We've Done It Again... Come Meet Our Newest Fixer-Upper!
Can you believe it has been nearly 3.5 years since we rescued our hurricane-beaten, Emerald Coast home and almost a year since we shared the stunning transformation with you?
In some ways, it seems like just yesterday that we took that dark and dated mid-80s ranch and turned it into our personal dream home on the ocean. (If you haven’t seen the Before & After story yet, you can check it out here.)
Since that time, we’ve been toying with the idea of renovating another fixer upper. Not to live in this time, but to sell to a family who will appreciate and enjoy an old home filled with new life.
Fast forward to about a month ago, when one house in particular hit the market. We took one look at it and knew it was “the one!” Filled with history, well-loved by many, and in need of our help, this home captured our hearts the moment we saw it.
Ready to see what we’ve gotten ourselves into this time?
The History: A Humble Family Home
It isn’t often that you have the chance to purchase a 70+ year old home from the original owners, but we were blessed with such an opportunity.
We bought our fixer upper from the son of the couple who built this home in the late 1940s for their family of five. In handling the estate of his parents, he knew he had to find buyers who would appreciate the family history in the property, even though it was in need of so much work.
Steve and I were in the right place at the right time and feel so grateful to have been the buyers he was searching for.
In the process, not only did we find our perfect fixer upper, but with the seller’s personal connection to the property, we were gifted with story after story, detailing the wonderful memories of the family that grew up in that home... mom, dad, and three boys in just 1,500 square feet.
With a deep understanding of the home’s history, our passion for this fixer upper has only grown, and we can’t wait to restore this house for a new family to live in and love as much as the original owners did.
The Neighborhood: A Changing Demographic
Located near the water, adjacent to numerous military bases, and just ten minutes from downtown Pensacola, the neighborhood in which our little fixer upper sits has been around for decades, and to be honest, had seen better days.
However, this once run-down part of town is starting to change. Families are moving back in and, like us, investing in renovating the homes, wanting to preserve the history of this well-loved neighborhood.
Just one block from Chico Bayou and a nice local marina, this is an up-and-coming community that we know is going to draw young families in the next few years.
We can already envision kids biking between the houses, families exploring the oceanfront together, and community picnics as people settle in. Sounds blissful, doesn’t it?
The Floor Plan: A Family Home with Potential
When walking through this 1,500 square foot home for the first time, we instantly saw the potential. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large backyard filled with trees, and lots of outdoor space for both privacy and entertaining, this home is truly ideal for a young family… or at least, it will be once we are done working our magic.
The Tour & Game Plan: A Whole Home Update
The instant you walk through the front door of the home, you can tell it has been added onto, not once or twice, but three times. Creating a cohesive floor plan from this pieced-together home is our first order of business. But the to-do list doesn’t stop there. Here are just a handful of the other tasks on the horizon...
1. Gut & Expand the Master Bathroom
The first renovation that took place on this home many years ago was adding a master bathroom onto the back bedroom. Looking at the house from the street, you can see this small addition on the left.
I’d imagine that after living with a single bathroom at the center of the home for years, the new master bathroom was a welcome addition for the original owners.
Even so, this is a super small master bath compared to today’s standards, so it will be gutted, enlarged, and updated as part of our transformation of this home.
2. Update ALL OTHER Bedrooms & BATHROOMS
Currently, the bathrooms are all very tiny. Although that is what people were used to at the time the house was built, we realize expectations have changed. As we move forward, we will be evaluating how to expand these areas while still preserving the character of the house.
We will be gutting and updating the bedrooms as part of this renovation as well. They certainly need some time and attention in the form of new walls, flooring, light fixtures, and more.
3. Add Storage Space
Because the closets are so small, storage was clearly at a premium in this house. As we started cleaning everything out, we noticed there was shelving attached to the walls in each bedroom and over-the-door hooks on every single door—no exaggeration!
It is clear that this family needed space and added it wherever they could. We’ll be sure to add as much storage as we possibly can as we update this home.
4. Open Up the Back Porch
The second previous home expansion was a porch added across the back of the house. There is currently a step down into this room, as the house is on a crawl space and the back porch addition only sits on a slab.
We love that this area allowed for the addition of a laundry/utility room, a breakfast nook, and a home office, but overall it feels dark. We want to truly take advantage of the natural light and open up the space to the views of the big backyard and established trees. We don’t have a specific plan yet, but that is in the works. Stay tuned!
5. Restore the Charming Fireplace
The final addition made by the original owners was the family room and dining room, complete with a large fireplace. Although it can’t be seen from the front elevation of the house, it is located on the right side.
Since we will need more room in the home for our updated kitchen, it is likely that we will draw from this area, but we do want to keep the fireplace feature, even though it isn’t fully functional, in an effort to maintain the charm of the home.
6. REMODEL THE KITCHEN
And of course, as we’ve alluded to, the kitchen needs some serious updating. Just look at this space…
Can you imagine preparing meals for five people in this crowded room multiple times per day? I think it just goes to show that you work with what you have...and since this is what the family was used to, they made do.
For the home’s future family, we will be gutting, expanding, and updating the entire kitchen for obvious reasons, but we love that these before photos will always preserve the memory of what once was.
7. Clean Up the Outdoor Living Space
Outside, we will be removing the backyard shed (which our dog, Scout, has grown pretty fond of), and giving the outdoor “dining area” some much needed love. We want the large trees and expansive backyard to be a focal point when the transformation is all said and done.
8. Rework the Flow of the Home
Our biggest challenge throughout the whole renovation will be to unify the spaces and create a traffic pattern that works for everyone living in the house. Right now there is no central hallway, so to get to the back bedrooms and the hall bath, you must walk through the front guest room. That definitely needs to change.
As you can see, there is lots to be accomplished! We are designing the new layout with an eye to both budget and maximizing the space. But before we can start implementing that new design, cleaning out is the first order of business...and all of this stuff? Well, that was just from day one.
Stay tuned as we share more real-time renovation updates and the final reveal… when we get that far, of course!
In the meantime, if you’re looking for a team that can help you renovate your own home, give us a call. We’d be delighted to blend the history of your home with your hopes for the future, transforming it into a space that feels just like home.
Warmly,
Sarah