Penzance Re-Do

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Penzance House by Blueprints & Damask:

Blueprints by Gina:   
     
  Seriously? No budget limit, no client specifications.. wahoo!! I won't go crazy but I will make some major changes. This home has so much potential, and is quite cute in it's original design. What a great canvas to work with! First, the shake shingles need replacing but I would totally stay with the same look, just replace with a more modern product. Shake shingles bring a very warm cottage feel to a home, I dig it. The same for the current shake siding that is covering the pop out above the front door, I'd take that all the way to ground level as it really breaks up the massive front of the home. I'd replace the current shake above the garage as well.. I'd not change the look of it, just freshen it up a bit. (My Dad was quick to inform me that he doesn't share the sentiment for shake..) Oh well!

Here is where the real fun starts.. for the entire exterior of the home I'd love to veneer it. At first I was leaning toward stone, the house is near the water so I was thinking a “beachy” type stone look, champagne color. But as I searched and searched for the perfect one, I realized, this home needs to be brick, not just any brick though, a flashed tumbled handmade brick. I love the colors that work their way through this specific brick style, it's more like.. burnt champagne rose. << I made that up.

For the trim color around the roof edge, windows and their ledges, I'd paint those a brilliant white, white around windows is my absolute favorite and it just keeps it looking clean and classic. Especially when the brick itself has so much personality.

The two entry doors as well as the garage would look great in a dark teal color, definitely a focal point to add a welcoming tone to the entry.

The walkways all around the home would look fabulous in a grey concrete paver, all one size or a varied pattern of three sizes for a cobbled look. This just brings homey warmth to the property with clean lines that differ from the brick joints for a tad bit of contrast.

Let's go inside: I think the interior will be simple, but simple spaces are the best. They have a way of wrapping their arms around you and making you feel like you'd want to stay a while. That's the way a home should be. It looks like the wood floors in this home already have a pretty look to them, it's a shame to pull out good wood flooring. If we hated the color we could always tint a sealer and add a few coats until it deepens. That's an idea, but I'd take this flooring throughout the house and into each bedroom, they aren't huge spaces so ripping up the carpet and installing hardwood would be well worth it. EVERY window needs to be trimmed out with brilliant white semi-gloss moulding, in a space like this the more ornate the better, detail makes up for lack of square footage, in my opinion. The windows need shutters, I'd go with cottage but there are so many to choose from. Shutters for sure.

The first bedroom needs a new built-in unit, more modern finishes but with a classic feel. Maybe 6 panel doors with matching cabinet faces.

At first I was looking at the fireplace thinking how we'd clean that up. I hate seeing painted brick, the thought crossed my mind to do a shiny gloss type sealer on the to spruce up.. but no.. it just needs to go. In it's place a pre-cast concrete fireplace surround, new fresh but a throw back to the old world.

Damask by Tina:

       First off let me say I love the bones of this house. My family is from Penzance and have always longed to go there. How pretty is Penzance? How could I not want to be there? Ok here we go , no budget dreaming out loud time. As Gina said..."wahoo". 
      
      Let's now dive into the interior design part of this. The  living room had great lighting and windows , but let's face it a bit of a yawn . Wall covering added a bit of interest without being too busy. Bringing the outside in I brought in tans and a touch of teal. Keeping with the homeowner’s warm and cozy feeling from the original design I added distressed leather horseshoe chairs in a tan color. I wanted the room to be modern, but still keeping in mind it’s past. We were blessed to have nice wood flooring in the room. I just warmed them up a bit with a ultra-fashionable Ikat motif rug featuring soft colors from around the room.

     Next up is the dining half of the great room . I wanted the colors to unify the two room. Before they felt too detached from each other. I used the same lovely wooden chandeliers to give the rooms a old world feeling before add more modern elements lit the fresher draperies. To make it pop a little the back wall was given a teal paint job to help tall the tans from feeling too drab in the space. Keeping with a modern yet traditional feeling the dining chairs are simple tan linen armless chairs and that Ikat rug to anchor the room. 

 Bedroom #1 is small like all the rooms in this house. So, first thing is to hopefully make it feel a bit bigger. I wanted to work with the colors the homeowner already seemed to like. This room has a nice fresh color pallet of navy and whites. I added a blue and white striped wallcolvering to  give the room some much needed height. Keeping the linens clean and simple are a big plus in a small room. I wanted anything to over power the bedroom. simple. clean and fresh was the theme for this room. No fuss no muss. 

   Bedroom #2 had a touch of orange and blue. In the "before" the colors don't seem to flow for me. Art was my first thought to blend these colors. A traditional area rug also helped to bridge these colors. Next up the walls. I added one of my all time favorites, grass cloth. It is like a painted wall adding color ,but it adds texture and depth with out being too much. Just adding a little something to it. I treated this room as more of a master bedroom and wanted it to feel a bit more elegant. the simple a yummy bed set the tone for the room. The lines felt feminine , but not over the top.

There you have it our first re-do by Blueprints & Damask. We hope liked our take on "Fresh Old World Style".  Feel free to check out all the pillows , lines, paint and such sources used in the re-do.