Remodeling a 1950’s ranch

Remodeling our new home is in full swing, and we’ve been working like crazy. (Well, except for this week, because my car has been in the shop and Jim has been out of town, so I couldn’t get over to the new house, but that’s a whole nother story.)  We still don’t have approval to remove the load bearing wall between the dining and living rooms, but we’re moving ahead with the other changes we want to make, and the list is long.

So far we’ve removed wallpaper and some paneling, primed and painted two bedrooms, installed two ceiling fans (I know, I know, not great interior design, but sometimes comfort has to trump design), removed three doors, repaired some wall damage, designed the kitchen and sent the plans to a cabinet guy, pulled out four bushes, and few other things. Why is it the more you do, the longer your list seems to get?

I think the most satisfying change so far has been priming all the 1970’s style paneling. We thought about removing it, but didn’t want to deal with any “uh-oh” surprises that could delay being able to move in. So, we decided to paint the paneling in both master bedroom and the family room. I actually like the look of painted paneling. It gives the rooms a cottage feeling, so I’m not disappointed with our choice at all.

Before and After: Priming the family room

I was amazed by the difference the primer made. Although the family room felt huge before, the primer makes it feel even larger. And I can tell the lighter color is really going to make the fireplace stand out. I can’t wait to take the plastic off so I can really see the full effect. I know it’s going to be A-MAZ-ING! But I still have to pick a color for the room, so the plastic will remain for a while.

Colors I’m considering

I started planning the color scheme as soon as we made an offer on the house, but now that I’ve spent some time in it, I’m kind of rethinking my original plan. The colors I selected before we got possession of the house work well with our current furnishings, which is why I chose them. But, the more time I spend in the house, the better feel I get for how the colors will work, and it looks like there might be some minor changes made to the color palette.

Close-up of the fireplace stone

I still have a vision for how the house is ultimately going to look, but the colors need some tweaking. One of the reasons is because of the fireplace. It’s gorgeous and we love it just the way it is (except for the brass on the fireplace doors, which will change. Again, another story.)  But because the fireplace is such a important feature of the house, it has to be a big part of inspiration for colors. Everything has to go with the fireplace and with our current furnishings, and that just couldn’t be planned ahead of time.

Even though I am getting a clearer idea about colors, I honestly won’t know for sure what colors will work until the wall is removed and the front awnings are off the house. Those things are making the rooms look much darker than they’re going to be.  So until then, it’s hard to know how the sunlight will play in the house, and that will be a factor in the color decisions.

For now, we’re going to finish priming all of the rooms and the trim, since that will be painted also. But in the mean time, I’m excited about the changes we’ve already made. Every change makes it feel more and more like our house. We still have a lot more to do, but it’s coming along.

Finished painting and removed the plastic.

What colors would you choose to go with our fireplace?