HGTV; realtor.com
On “Property Brothers: Forever Home,” stars Drew and Jonathan Scott have updated their fair share of antiquated homes. But on the latest episode, titled “Four Generations and Counting,” they have to deal with the one-two punch of a decades-old home that’s also short on square footage.
This week the Scott brothers meet Augustino and Jennifer, who are living in a house in Toronto that his grandfather bought in the early 1960s. Augustino explains that the couple’s two girls are the fourth generation to have lived in the house.
But things have changed since the ’60s. This family has more modern needs and dreams of a home with a more contemporary design.
The brothers are well-versed in modernizing homes, but this won’t be a typical renovation. That’s because this home is remarkably small for a family of four, so the brothers will have to get creative.
Can they make this house work for a 21st century family? Or will they go over budget trying to bring this old home up to date? Read on to find out what happens, and to learn some tricks the Scott brothers have for modernizing an old home.
Repurposing the basement
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This home has a rich history and a backstory that makes us melt, but there just isn’t enough space for this modern family. To make the house functional, Drew and Jonathan have to get creative with the square footage.
With the ground floor taken up by the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and dining area, there won’t be enough room for everything the family will need. So the brothers decide to put the living room in the basement.
They make the new den feel cozy, with contemporary furniture and lots of color.
“That basement is extremely stylish, and it’s going to be in style for decades to come,” Drew says.
It’s a great example of a gorgeous living room, but it’s also a lesson in making a great use of space. Previous owners tried to squish the living room upstairs, but the Scotts knew it didn’t have to be this way. Instead, they give this family a wonderful—and spacious—living room to make lots of new memories in.
A dining space to be proud of
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When the Scotts first see Jennifer and Augustino’s home, they notice right away that their dining table is tucked, uncomfortably, in the corner of the kitchen. It’s an awkward setup that makes the space feel even more cramped. And in a smaller house, cramped is the last look you want to go for. The brothers know that there has to be a better way.
So, they decide to bring the table closer to the kitchen, but to create a sense of separation between the two spaces they build an island and put the table on the other side. Now the table is near the island, making it convenient to go from kitchen to table, but it’s no longer such a tight squeeze.
To top it off, the Scott brothers install a great chandelier to brighten up the dining area.
Looking at the finished room, Drew points out how much space the family will have for meals.
“You … not only have a dining table that’s a good size, but you also have this massive island,” he says.
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Add contrast to the kitchen island
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An island was on Augustino and Jennifer’s wish list from the get-go. After all, this kitchen workhorse can provide extra cooking space, seating, and even storage. But with a white-on-white kitchen, a matching white island might make the space look too stark.
So while the island does have a white top and sides, the brothers decided to give it a little extra color and texture to mix it up. They add blue paneling to the island for a touch of a little something different, without being too much. It’s a great detail that complements the space and makes this kitchen feel much homier.
Light floors help a room look spacious
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This house has been standing since the ’60s, so there’s bound to be some, er, questionable style choices throughout. The black-and-white checkered tile floor in the kitchen happens to be one of them. The contrast between the black and white lines isn’t ideal for such a small space, and the brothers waste no time replacing it.
Jennifer tells Drew and Scott that she wants gray-toned flooring, so Jonathan installs some modern engineered hardwood in a beautiful gray color.
Once the flooring is installed, Jennifer is thrilled. “It’s the perfect shade,” she adds.
And Jonathan is proud of the choice, too. The consistent hardwood creates cohesion throughout the kitchen and dining area, and the light gray shade makes the room look more spacious.
“The light tone helps bounce the light around,” he says.
Rethink the bold backsplash
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Nothing changes the look of a kitchen like a burst of color on a backsplash. But not all backsplashes need to be bold. In fact, an understated tile is sometimes exactly what a kitchen needs to come together.
When it comes time to install a backsplash in this kitchen, Jonathan decides to go understated with white tile inlaid with a gold and silver pattern. The color palette in the kitchen is bright white, but this refined selection complements the space and adds elegance and character to the kitchen.
When Jennifer sees the kitchen, she loves the backsplash right away.
“This backsplash is the prettiest I’ve ever seen,” she says. “I’ve never seen a backsplash like this.”
So, do the Scott brothers deliver?
By the time Drew and Jonathan are done, the house looks undeniably amazing. The kitchen is clean and stylish, the dining space is open, the master bedroom is updated, and the living room is simply gorgeous. But because this is an older home, the brothers ran into a few problems—including some water damage—that ended up putting them over budget.
Still, repairing the eaves and replacing the baseboards didn’t exactly break the bank, and they ended up only $800 over their $140,000 budget. Overall, this renovation is a huge success and one that will hopefully be enjoyed for many more generations to come.
The post The Property Brothers Put a Living Room in a Surprising Place for a Seriously Smart Reason appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
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