How I Transformed an Outdated Space into My Dream Place
“LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!”
- Harold Samuel
This realtor’s credo is absolutely true when it comes to buying a new home. After living and renting in LA for five years, I finally decided to make the West Coast permanent by purchasing my home in 2019. The location was key. I had found the perfect spot!
Close to work and all my favorite spots
Dog friendly
Safe
Townhouse and condo community
I wanted a townhome for several reasons. I wouldn’t have to worry about maintenance, there was a heated pool year round, and the neighbors looked out for each other. I was specific about the location. I knew exactly what I wanted. I envisioned a unit at the very top of the hill, the large three bedroom open concept layout that wasn’t completely remodeled, so I could personalize the finishing touches.
There was one small problem: NOTHING was for sale. So, my realtor went to work. She sent flyers to all the units in my desired spots asking if they wanted to sell. One person called back. Within days, I was allowed to see the house.
The owner warned us it was a 1986 original. She was not kidding. When we walked in, I had to watch my facial expressions. I was a bit shocked and honestly, a little scared. The house had been well maintained, but it just screamed of everything opposite my style.
“Well?” my realtor said after. “Let’s do it!'' I replied.
“Only in the shattering can the rebuilding occur.”
- Barbara Marciniak
I would love to say I was perfectly at peace with that decision, but I definitely had a few panic attacks through the escrow process. After 45 days, I was given the
keys and it began...
The space was small, so my goals were to make it light and bright and add tons of storage. I wrote those two items down, repeated them over and over with my contractor, and stayed focused on that plan.
The first order of business was demo. I LOVE demo day! Carpet, kitchen cabinets,
bathroom vanities and toilets- all gone! After the multitude of dust clouds settled, a blank slate was left to start fresh. Now, I definitely didn’t win any lotteries, so budget was key.
“More is not better. Better is better.
You don't need a bigger house; you need a different floor plan.
You don't need more stuff; you need stuff you'll actually use.”
- Alex Steffen
I started with the floors. I have two dogs. They have sharp nails, they get sick, they shed, and they spill their water bowls. I needed easy-to-clean flooring that didn’t break the bank. Real hardwood was not an option. So, laminate it was! The laminate flooring options today are amazing. I went with the higher grade that comes with pre-adhered backing already attached. Since it’s laminate, I was able to run it wall-to-wall, even in the bathrooms. This consistent flow created the illusion of a larger space. Also, it was extra convenient for cleaning.
Changing the floors alone made a huge difference in lightening and brightening the space. Next up was the wall color. I picked a light gray, but when we tested it on the walls, it was way too dark. It did not look like that in the photo! Luckily, they were able to cut that light gray by 50% and it was perfect.
“There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs.”
- Zig Ziglar
Something still felt off even when the floors and paint were complete. The stairs felt very closed off and bulky. As a result, the contractor took down the pony walls and WOW! It changed the space completely. The open concept feeling I was going for came alive.
Then came the next hiccup. I couldn’t find one bid in L.A. for less than $10,000 to redo the stairs. Thankfully, my contractor is a genius. He researched companies across the United States that manufacture the black metal design I wanted (Thank you, Pinterest!) and found one in Indiana called Viewrail. The only catch was that he had to put it together. He sent them the measurements, they gave me my options, and within a week it arrived. For a fraction of the quoted prices, I was able to create my dream staircase in my small townhome.
“Everything happens in the kitchen. Life happens in the kitchen.”
– Andrew Zimmern
Hors d'oeuvres, anyone? I enjoy cooking. (I haven’t always, but that’s a story for another day.) By this time, I was ecstatic to move onto the kitchen. Again, my budget provided an extra challenge.
A large counter space in quartz and my favorite Wolf stove were a must, so I had to cut costs in other areas. Off to IKEA we went! IKEA has a design area that allows you to put the dimensions of your kitchen area and build your semi custom cabinets accordingly. I was blown away by how many cabinets and drawers could fit into my space. Not only did I maximize the room, but I gained major storage.Half of my cabinets are still empty to this day! Everything is soft close and easy to clean. Can we also talk about the fact that IKEA delivered everything for only $59 ?!?
For the appliances, I went with all Whirlpool, and all of the kitchen and bathroom fixtures are Delta. Sticking with the bright feeling, since all of the cabinets and countertops are white, black fixtures were the modern touch I was looking for. I bought all my fixtures on Amazon with my rewards points. Big score! I did splurge on the dining table light and cabinet hardware, which are Restoration Hardware. If you become a member, you save a lot of money!
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be
useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
- William Morris
My furniture is minimal, Room & Board for the dining table, chairs, and coffee table, and a West Elm desk, chair, and lamp. The area rug was less than $105 on Amazon (Dogs can ruin it all they want.), round coffee table tray is Hearth & Hand from Target, sofa throw and pillows are from Marshalls (my favorite).
Did I stay on budget? Hard NO.
Was it worth it? Hell YES!
It can feel hopeless to stare at a small, outdated space when you’re on a tight budget. If I was able to turn a 1980s townhome into my dream space, I know you can, too. It won’t be easy, but you are worth it. You deserve a sanctuary in the place you call home.
❤️ GG
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