The house offer was accepted, the inspection didn’t reveal anything horrifying, and everything is on track with us buying the house next door.

Now the hard part:

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The sellers still need to clear out, ah, quite a bit of stuff, obviously, and we need to think about what updates we want to make before we move in. Painting for sure, and possibly the flooring in a couple rooms. Longer term projects include the sun room — keep it? Maybe get rid of it in favor of a deck? — and the gloomy paneled living room that could have a wonderfully vaulted ceiling if we ripped out the existing structure.

You probably think I’m nuts for sharing these not-so-flattering photos, but I’m so excited about the potential here. I can’t wait to share our plans and bug you for advice.

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wendy
wendy
11 years ago

some of its quite dated, but I don’t think you’re nuts for sharing it – how exciting to see the pics before you do it up. i like the idea of a sun room.

Erica
Erica
11 years ago

What?!! You mustn’t underestimate the timeless appeal of wood paneling. ;) Ick ick ick. Tear it out!!! What an adventure. Congrats!

Kim
Kim
11 years ago

A few months ago we moved into my dream home and I spent many an excited, sleepless night redecorating in my head. It’s still one of my favorite insomniac-induced activities. I’m so happy for you-all!

Janet in Miami
Janet in Miami
11 years ago

Good lord these people had a lot of pictures on the walls.

telegirl
telegirl
11 years ago

No, you’re not nuts for sharing. It’s fun to think of the possibilities. Congrats & good luck.

Pete
Pete
11 years ago

Love dead things on the wall. ;-)
Don’t forget sky lights if you are going to tear out the ceiling anyway.

dani
dani
11 years ago

I love seeing before pictures. you are NOT crazy to share them; this place is going to be amazing!
my one piece of advice: don’t tear out a sunroom. if you want a deck, add one (sounds like there’s plenty of yard). when it starts raining again, you will be glad you have a sunroom and place to appreciate your park-like yard without being cold and wet.
[also, give us a call if there’s demo to be done. we’re super good at it. ;)]

JudithNYC
JudithNYC
11 years ago

OH, MY! But I am with you. I see possibilities.

Also, I solemnly swear I will start throwing away stuff every single trash day so my sons do not have to deal with years’ acummulation of crap when I can’t.

Katy
Katy
11 years ago

I love that you’re sharing pictures, and I think we’ll all be glad to see the before/after, even if it’s years in the making. I have two words of praise for your new place: NATURAL LIGHT. Wow. Amazing.

Mama Ritchie
Mama Ritchie
11 years ago

Keep the doll collection, for sure.

Can’t wait to see how the reno goes! I love it. We just went thru it ourselves and it was painless, especially since we had another house we were living in while the work was being done. You are in the perfect situation. Congratulations!

Maureen
Maureen
11 years ago

I love it! I covet those built ins-I would give anything to have something like that in my house.

I agree with Dani-keep the sunroom. I hope you don’t pull the paneling off that, I really like the rustic feel. Also could you send me that little dinette table with the pink chairs, so cute!

Christine B
11 years ago

It’s going to be fantastic!!
I’m definitely in favor of keeping the sunroom…add a deck outside, and maybe a set of French doors to the deck from the sunroom? And the paneling? No. Just no. It needs to go.

So many possibilities, and I love the natural light! So super-excited for you!

sara
sara
11 years ago

Paint and flooring will make all the difference in the world! And i looove the sun room!!

Amy N
Amy N
11 years ago

The sunroom could come in handy for those rainy days when you want to lock the kids outside but feel the slightest sense of guilt about doing it!! Tons of potential…can’t wait to see how you improve and make it your own. Maybe look into HGTV and getting them to come crash your house!!!

ZestyJenny
11 years ago

Keep the sunroom! Put in a fireplace! My mom has one and I love sitting in there amidst her plant jungle on a comfy poof watching the rain with her little faux fire thing going! It’s the best.

ZestyJenny
11 years ago

Also meant to say, I LOVE these pictures. Looking for potential is so fun! Great bones. And I totes think you could make that wood paneling work. It’s actually very warm. :)

Meagan
11 years ago

The not so flattering photos make the improvements so much more fun though.

As for heating the sun room… I suggest you take a winter vacation out here to Cleveland. When you get home your Eugene sunroom will feel nice and toasty!

Alissa
Alissa
11 years ago

We have a piece of crap sunroom. Not nearly as nice as yours. With cold tiled floor. And we live in Pennsylvania. In the winter time when the sun shines I send my three year out there, maybe with a jacket, to play away to his heart’s content. It’s not too cold during the day. And a space heater or a faux fireplace would be perfect for it. We have a deck attached to ours – love it for deck parties. Definitely a keeper, I think, and add a deck.

Meagan
11 years ago

Oh… And for the paneling… as a temporary fix… You CAN paint it. I mean, it’s not a great long term solution, but if you’re putting off replacing it because it’s a bigger project, slapping on a couple coats of paint is a 1-day job, and it will really make the room brighter. @Maureen Real wood paneling is “rustic” and, used well, can be very cosy. Judging by that photo, the wood paneling in Linda’s house is vinyl, screams 1970, rattles when you knock against it,and just makes a room feel crappy.

Mika
Mika
11 years ago

I think it looks pretty cool and minor things like painting the wood panelling could help tremendously. Also have you thought about asking if you could buy a few of their paintings as a tie to the previous owners? Or are they not to your taste at all?

Liz
Liz
11 years ago

I love the dinette set!

I think you should keep the sunroom. My parents had a screened-in porch that always flooded, so they enclosed it. That’s where my mom puts her Christmas tree. They do use a space heater. It’s nice and cozy in the rain.

Lorraine
Lorraine
11 years ago

Have you thought about landscaping? What’s outside sunroom. Do those bushes need to be pressed up against? Does it go to yard? Add slidind door?
If you don’t need space it looks like deck is tbe way to go.

jen
jen
11 years ago

I love before pictures and I’m so thrilled you guys got the house! Keep the sunroom, add a woodstove or space heater for the colder months. They are so lovely and a good spot when it’s too icky to be outside. As for the paneling, I second the temporary solution to just paint it. Our friends did that while they saved up for a bigger renovation project and it immediately brightened up the room.
You also might want to check out the blog http://www.HouseTweaking.com – they bought a similar style brick house with a similar before look and are DIY-ing everything. They also vaulted the ceilings and it looks amazing. If nothing else, you could get some good ideas.

Andrea
11 years ago

I LOVE remodeling! My husband and I are on year three of renovating a 1950’s brick ‘ranchburger.’ I say at the very least paint the wood paneling a nice light/bright color. You can always pull it down and dry wall later, but it will help immensly. You might have hard woods under your carpet, which if so, refinishing hardwoods is a lot less expensive than installing. Best of luck! I’m so happy for you guys.

Kristin
Kristin
11 years ago

I’m so happy for you! If anybody can make it look great, it’s definitely you and your excellent taste.

Courtney
Courtney
11 years ago

I wonder, given the time frame the house was built in, if there are original hardwood floors under the carpet? Mmmm…

It’s a great house. I can’t wait to see how you guys apply your good taste to it. My folks just bought a 1960 rancher and I love it!

Sun-room: seems like a keeper, at least temporarily. A good place to banish the unruly children and the dog to… once you get another one ;)

The Other Megan
The Other Megan
11 years ago

That oppressive paneled living room is just like my aunt’s! Complete with dead animal head! What it really needs is a bunch of guns. That said, though, home is home and this one is about to be YOURS (or your’n, as my family would say). Congratulations!

Ashleas
Ashleas
11 years ago

oh my goodness, that house is so cute! I love vintage! But yes, wood paneling must go! At least you don’t have a lime green toilet? Or do you?

Linda
Linda
11 years ago

Andrea/Courtney: yes, there are some original hardwoods — they’re under the carpet in the front living room and down the hall (the kids’ bedrooms are wood while the master bedroom is carpeted). They’re not, however, in the laminate-floor kitchen or the carpeted dining area to the side of the kitchen. We’re thinking of leaving the carpet in the front room, pulling it up in the hall, and matching as best we can with new wood floors in the dining area/kitchen, which is relatively small so hopefully shouldn’t be TOO much $$$?

Linda
Linda
11 years ago

Ashleas, no, thank god! Although the linoleum in the master bath is scary. The good (?) news about that, though, is that it’s such a pipsqueak of a bathroom there’s not much of it to dwell on. :)

H
H
11 years ago

I love it! I have a hard time coming up with ideas or envisioning change, but even I can see this has great potential. Congratulations again! I wonder, for the sunroom, could you put in new flooring with underfloor heat?

Anyway, thanks for sharing and enjoy!

Deanna
Deanna
11 years ago

Love that dinette set and the lamp in the kitchen! (kitchen? Is that carpet? That’s a bit of an “oh my.”) definitely keep the sun room. I actually like the grey wash on the walls in there. You’re so not crazy to post these. So cute, see so much potential!

elc
elc
11 years ago

There is practically nothing I love more than imagining and re-imagining what to do with spaces like this one! Lucky lucky you!! For the sunroom you should add radiant heated flooring under whatever new tile you choose. Rather inexpensive, and easily able to heat a whole room of that size.

velocibadgergirl
11 years ago

I love before and after home photos! Also, I’d be tempted to ask if the pronghorn head could stay with the house. It’s pretty awesome.

Laura
Laura
11 years ago

It has beautiful curb appeal, and in no time, it will be yours and will be beautiful on the inside to match. Just getting the clutter and old paneling out will be such an amazing difference.

Anne
Anne
11 years ago

Is the wood/veneer on those built-ins bookmatched? If so, please don’t paint it–that’s a beautiful look that you can strip, restain, and build a whole room around.

There’s so much beautiful light! You can do anything in rooms with great windows and lots of light. I realize that home improvement is rarely an “adventure,” but with a house with bones like that, it can be!

g~
g~
11 years ago

We are beginning a renovation project in our 1940-50’s era brick ranch in a couple of weeks. So much to love, so much to rip out. Good luck!

Janelle
Janelle
11 years ago

This house is going be fantastic! So excited for you.

kathleenicanrah
kathleenicanrah
11 years ago

I’ve matched newly installed hardwoods to old and it was super reasonable. It sounds like the home has great solid bones, and is in a wonderful neighborhood– the paint and floors are the easy stuff! So excited for you all.

Suburban Snapshots
11 years ago

I’m sure others have said so already but I really, really love the cabinets in the first shot. And I’m sure it will be easier to see this house with the clutter gone. Agree on that wood paneling though. Congrats and happy demo!

shygirl
shygirl
11 years ago

Holy crap this is so exciting. Your whole move is just going swimmingly! Congratulations on the house, I can’t wait to see what you guys do with it!!

Victoria
11 years ago

Congrats!

Kate
11 years ago

The house is perfect. You have the right neighborhood, a gorgeous yard, a house with limitless possibilities, and two determined and talented adults. You will make this place shine. I see wood floors, a warm kitchen, knocking out the nasty ceilings and cheap ass panels in the living room, I could go on and on….Conga Rats on the house. :)

Cally
11 years ago

I’m glad you shared! You can definitely see the potential. I think the sun room swapped for a deck might be an awesome idea, especially if you can’t heat/cool it. Especially with that back yard you showed the other day.

scantee
scantee
11 years ago

I adore mid-century ranch houses and would love a place like yours. If you’re at all interested in updating your mid-century gem while keeping some of the better vintage touches, I highly recommend checking out Retro Renovation.

http://retrorenovation.com/

Lauren
Lauren
11 years ago

Tons of possibility, for sure!

If you’re looking for a quick fix for the paneling, my parents painted over theirs 30 years ago and it’s looked fine ever since, and it totally brightened up the family room.

Congrats and enjoy making it yours!

Nichole
11 years ago

Please keep the pink chairs, the swan and the Whatever That Is head on the wall. It looks like a fab house!

Nichole
11 years ago

ps or send those weird/wonderful items to me. especially the swan.