Alabama Hill Reclaimed
With just three days to find a home before our move from Colorado to Bellingham, I took a leap and chose a single-owner house that needed a lot of love—but had seasonal views, the right school district, and amazing trail access.
My husband didn’t see the home until we moved into the lower level with multiple pets and boxes stacked to the ceilings. The entire upstairs had already been gutted, so to say he had faith in both my decision and the long-term vision would be an understatement.
Over the next seven years, we slowly transformed every surface of the home, inside and out, and dedicated just as much care to the landscaping to boost curb appeal. One of our favorite moments was welcoming the original owner back to see the transformation and to share stories from the neighborhood’s earliest days.
We were incredibly grateful to sell at the height of the market and settle into our current home in the Puget neighborhood. (See Puget View Reno.)
I looked for every possible way to transform the tired brown exterior of this 1972 home into something more interesting and inviting. With much of the budget earmarked for interior renovations, large exterior changes weren’t possible, which made color and material choices especially important. The existing almond-toned window casings guided the color palette, and a creamy green/gray taupe proved to be the perfect complement. The vibrant red front door added a bold focal point and personality. Broken concrete walkways were replaced with flagstone and framed by simple and easy to manage landscaping. A new roof and the addition of solar panels completed the transformation.
As long-time gardeners, we understood the power of good landscaping. With a yard that felt mostly flat and uninspiring—especially from the driveway—we added sweeping flowerbeds to soften the edges and give color yearn around. We also planted a specimen maple to introduce seasonal color and give height and dimension to the yard.
The porch off the dining room was small and in poor shape but offered a nice season view and covered allowing for use during our rainy seasons. The new composite decking matched the color of the interior floors to create a nice flow and connection. And, the glass rails visually expanded the size and gave in a sleek feel in keeping with the overall streamline monochromatic exterior look
The kitchen was originally quite small and constrained by a wall and pantry closet dividing it from the living room. By removing both of those it opened up the space allowing a great connection for better flow. The cabinets were also run the full width of the wall allowing for a long island that provided great work space as well as a transition from the kitchen to the dining room. The simple Ikea cabinetry were a cost effective for a house that needed work in every single area.
The living room was a great size but dated carpet and laminate windowsills kept it planted in the 80's. Engineered wood floors were installed and bright white paint was used throughout to create a neutral background for our colorful art and textiles. The room lacked any overhead lighting so that was added as well. The wood burning fireplace was kept as is as it was a simple yet stylish complement as well.
The primary bathroom was quite small but shared a wall with a full sized bathroom in the hallway. So, the hallway bathroom was changed to a small powder bath and the residual space was reassigned to the primary created a much larger and more functional space. This allowed for a six foot vanity as well as a large soaking tub in addition to the walk-in shower. Ceramic tile that looked like petrified wood created a dynamic backsplash and contributed to the overall spa aesthetic
The primary suite was create by combining two smaller bedrooms located at the end of the hallway. The wall between the two was rebuilt to be a closet which also served as a divider between the sleeping side and a seating area. The rolling door into the bathroom was sourced at a local restoration store and offered a beautiful warm vintage touch to the room
The utility room was a small catch all room that was an eyesore! We wanted to give it a cohesive look while maximizing storage and find a way to make the window wall look better with the somewhat disruptive footer. The addition of cabinetry, instrument storage and wine racks gave the room some fun character and color.
The downstairs family room was quite a large space with several different areas combined into one large space. The laundry was originally part of the downstairs bathroom but created a separate one by walling off the second kitchen. We then added glass french doors to create a private guest bedroom that was distinct from the rest of the family room
