Cardinal House : A Few Before and After pictures

I have such admiration for bloggers who post on a regular basis, I just can't seem to get it together to do that. So without further delay here is an update on the renovation of Cardinal House.

For readers who are just joining in on the tour - the house is a 1960's bungalow that sits on a pretty treed property. Truthfully the tree's, the lot size and the potential to update the house is why we bought it.

new foyer

This is the new entry. What has changed? All floors were replaced with new antique hardwood flooring. The staircase railing didn't exist before - it was a wall. The hallway was where the double door entry closet is. The new hallway, entry inset {with the mirror} and powder room {behind the entry inset} are all new. There is a new longer window that allows light to pour in to the front foyer and hallway.

Before - the foyer

Somewhat the same angle of the front entry before. You can see just the top of the handrail on the staircase on the right - now it is a new banister. The closet door is gone and the new hallway to the bedroom's takes it's place. The hallway on the left is now approximately where the new closet is.


and from this.......

before

to this........

new entry

Notice that the front entry tile area used to be on the outside of the house - it was previously the front porch. The tile is by Tycos Tile in Toronto.

new dining room

The new dining room offers the vista of the yard through the long windows and glass doors. At the end of the original dining room there used to be a set of sliding glass doors with a wooden deck just outside.

before

I don't have a long shot of the dining room - but this is pretty much the volume of the room before. The opening leading into the kitchen before is now closed with the kitchen counters and stove on the other side of the wall.

New kitchen/family room

The space between the counter and island in the new kitchen is approximately where the old kitchen sink resided. This just a portion of the kitchen now, but it gives you an idea of how much it has been opened up and the view beyond the windows.

old kitchen

The new entry door is black with black side window panels. This area used to outside of the house on the porch. Richard and I wanted to have a more inviting entrance so we bumped the front of the house out and added a covered porch area.

new entry

old entry

Richard and I wanted to make the master suite a comfortable spot that also took in the view of the yard. So the room was expanded out by about 7 feet, the ceiling vaulted, large windows added and a glass door to the outside lanai. It's so nice to be able to wander out the bedroom door to the covered space that includes a wood burning fireplace.
New linen, curtains, a rug to cozy the room and some artwork are on my to-do list.

new bedroom - bed and bench via Eloquence

the opposite wall with the French Wedding Armoire.

opposite side of the room

and before.......

before

before - where the armoire is now

It is all the finishing details of artwork, rugs, fabrics, that need to be added. I believe that to make the house look natural it needs to happen with a layering process over time, otherwise it will look fabricated. Reviewing my pinterest boards help remind me of the essence that I want to achieve in the end for Cardinal House. I know over time it will all settle in as if it was there forever.
In the meantime we are dealing with muck and landscaping - more on that shortly.

A beautiful gift from Richard's brother for our new home.