As difficult as 2020 was, the team here at Ashdan Estates took on a challenge. Between the lockdown, shortage of plaster and other materials, and multiple social distancing restrictions, the team were tasked with the refurbishment of not only one bungalow, but two!
Both bungalows received the same period for refurbishment, and unknown to the team at the time, required similar refurbishments.
Take a look below, or visit our Youtube channel, and see how the team transformed this once loved bungalow into a modern and sleek forever home for a very special family.
Exterior
Like I always say, the exterior of any property is what catches your eye. Whether you are a potential buyer, an estate agent or even the postman doing your rounds, a good exterior is going to stick with you. So, unfortunately, is a bad exterior.
A bungalow in your preferred area is up for sale, but the garden is overgrown, the windows dirty, missing paving flags, a broken fence and generally unappealing, are you going to want to buy it?
If that same bungalow is up for sale, but the garden is tidy and lawn cut, windows, doors and any UPVC are clean, there is a great space for off-street parking, and the bungalow is warm and appealing, again, are you going to want to buy it?
The removal of the previous cracked and peeling render with a new buttermilk coloured K-render showed the team exactly how much potential this property had. Paired with new UPVC guttering and fascia’s, the demolition of the small wall and the addition of a ramp for potential off-street parking, brought the exterior of the property into focus and helped to change the tired look it previously had, with a new fresh edge that drew attention for all the right reasons!
Kitchen
I always think of the kitchen as the heart of the home. It provides the fuel for everyone to go about their day-to-day activities, and if it’s anything like my house, it’s also where my wife and daughter love to have a gossip!
That being said, the kitchen is also one of the first rooms in the property to show wear-and-tear. The colour may start to fade, cupboard doors may start peeling or coming away, flooring may chip or crack, and the list goes on. It’s also one of the more challenging rooms to design, only because the number of different factors that go into the design to make it look it’s best can be daunting.
The above property had a galley kitchen, with green walls and a wood panelling effect. The units had to be specifically made to measure because of the size of the space and were a cream/grey colour that was starting to fade. The flooring was a green carpet that matched the walls. The external door was also cracked.
The wood panelling effect was removed, along with the cupboards and all electrical goods. The team also ripped up the carpet and took out the countertops. The tiles were removed and once done; the team were able to use plaster board to fully board out the room. This was done on all the rooms within the bungalow because this enabled the refurbishment to be carried out at a quicker pace and meant that the team did not have to spend time taking anaglypta wallpaper off the walls.
When the design of the kitchen came about, the team had to think carefully about how to achieve a great finish without compromising space, budget and time.
To do so, the team decided upon a grey and white colour scheme. As the only natural light source for the kitchen was the window, the team went with a high gloss white on the kitchen cupboards and a light grey countertop. The high gloss finish not only looked fantastic within the small space but also reflected the light that the window provided, making the space look much brighter and bigger. This was also helped along by using spotlights instead of one light, and thus enabled us to spread the light throughout the room as much as possible.
All new appliances were added, with an eye-level oven used instead of a floor oven, to maximise the space in the kitchen. Spaces were left open for appliances such as fridge, dishwasher and washing machine.
Living Room
As mentioned, the property was decorated with anaglypta wallpaper and patterned carpets. The living room also boasted a wood effect electric fire. The windowpane had unfortunately become broken and was needing to be replaced. The living room also led to two hallways, which in turn led to the three bedrooms and a bathroom. Neither of the two doorways had a door.
The carpets were replaced with a sleek and modern light grey laminate, which continued throughout the kitchen and both hallways. The room, again, was boarded using plaster board and then painted white. The windowpane was replaced and both entrances to the hallways were given a ¾ glass door. This again, enabled as much light as possible to travel through the living room and hallways. The fireplace was kept and painted a grey and black to match with the colour scheme throughout the rest of the property.
Bathroom
The bathroom is another area within a property that is prone to wear-and-tear. Especially true if the property only has once or two bathrooms which multiple people must share.
At the bungalow, the layout of the bathroom was questionable to say the least. Not only was the sink the length of the room away from the toilet, but the shower cubicle was positioned in the corner, whereby it obstructed part of the window. From inside the shower, its user could enjoy the view of the street, albeit partially obscured because of the patterned glass. Nevertheless, this had to be changed. The walls of the bathroom were a blue colour and white tiles accompanied the look. The layout also provided the user with another problem; it was especially hard to get around.
Everything within the bathroom was replaced and the layout completely changed. The team were also poised with the age-old question, bath or shower? There are those who would prefer a bath to a shower; mainly those with young children. But there are those who prefer showers, e.g., older generations whose mobility may require them to have a shower, or busy professionals who just do not have the time to take anything more than a shower. Whatever your preference may be, the team had to decide on what they were going to fit.
The bathroom was fitted with a dark grey cladding on the walls, a white and chrome cladding for the ceiling and a grey flooring. The toilet and wash basin were combined, and the shower was changed to a bath with an overhead shower. The layout was also changed, with the bath to the right of the door and the combination unit of sink and toilet placed underneath the window. The radiator was also kept and left in the same position as previously.
Bedrooms
Two of the bedrooms faced the garden and were of similar sizes and dimensions. The third, was a smaller box room which faced the drive and was situated next to the bathroom.
Both of the bigger rooms were decorated in a yellow coloured wallpaper and green carpets; with the smaller room in a more neutral cream and white combination. The third bedroom also housed the combi boiler, which was boxed in and serviced by a professional.
The coloured combination of yellow and green was quickly changed to grey and white theme in all three bedrooms and the cupboard housing the boiler was re-plastered and painted. The walls again were painted white. The doors and handles were also changed to a Dordogne style with chrome handles.
Garden
The previous owner had wished for a hard landscape in her garden and decorated the garden as such. A multi-coloured gravel was used in ¾ of the garden, which was broken up by small burst of colour, including purple slate and a green hedge to the left of the garden. A small fence situated at the back of the garden and another ran down the right-hand side. This was unfortunately tilted over and would have to be braced back into its regular position. A small patio was to the right of the door and contained a small dining set which was rusty with age. All in all, there was very little colour in the garden and it looked very tired and run-down. For the team, it was a project of restoring the colour and happiness back into the garden and providing the bungalow and its new owners with somewhere they very much wanted to spend their summer evenings.
The team started by cutting the hedge back and getting rid of the old and dead flowers and shrubs which were scattered around the garden, also dealing with the weeds too. The fence at both the back of the garden and side was reinforced, and the team added extra fence panels to the back of the garden to provide more privacy. A bolt was added half way down the gate and no handle on the other side of the gate, again keeping to the privacy aspect of the garden. The fence was also painted a vivid red and this was also used on the planters to provide more colour. Providing colour was a big must for the team, and so additional plants were bought and plotted, artificial grass and purple slate were also added. The patio and dining set were power washed, and the dining set was sprayed black. The k-render which was used on the front of the property was also used on the back and the roof, which was made up of asbestos tiles, was replaced with a completely new roof.
As you can see via the before and after pictures above, the property went under a major transformation, and contrary to popular belief, this does not always mean a complete structural reconfiguration. Sometimes a new layout and fresh paint can provide a tired and run-down property with a new lease of life, no pun intended.
Keep checking back to see what other transformations we’ll be showcasing here on the website or check out our social media pages, such as Facebook and our Youtube channel, for behind-the-scenes photos and videos and follow along with us as we conquer one tired property at a time!