bringing a palisades tri-level into the 2020s on a budget
The Palisades kitchen before. Updating the honey oak cabinets and pulls were first on the list for the new home owners.
After several years abroad, a family of five relocated to Lake Oswego in 2021 in the midst of one killer of a real estate frenzy. Several unsuccessful bids later, they were beginning to give up hope.
But there was one house that kept sitting. After touring it once, they went back for an open house. And another. Still it sat. And for good reason – it had been trapped in an 80’s time warp with miles of honey oak trim and off-white molded carpet as far as the eye could see. But it had good bones - solid construction and over 4500 square feet of living space.
With the first day of school looming, the family took the leap. But with a good portion of their nest egg tied up in the home, tackling the much-need renovation was going to need to be on a budget. Their solution? Behold the power of paint.
'De-oaking' Lake Oswego
“We love natural wood trim, but the honey oak was really dated. And it was everywhere,” said the homeowner. “You couldn’t see past it to the real reason we were drawn to this house – the amazing views up in the trees.”
The kitchen cabinets were in the same honey oak and after getting some eye-watering quotes on installing new ones, the pair took matters into their own hands by painting the original cabinet boxes and doors.
“We call it the great de-oaking of Lake Oswego,” laughs the homeowner. “The previous homeowners invested in high quality cabinets. It would have been a shame to remove them. All they needed was a coat – or 3! – of paint to change the look and feel.”
The family opted for rich black paint for the cabinets as a counterpoint to the new crisp white quartz countertops and subway tile. Brass pulls added add a subtle bling to this classic, timeless look.
White tile and trim showcase the star of this kitchen - the view.
Bringing in drywallers to mud over textured walls and removing outdated appliance cabinets and a trash compactor that sounded like it was about to take flight, were other important steps to bring the Palisades Heights kitchen firmly into the 2020s. Hand-made wooden shelves now rest on deVOL victorian-style brackets and the awkward cutout ceiling now looks like a purposeful nook to highlight an antique chandelier the family brought home with them from France.
The Palisades kitchen, after. Crisp white subway tile and quartz counters complement the black cabinets while handmade open wood shelves lighten and brighten the space.
Other touches that added much needed texture and dimension to the kitchen, included a budget friendly decision to remove lower cabinet doors and add woven baskets for storage.
To keep in budget the family was deliberate on where they wanted - and could afford - to splurge. The DeVol brackets and Rejuvenation hardware sit side-by-side with an IKEA faucet. New quartz countertops crisp up the original cabinets which were painted by the homeowners to save budget.
"Reno-lution"
Not taking on a full crash-and-burn HGTV-style renovation benefitted more than just the homeowner's wallet. It was a more sustainable choice with less environmental impact and waste.
"We like the idea of 'renolution' - a gentler evolution of the space instead of the down-to-the-studs demos you see TV," says the homeowner. "There was so much that was great about this space, our job was how to highlight that and tone down or remove what wasn't working."
To keep in budget the family was deliberate on where they wanted - and could afford - to splurge. The DeVol brackets and Rejuvenation hardware sit side-by-side with an IKEA faucet. New quartz countertops crisp up the original cabinets which were painted by the homeowners to save budget.
"Reno-lution"
Not taking on a full crash-and-burn HGTV-style renovation benefitted more than just the homeowner's wallet. It was a more sustainable choice with less environmental impact and waste.
"We like the idea of 'renolution' - a gentler evolution of the space instead of the down-to-the-studs demos you see TV," says the homeowner. "There was so much that was great about this space, our job was how to highlight that and tone down or remove what wasn't working."
This 'renolution' approach continues in other rooms in the house with the power of paint leading the way.
Next up in RENO LO... the family's living room goes from 80s generic to jewel box with the swipe of a paint brush. |