Before and after: A house that was turned around

andrewjburing andrewjburing
REMODELAÇÃO APARTAMENTO, ÁGUAS LIVRES, Happy Ideas At Home - Arquitetura e Remodelação de Interiores Happy Ideas At Home - Arquitetura e Remodelação de Interiores Modern style bedroom
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Certain things are built in such a way, that when the fashion goes out of style and time moves on, the building immediately stands out as something old and unappealing. While it is possible, and not that difficult, to update that type of building, and bring it over to the next century, it does take a lot of time and effort.

However, there are some homes, that manage to remain contemporary in almost any situation. But, just because a home can remain contemporary, doesn't mean that they'll remain timeless. Unless sealed in a vacuum bubble and untouched by time, this places are sure to get a bit grimy. But that's okay. Every place needs a bit of cleaning up, and general clean-up very often leads to a bit of refurbishing. 

Below, you can read all about one such home. After gathering dust for a few years, the architects over at Happy Ideas At Home decided to step in a give this home a new coat of paint. If you feel like your home is need of one, this might just offer you the inspiration to do so.

Before and after: A sponge and a screwdriver can do wonders

In the image to the left, we can see a kitchen in severe state of disrepair. The cabinets look like they're going to fall apart, there's clutter on the counter, and an overall layer of grim that covers the whole room. That being said, underneath all that grim and grit, is a fully functioning kitchen. The cabinets do indeed need to be fixed, and potentially even redesigned, but outside of a good scrub, nothing too overly drastic will have to occur.

On the right, we can see these minor changes take form, and instantly change the kitchen for the better. Not only is the clutter gone, but the whole counter gets an update of solid wood. The bottom counters go through a bit of redesign, focusing on the horizontal rather than the vertical, and the upper cabinets get covered up, to protect the food from dust. Finally, the tiles lining the walls have been pushed down to the floor, and given a bit of sprucing up, making the floor instantly more colourful. While not a huge design overhaul, this transformation goes to show that changing the little things, has the same impact as changing the big ones.

Before and after: Another point of view

As previously stated above, a major issue with the previous kitchen was the mess. This picture better illustrates the amount of rubbish that was strewn all around the room, making it impossible to both use the counter and simply walk around. What's more, it also shows the state in which the lower cabinets were, shown here as not properly closing and hanging off their hinges. And to top it all off, the sink is in dire need of an upgrade.

However, all of these issue are easily corrected and the kitchen becomes a fully functioning area. With the mess gone the architects managed to fit in a brand new stove, expanding your cooking choices. The sink is patched up and ready to go, and doesn't look like it came from the 20th century. Also, with the new coat of paint, the light from the window has a much more profound effect, really getting into all the nooks and crannies and relaxing the whole room.

Before and after: Put on a new coat

Before the designers got around to cleaning this home up, the corridors had a very dark look about them, most definitely not helped by the darker shade of wallpaper that, despite any sort of sunlight, still cast a shadow over everything. What's more, the floor was partially covered under a carpet that, with time, had been eaten away, exposing the floor beneath. Finally, something as simple as the door needing a fresh coat of paint, left the whole room feeling lifeless.

Luckily, all of these issues were addressed, and with a fresh coat of paint, life was restored to the whole room. A new, lighter shade was chosen, bringing warmth into the corridor. This new outlook is complimented by the new wood paneled floor, which glistens and gleams, carrying the sunlight with it. And to top it all off, the door gets a new coat of paint, looking revitalized. Even if your home is looking a bit dark, don't despair, and give it that new look it deserves.

Before and after: Further corridor improvements

Just like with the kitchen, the initial corridor has some rubbish in it, no doubt becoming a dangerous place in the evening as you try to maneuver the house and try not to get your toe stubbed. And walking around in the dark may occur sooner, than you would hope, as without any lights, the only source of sunshine will come from the bathroom, which is ill equipped to reach as far as you'd want. While the floor is an improvement over the last one, it does need a good bit of cleaning and polishing, as the light reveals the dirt that has collected. However, despite this, it shows a sliver of what exactly this place will become.

And with a bit of cleaning, voila! The newly polished floor is spick and span, showing no signs of ever being dusty. The corridor also feels brighter, thanks to both the colour of the wallpaper and the newly installed lights. Finally, with the dust settled, the rubbish is also gone, freeing up room to potentially install some new piece of art. It's amazing that a good session of dusting, can seem like magic when complete.

Before and after: Streamlined bathroom

Crowded rooms are an issue, even in bathrooms, where you would expect to have the maximum amount of room to maneuver. However, as the before picture proves, that is not always the case and instead, you are left with a little bit of wiggle room, surrounded by an old grimy toilet. While bathrooms are supposed to inspire cleanliness, the paint in this bathroom has aged to the point were, despite being the right colour, it does not really bring spotlessness to mind.

After the work is put in however, the walls are rendered completely white. While that does achieve the clean quota, it loses a bit of the charm the blue added. However, beyond the colour, everything else is a huge step up. In order to deal with the size of the room, the designers go for a Scandinavian style, rendering the floor a very cool shade of brown. The bath is transformed into a shower, giving the user more control. Finally, the sink is turned into something appropriately sleek and modern, and the mirror, surrounded in a halo of light, while help you look stunning any time of the day. A unified style is key, and the Scandi style manages to make the room more modern, while still keeping it's timelessness.

Before and after: A brighter outlook

A balcony, no matter how small, is incredibly important in a house. It offers a chance to enjoy the great outdoors while still being in the comfort of your own home. Just like with the rest of the house, the balcony on the left is perfectly functional, even by today's standards, but a shiny new coat of paint certainly wouldn't hurt. What's more, the concrete is slowly chipping away, and won't look as pretty in a few years time, if gone unchecked.

The newer version of the balcony sidesteps the problems of having concrete by going with rubber tiles. These will without a doubt be a pleasure to both stand on and look at. Other than that, all the balcony really needed was a fresh layer of black paint, something that would ensure it's long lasting appeal.

If you feel like your spree of repairing the house isn't quite yet at an end, this article can further inspire you, leading you to transform a place you may have thought impossible to transform: the attic.

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