Reclaimed Beauty Combined with Modern Architecture: Potrero House

Featuring exceptional bright interiors and a wonderful panorama of San Francisco, California, the residence known as Potrero House was transformed from an old cottage on a triple-wide lot into a magnificent contemporary residence surrounded by lush vegetation. Designed by Cary Bernstein Architect, the house features spaces that tell the story of the inhabitant’s transition from bachelor to father of three. The structure was built with sustainability in mind, integrating modern architecture into the 100-years old building. The minimal architecture and furnishings are beautifully accentuated by reclaimed wood floors from a 19th century barn or reupholstered family items. Using stone slabs used on the fireplace and kitchen counters, the architect releases the contemporary feeling of the home and mixes it with refined metal railings, trellis details and glass rails panels. “Furnishings combine refurbished and reupholstered family items that support sustainable reuse with new modern pieces such as a sculptural, custom-fabricated walnut kitchen island, geometric breakfast table, mid-century chairs and iconic fabrics. The integrated architectural and interior design engenders sophistication and playfulness, creating a portrait of this modern family in its early years.”

How to Make your Home Look Larger when Selling your Home

• What is the number one amenity that homebuyers look for when buying a home? Space… and of course value. They both go hand in hand when you think about it. The more space your home has, the more expensive it is correct? Usually, although giving the illusion of space can make homebuyers feel better and you feel better to ask more for the price of your home than you once thought. Bringing in light, using neutral colors, and getting rid of large, bulky furniture is a start. Here are more tips to help your home look larger.
•  Purge and de-clutter: While this step seems like a no-brainer, every home usually has excess ‘stuff’ that is not needed. Whether it is in your home office, kitchen counters, or kids toys lying around, you can purge and de-clutter to make your home look larger.  A home staging trick? In every room you should be able to see portions of the baseboards (where the wall meets the floor). Look around the room; if you can’t see the baseboard on most walls, you may need to get rid of some items.
• Use neutral colors that are pleasing: Bringing in neutral colors into your home palette will keep homebuyers eyes moving throughout your home as the rooms flow into one another. While these colors may not be your ideal if you were living there for the next 20 years, your home is now on the market. Just like selling a car, you need to shine up the exterior, interior and give it a tune-up. Consider using a neutral palette of browns, grays, or muted greens and blues to appeal to a wider range of homebuyers. You will be surprised how large your home will look once you bring in neutrals to open the rooms.

• Bring in light and ditch the dark window treatments: Look at your windows and determine if your rooms are letting in as much natural light as possible. Dark window treatments can be hindering your source for natural light, as well as large furniture may be blocking natural light. Ensure that large armoires, entertainment centers and headboards do not block natural light. The other issue is being able to see views. Homebuyers want to feel like they are looking out at a beautiful view. If you have furniture, or heavy drapery blocking their view, they will assume you are hiding something!

• Only use essential furniture: Have you ever walked into a model home, and wondered why the bedroom only had a bed and a dresser? While this may seem a little drastic, depending on the size of the bedroom, this may be sufficient to give the illusion of more space. While you don’t want the room to look stark, the room should look livable, and inviting. If you have too much large pieces, consider putting them in storage, moving to another room in your home, or selling pieces you may not need for the next home you move into. Your rooms will grow considerably in visual space, just by following this tip.

Open up your home with the addition of these helpful staging tips. While you aren’t trying to fool the homebuyer, you are trying to showcase the best amenities about your home. Size is crucial, and an over cluttered, over furnished and dark home will sit on the market much longer than one that has been carefully staged with the above tips. If you are having troubles visualizing how your home should look, seek the advice of a professional home stager, or ask a friend who may have a better eye than you. Before you know it, your “Sold” sign will be going up in the front yard!

Freshome readers tell us how you make your home look larger when you have your home on the market.

Modern Home in Bainbridge Island with Sustainable Features: Ellice Residence

 
Ellice Residence was completed by Coates Design and is located in Bainbridge Island, Washington. According to Trendir, the residence  is situated on top of the Yeomalt Bluff and has panoramic views of Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline. The building has a highly welcoming exterior, featuring large windows contrasting the wood and the stone. All these make it integrate well in its beautiful natural surroundings. Ellice Residence is actually a makeover of an old villa. In order to raise the current building, the architects used more than 80% of the materials that resulted from the deconstruction. Moreover, the project has plenty of sustainable characteristics, such as geothermal and photovoltaic systems, heat-recovery technologies, as well as solar water heating systems which ensure a low electric energy consumption.