It takes an architect to walk through a 100-year-old house marked for teardown and say, "This is perfect!" That's just what Melody Emeric...
Before and after: Oregon beach shack
photo by Thomas J. Story

photo by Thomas J. Story

It takes an architect to walk through a 100-year-old house marked for teardown and say, “This is perfect!” That’s just what Melody Emerick and her husband Brian did when they found the abandoned Oregon beach cottage they decided to turn into a weekend getaway.

Before moving in, the Emericks corrected a bad addition, lifted the attic ceiling to create a master suite, and painted everything. Here’s a preview of the makeover, but the whole house is a must-see.Exterior

before photo courtesy of Melody Emerick

photo by Thomas J. Story

To create the feeling of a wraparound porch, Melody and Brian outfitted the enclosed portion with wood windows. All the frames, old and new, got a coat of yellow-gold paint to update the exterior.

Living room

before photo courtesy of Melody Emerick

photo by Thomas J. Story

The Emericks ripped out the red carpet in the living room, refinished the original fir floors, painted the walls cream, and removed teal tile from the fireplace surround to reveal beautifully aged brick, which better fits the home’s age.

Kitchen

before photo courtesy of Melody Emerick

photo by Thomas J. Story

The Emericks removed all of the upper cabinetry, adding new native-fir open shelves and countertops. The back of the fireplace became an architectural frame for the stove, which the couple found at a garage sale.

 

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