Name: Berto, photographer; Mary, writer; and Moe, adorable beagle
Location: Norfolk, Virginia
Size: 950 square feet
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Despite the perfect weather I'm used to in Los Angeles, there are aspects of my hometown in Virginia that I still really miss. Sure, the fall season is fantastic in the Mid-Atlantic region; but even more importantly, it's the people that I grew up with and who have settled back into the Hampton Roads area of Norfolk that make Virginia so appealing. Berto and Mary are high school friends with whom I've reconnected with recently; and after I saw photos of their home, I had to share. What was once a house rented out to college students is now a cozy, brighter, personable home thanks to Berto and Mary's careful planning and do-it-yourself attitude. Oh, and their beagle, Moe.
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AT Survey:
Our style: We love good design of any kind. If we had to pick some keywords, they would be: clean lines, 50s modern, natural materials, reused, touches of color.
Inspiration: Books including The Ultimate House Book and The Very Small Home. The colors of South America. Dwell. Scandinavian design. Apartment Therapy of course.
Favorite Element: Our floors. The house does not get a ton of natural light; so we took time to find a nice, light wood that would reflect the little sun that does come in. We chose Kahrs European Maple.
Biggest Challenge: Even though this is a standalone home, the floor plan feels like the end unit of a condo complex. It's long and narrow. Combining living area and dining area comfortably became the biggest challenge. Having dining chairs with a really small footprint helped open up the space and create a clear path between the kitchen and the sliding door to the patio.
What Friends Say: The really honest ones say, "I did not expect this from the outside." It's kind of a surprise. People generally find it cozy and warm, and they like that our art is very personal.
Biggest Embarrassment: The doors. They are an ugly wood, and we have been too lazy to paint them.
Proudest DIY: The whole house, but more specifically, the hardwood floors and scraping the popcorn ceilings. Mary's parents hired a guy to do the renovation with the understanding that we would help with the work and select most of the materials as long as we stayed within the $10,000 budget. We were never big fans of the spray-on popcorn ceiling effect. I spent several hours in a cloud of dust scraping it off the vaulted ceilings. Not fun. We went $800 over budget, but managed to install hardwood floors downstairs, berber carpet upstairs, tile the two bathroom floors, get new vanities and toilets for the bathrooms, and repaint the entire house in addition to the kitchen. This place was rented to college students for several years before we moved in. We visited twice to measure the house while the students still lived here and found dog feces on the carpet each time. Amazing!
Biggest Indulgence: The painting in the entrance to our house. We got it in Paris on our honeymoon. We spent a good chunk of our gift money on it, but is was worth it.
Best advice: Buy what you love. You'll find a space for it. Also, buy the best quality you can afford. Expensive stuff is usually expensive for a reason. It lasts.
Dream source: I would love to have one or two items from Thomas Moser. Their furniture combines beautiful materials and craftsmanship with contemporary design.
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Resources:
Furniture:
• Act II (consignment store in Norfolk): Peach vintage chairs and side table
• Scan (DC store): Natuzzi sofa, dining table, bedroom set
• eBay: Series 7 dining chairs
• IKEA: bathroom vanity
• Design within Reach: book shelf and green book case
• Parents' attic: bedside table, entry table and recliner (all of which will be replaced eventually)
Accessories: Our vases are mostly gifts from friends. Mobiles are from Buenos Aires.
Lighting: Lighting in kitchen and living area are from IKEA. Vintage green lamp in bedroom is from Mary's grandmother. Lamp on office desk from EQ3.
Artwork: Paintings collected mostly on travels to Argentina, Peru, Italy, Paris. Painting above couch is from our friend Seth Patrick. A few of my own photos are next to that painting and in the office. A photo by my friend Jen Sens is above the printer.
Paint: A cream eggshell finish from Norfolk Paint. It was a 5 gallon custom color they had mixed incorrectly for another customer. We liked the color and got a really good deal on it. The walls through out the house were such a mess when we moved in that we just wanted to get a fresh coat of a very neutral color up as soon as possible.
Patio/Backyard/Porch: The backyard is a work in progress. Last year we grew tomatoes and peppers and plan to plant a few more things this spring.
(Thanks, Berto, Mary and Moe!)
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(Images: Roberto Westbrook)
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omg!! i live in Virginia Beach! I had no idea such gems were here. Good job!
Very nice. Thanks for including the before pix, too. They go a long way toward explaining the amount of effort you have put into the remodeling.
You have a great mix of styles and a lot of personality comes through. The entryway captures it perfectly. And the good quality of the photography of the rooms is much appreciated!
The only room that I think needs a bit more punch is the dining room. The wall looks barren with the art hung so high and with all three pieces in a row. What if you brought the cow painting down and arranged the others around it in a grouping centered on the wall behind the table? You could add more pieces as time went on and create a nice gallery effect. It's nice to have such a long expanse of wall to work with.
love what you've done! please share your source on where you got the cute cow kitchen towel holder and the tack boards for the jewelry?
what a transformation! but my absolute favourite things are those sumptuous beaglebeds! lucky dog, lovely home.
Nicely done but I'd look at the art over the couch, too high and awkwardly placed over the two floor lamps and I agree about the artwork in the dining area, spread a tad too far apart and too high as well.
Seeing what you had to do to make the place nice is something we don't see much of and it helps us to see what went into bringing this place to it's current, and much nicer state.
Overall, despite the odd layout, not bad in the furniture placement, which is good.
very nice place. i like the BsAs mobile and second the comment on the beaglebeds. They look chic and very comfortable! where are they from?
I love before and after pics. You did a great job making something special out of an odd floor plan and that drabby old kitchen. Love your art choices.
Love the beagle. So cute. But I have to concur. The pictures are hung way too high. Other than that, very nice!
I almost passed out when I saw the 'Before' pics.... did not know if they were the 'actuals'! Thank you for rescuing that house. Good job- it looks lovely!
A house from my state! I love it! Berto & Mary have done a great job.
I love what you have done with your house -- it is really beautiful and unusual. Not cookie-cutter at all, but with a really coherent design. Really, really nice.
I love your combination of modern and traditional pieces and your wedding painting is stunning. I also appreciate that you seem to have been able to accomplish this remodel on a modest budget. Your kitchen should be an inspiration to the many who write in here looking for tips on how to make a kitchen stylish and workable without a complete remodel.
One suggestion: A shallow, built-in, floor-to-ceiling bookcase where the kitchen cart is would disguise the fridge and provide some of the storage that the cart does now. That cart adds visual clutter to your beautiful living area.
I'll be looking at this for inspiration myself.
I just love the painting in the blue frame in your entry way! Who is the artist? Do you think he/she is available in the States? I'd love to buy another similar painting!! Hope you can help.
BTW - I really love what you2 did to the house - that took a lot of work and inspiration. When I saw the before photos - I was very confused, thinking it was the renovation! What a pig stye!! You were very brave to take on the job! ha :)
Great job...Now come down the street and do mine..lol!