Remodeling Contractors Santa Rosa CA
Located in the heart of Santa Rosa, Montgomery Village is a cute historic 1950s era neighborhood that was constructed in part to accommodate the post-WWII boom. Now the homes in the neighborhood are 70-75 or so years old, yet the area continues to be sought after location due in part to its highly convenient proximity to shopping, parks, schools and more. In addition to being close to Montgomery Village shopping center, the level topography makes getting around easy. Buyers continue to be attracted to the neighborhood both for the inherent lifestyle ease that comes with the location, as well as the large number of highly sought-after single-level homes in the neighborhood. All of the above equals an ongoing area rejuvenation. That’s where we came in.
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1950's Home Exterior - Before
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1950's Home Back Yard - Before
Honoring the history of the home.
A primary objective for this complete home remodel was to preserve the historic character of the home, and stay in keeping with the general appeal of the neighborhood. The first task was a large one – reconfiguring the overall layout of the home. Many older homes, including this one, were designed with smaller-sized rooms, rather than the wide open-concept spaces that are appealing today. In this home, the kitchen was almost completely walled in. Opening the kitchen was among one of the first primary objectives, as today’s lifestyle is centered around the kitchen. To achieve that goal, walls had to go. When all was said and done, a single load-bearing post was all that remained of the former kitchen enclosure. Cabinets, appliances, flooring – everything was removed. As we had taken away kitchen storage, we designed a pantry into the home plan where there previously had been none. That addition, together with a central gorgeous new kitchen island, really completed the space.
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1950's Home Kitchen - Before
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1950's Home New Kitchen - After
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1950's Home Kitchen - After
A heritage element that was intended to be preserved was a 2-sided brick fireplace that serviced both the great room and the living. However, the fireplace needed some help. Original clay red brick adorned one side, and a coat of white paint adorned the brick on the other. So to preserve the fireplace but soften and modernize the overall aesthetic, we washed the clay brick to blend tones and created a lineal enclosure. To complete the transformation, two new gas inserts were added for warmth and efficiency.
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1950's Home Living Room - Before
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1950's Home Living Room - After
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1950's Home Living Room - After
Reinventing the space.
Creating more useable bedroom spaces was next on the agenda. The primary bedroom was in a great location toward the rear of the home, however, it did not have a great deal of privacy or storage, and the bath was in dire need of an update. As such, we redesigned the primary bedroom and bath to live as its own retreat in the shape of a dedicated primary wing. We removed the existing bath and rearranged it to both expand the size and include a large walk-in closet. The new bathroom showcased a curbless entry shower, a very sought-after feature both for its spa-like appeal and to accommodate future aging in place. Speaking of bathrooms, only 1 asset remained untouched during the renovation – the original 1950s cast iron tub. Instead of removing it, the tub was preserved but given new life with a resurface.
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Primary Bedroom Closet - After
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1950's Home Primary Bath - Before
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1950's Home Primary Bath - After
Den to Dwelling.
The final large interior endeavor was the conversation of a rec room that was located behind the carport. Neither area offered much to the livability of the home. The carport was removed, and a new foundation was added to support an enclosed, finished garage with EV charging capability, a new garage door and epoxied floors. The rec room was converted to become a new private bedroom suite – with access both from the interior of the home and from the outside. The new bedroom suite gave the home a great deal of flexibility with many potential uses – a private office for the work-at-home set, a second bedroom suite for multi-generational living, or offering potential conversation to live as an attached ADU.
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1950's Home Den - Before
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Converted Den to ADU - After
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Converted Den to ADU - After
On the exterior, about 50% of the siding was A-OK. We saved what we could, and re-insulated and replaced damaged siding along with any old single-paned windows. A spruce up of the front and back yards with new water-wise drip irrigation, new pavers, partial new fencing and low-voltage under-lighted front steps completed the updated landscape. As for la pièce de résistance (aka the icing on the cake) a new outdoor kitchen area was created in the backyard. The “new” home now includes a fire sprinkler system and upgraded water service to the home to supply adequate pressure.
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1950's Home Exterior - After
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1950's Home Exterior - After
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1950's Home Back Yard - After
Is a Christopherson remodel right for me?
Interested in remodeling or building an addition at your home? We can help you from the ground up – from planning, architecture and permits to the fun part – selecting your interior design finishes! As with our new home builds, we offer a comprehensive remodel package designed to take the burden off your shoulders.
Christopherson Builders is best suited to tackle large-scale, whole home remodel and redesign projects, and we are currently offering our remodel services in Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties. We welcome your inquiries!
