- May 24, 2021
- 2 min read

the renovation quandry

It seems during our search we have oscillated between homes that are "turn-key" or move-in ready with very little updates needed other than coats of paint and new lighting fixtures...or major renovations that require us to pencil out the cost of a total kitchen and bathroom renovation. There's very few "in-between" homes and sometimes I find myself preferring the home that require a total renovation because we can make it ours and focus on restoring the mid-century vibes. In hopes of gearing myself up for this kind of project, if we do go this route, I'm sharing a few of my favorite before and after renovations.

Scottsdale, AZ

I appreciate this renovation from Contemporist because it reminds me of the amount of work we would need to do on some of the homes we have considered.

I love the change in the exterior, the overhead beams and lighting. This reminds me that you can change an exterior to look the way you want and not to get too hung up on what it looks like when you buy the home.

Just stunning. Updating windows is an expensive endeavor but worth it.

Again, the windows! And the floors...

The kitchen is phenomenal. I love the sleek wood cabinets juxtaposed with the white counter.

Seattle, WA

Seattle has so many beautiful mid-centuries, tucked into its many hills and forested neighborhoods. This renovation from OneKinDesign is uniquely impressive and must have taken some serious time.

The red door really makes this home pop, the owners also removed the overhang that made the entrance to the home darker.

The bathroom update, how did they even do this?

Absolutely love the style. The renovation included all new floors, windows, new stone and structure of the fireplace, and a total gut of the kitchen.

Grand Rapids, MI

Swatts & Co designed this home in true mid-century style, even though the home was not really an MCM to begin with. HGTV featured the home as one of the best designs of 2019.