Before and After: A Ranch Home with Abundant Natural Light

Happy April!  I’m feeling refreshed from a week off.   We went to Los Angeles for the week and I can see why millions of people live there.  The weather was phenomenal; the art, plants, beaches, hillsides, neighborhoods and restaurants were diverse, interesting and quite vibrant.  I came back feeling inspired by the casual California style.   I saw lots of terrazzo, pinks, cactus greens, golden wood tones, brass, matte black and effortless color around every corner.  We stayed in a cute, VRBO carriage house about a block away from famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard and I was reminded that you can’t go wrong with the classics:  Carrera marble, white hex tile, wood floors and skylights.  You can always change out paint color and accent pillows but getting the basics right are important and especially true for a rental property or a quick resale.

This week I’m sharing more photos of the house that belongs to the kitchen I shared last on the blog (you can find that here).

To remind you, this home was a complete renovation by architect Mike Mcatee of Lumen Homes.  I love the angled ceiling.  We highlighted it with character grade, hand distressed, walnut beams (by Colorado’s own Oak Tree Classic Woodworks).  By angling the ceiling, Mcatee was able to fit in large clerestory windows above the kitchen which afford this living area abundant natural daylight that can be rare on city lots.  We clad the fireplace in Coastal Reef by Eldorado Stone and also used it on the exterior.

I love all the doors and windows here – this main room supports family togetherness and interaction with the outdoors – all healthy things.

This view shows the easy relationship the living room, breakfast nook and kitchen have to one another.  The floors are white oak with a clear finish.  The area rug in the living room is from Shaver-Ramsey.  The entry is on the right with the walnut wall.

The walnut wall is from Johnson Hardwood and I love the texture and warmth it brings to this entry.  Natural wood, 3-dimensional planks are a fairly affordable way to add style and interest to a wall.  The interlocking walnut planks are easy to install as well.  We had a flat piece of walnut installed in between the planks to give the clients a place to install hooks for coats and bags.  The floor tile is Bluestone Porcelain Stone from Crossville (this and the wood planks were purchased at The Floor Club in Denver.)  The porcelain tile was cut down to this size and laid in a herringbone pattern for a little extra oomph.

The cabinetry in the Master Bathroom is by Colorado’s Tallgrass Kitchens & Bath.  The countertop is Avenza by Pental Quartz.

I love home renovations that support togetherness without trying too hard.  Each child has their own room to retreat to if they need it, and there are a variety of ways to be together in the main space.  There’s also a great connection to plants and the outdoors here which can add greatly to a person’s well-being.  This is a family home with good vibes.

“Sometimes, the most productive thing that you can do is to step outside and do nothing… relax and enjoy nature.”
― Melanie Charlene

And a counterpoint:

“The outdoors is best viewed from inside.”
― Amy Wolf