create a little office area in the living room.
The kitchen table fits two adults and three children, with room for the occasional pair of guests. The banquette is a DIY by the Tolmans. Inside the bench is storage space for home and kitchen items.
The couple’s boys, Max and Pip, share a room. Lydia left them an open floor plan to create room for their active play.
The Tolmans created a studio just behind the garage that Lydia uses for her photography and sometimes for making and recording music. White walls help the space feel larger.
Read more about this DIY bungalow makeover in Southern California
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Amity and Philip Courtois; their son, Cosmo; and their cat, Purrl
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 1,055 square feet (98 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1952
Amity and Philip Courtois downsized from a 3,000-square-foot home to a 1,055-square-foot bungalow after discovering that they had been using only about half of their large home and that the extra space created an excuse to have — and have to take care of — more stuff. Their 1952 bungalow was a fixer-upper that they revamped on a $60,000 budget, with the help of family.
Industrial pipe shelving in the living room holds books and baskets that neatly hide smaller family possessions. The couple finds it important to have places to stash things to avoid the look of clutter.
The Courtoises considered opening the kitchen to the rest of the house in an open-concept layout, but they decided they liked having it more tucked away. That way, if unexpected guests stop by, there is no need to worry about a visible cooking mess.
Pocket doors leading into the office save a good amount of space. The couple also added pocket doors to other closets as well as the pantry and bathroom.
During the renovations, the couple added French doors to the dining area. The doors lead out to a backyard deck and overlook downtown Austin.
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