Before and After
Here, summarized in photographs, are the renovations I've made, starting with the foyer, which was originally a useless "mud room" and is now my library. (Follow the links to pages with detailed information on exactly what I did to each room.)
Kitchen
The kitchen underwent the greatest change of any space in the unit. I turned what was originally a poorly-organized "bachelor pad" affair into a fully-functional kitchen, complete with a full-size refrigerator, induction range, dishwasher, and a fold-up breakfast bar that accommodates five people. Not to mention over four times the cabinet space.
Dining Room
The prior owner had no dining room per se. Evidently he didn't do any entertaining. I saved considerable money by building my own dining table and reusing the plastic patio chairs from my prior home.
Living Room
The living room was a strange space: television almost up against the ceiling? Sofas that didn't even face the television? I had to wonder if he actually spent much time living here. I turned it into something of a mini-sanctuary for myself and my guests.
Second Bedroom
Aside from gutting the closet, I did nothing to the second bedroom except repurpose it as my office.
Laundry
Amazingly the laundry could easily accommodate full-size appliances, and yet was originally utilized mostly for storage. It's so spacious that it also serves as the kitties' "utility room."
Hall Closets
I never did photograph the hall the way it looked when I got here; the closest I can come is the image below left, after I'd removed the furnace. I converted the space into a second closet, finished to match the first.
Bathroom
The bathroom saw a great many cosmetic as well as functional renovations. The biggest change was replacing the ancient water heater with an on-demand unit, which left more than enough room for a linen closet.
Master Bedroom
The changes I made to the master bedroom aren't immediately apparent: I reorganized the clothes closet and totally rebuilt the electrical panel.
