Cozy Craftsman Makeover Reveal

See the complete transformation of our latest flip house, from rundown boarded up bungalow to super cute family home, in this craftsman makeover reveal!

Flipping houses is never easy, but completely remodeling a house in the midst of a stay-at-home health crisis adds a whole ‘nother level of challenge to the process!

When we first decided to take on this sad little ex-rental house, it needed everything. Inside and out. No problem, we thought, this is what we do. So we jumped in and started making plans and budgets.

Then the world changed, and everything got harder, and we had to learn to make constant adjustments along the way.

But we did it! And with lots of patience learned and flexibility practiced, we finally transformed this little house into an updated family home.

Here’s how we performed a bit of Fairy Godmother magic on this neglected little Cinderella:

Cozy Craftsman Makeover

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For starters, the curb appeal needed a complete overhaul.

The front looked bland and boarded up, like it was trying to disappear inside itself. We suspected those boards covered an enclosed porch.

We thought about converting the space back into a porch, but at a total house size of 1,000 square feet, we decided we need every foot we could keep on the inside. So we opened it up, added windows and turned the porch into a sweet little office space, a much needed bonus for this two-bedroom home.

The whole house got new paint in a timeless historic color scheme which ties in the with the rest of the restored homes in the neighborhood. And the front yard got simple landscaping that packed a punch.

Keeping the character, ditching the dark.

The inside of the house had some character, but it was covered in sad dark paint colors and a horrible 80’s era kitchen remodel.

We set to work painting everything in sight, being careful not to cover over the sweet touches of history, like these beautiful door handles.

It took some work to recondition the floors, but they turned out to be well worth the effort. They went from a dusty drab afterthought, to richly stained original hardwood that makes the whole house feel like a part of history.

And can we just take a minute to enjoy all that beautiful craftsman trim? I see you, 8″ baseboards!

Complete Kitchen Makeover

Somewhere along the way, someone decided to pack this kitchen full of melamine cabinets, built into every nook and cranny. Functional? Maybe. But painful to look at. Here’s the hideous before:

We ripped out every piece of tired 80’s cabinetry, and replaced it with a timeless white craftsman style.

We topped the white cabinets with warm silver oak butcher block and added a huge modern stainless steel sink for maximum style and function. then we added a fun patterned tile backsplash in a mid-mod feel.

We also slightly reworked the footprint, to make a cleaner countertop profile, and a more sensible work area. And we opted for open shelves next to the oven to make the space feel more, well, open.

The kitchen leads out into the dining area, a sunny room where we painted the wraparound windows black to add to their charm, and emphasize the light in the space.

Now this sunny spacious kitchen has to be my favorite part of the house. And behind that wall to the right? A full size laundry nook – almost unheard of in these little historic houses!

Complete Bathroom Makeover

When I say we completely remade the bathroom, I mean that from the ground up. This bathroom was just unspeakable before. Words fail me, so I’ll show you a picture.

Over years of bad DIY remodel jobs, this bathroom was suffering from a complete lack of style, as well as structural support.

First we rebuilt the floor and corrected the structural issues, then we got on with the fun part of picking out tile and fixtures.

Now it’s a bright and airy room, with modern touches balanced by historical references, like the hex tile on the floor. (My favorite part!)

Quick Bedroom Updates

The two bedrooms just needed some paint, and updated lighting, as well as some simple staging, and they pretty much speak for themselves.

They’re not huge rooms, but they make the most of their space with coziness and natural light.

Cinderella goes to the ball, or at least the market.

I’d like to say we waved our magic wand to make this craftsman makeover happen, but that would only be true if said magic wand was actually a paintbrush. And we didn’t just wave it, we worked it into every nook and cranny of this house!

Never have we worked so hard to make dreams come true, and I think I’d have to say that I’ve never been prouder of our efforts. We put literal blood, sweat, and tears into this makeover, and I feel like it paid off in a beautiful way.

Now I need a vacation. To my backyard. With a margarita.

In the meantime, check out our other flips, and let me know if you’re in the market for a house in Albuquerque. I have a really cute one. No glass slipper necessary.