Any ideas on beautifying a 1970s Chalet Bungalow?

7 years ago

Last year we bought a neglected 1970s chalet bungalow in a beautiful Medieval village near Frome in Somerset. We're in a conservation area and about to completely renovate the house. We are accustomed to owning and living in period properties: Georgian in Greenwich, Edwardian in Sussex, so with some help, we will try to make this place stylish with an eclectic mix of colours and modern ideas while keeping true to the property's original style as much as possible.

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lkirk44

7 years ago

Wood cladding would blend with your surroundings beautifully with dark window frames

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Comments (16)

Oliver Cooke
7 years ago
Would you consider starting again and treating the site as a plot? You would be able to reclaim your VAT so it may not be much more expensive than a full refurb, and you would be able to create something more in keeping with your beautiful surroundings.
christinegreaves thanked Oliver Cooke
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Hi Shauna, This looks very similar to the bungalow we are exchanging on tomorrow..... exciting times. Be interested to see what you are doing, heating, insulating etc wise. We plan to go into the roof, although we may run out of money before then! Heres the link to ours. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69155132.html Dont be too jealous of the kitchen! And no we plan to stay in the rental house for the next 3 months, while we do the majority of the work. Take care Julie
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Can you perhaps post some more (clear) photos showing more of the house? Particularly the dormer could possibly inspire suggestions.
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Hey Lindsay, I've had a crack at re-configuring the space (no expert!) and definitely consult an architect and/or structural engineer to advice about taking down walls. An easy option for an extra bedroom is to convert the dining room / study to a bedroom, If that is a sink I spotted in the study, then it could make a great en-suite if it's in the budget and if you can run toilet waste. This would give a decent double room or if you have little ones two single beds with desk spaces and small walk-in wardrobe. The current bedroom is quite narrow, if possible, could you build out to the garage wall? That would give you some extra space for bedroom furniture. Maybe even separate the toilet and bathroom and create an ex-suite shower room (unless the bedroom upstairs is also using that bathroom!) If possible removing the corridor between the house and utility/garage makes the utility room feel more part of the house instead of an outbuilding and would allow for a better flow between the garage, utility, garden and kitchen. I would make the garage slightly smaller and the utility larger that way you can store items you use within the house but want out of site in the utility room (pet food, sporadically used / bulky kitchen appliances) and items like bikes, tools, seasonal decorations, sports gear in the garage keeping them separate. Square of the conservatory and convert to solid structure with a roof light, open up the kitchen and lounge walls and build out a doorway to the lounge from the hallway so the kitchen and lounge have separate entrances.
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There are lots to consider here - if this was one of our clients I would be asking the following questions.. - What is your style do you want a modern-looking front? something country? - What do the neighbours look like? are they all the same? - What's the budget like? - and how many cars do you need to fit on the front there? Personally, if modern looking, I would change the colour of the wood cladding (probably to grey). I would change and update the front door to a more modern look with a large side panel of glass to add light into the porch area. And lastly, I would go down to two spaces for parking and add some minimal maintenance planting on the left-hand side (adding white and greens all year round) which goes around and just under the large windows (this will add interest and depth when sitting inside and warm the front making it feel more homely). A small fence along the front will also zone the garden/house and give you some privacy/security if needed. It's a lovely, exciting project so we wish you the best of luck - do keep in touch :)
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Kitchenpod - Temporary Kitchen Hire (Home use)
7 years ago
what is the single story section to the right of the photo? is this the kitchen? do you have a floor plan? thx Ed
christinegreaves thanked Kitchenpod - Temporary Kitchen Hire (Home use)
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Wood Window Alliance
7 years ago
I rather like the idea of wood cladding and darker coloured windows. Could you open the dormer windows up into the triangular gable section?
christinegreaves thanked Wood Window Alliance
christinegreaves
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks to everyone who took the time and effort to make helpful suggestions. We thought of cladding and even rendering but were put off by the boring look of rendering we'd seen around and couldn't do the cladding because we're in a conservation area in a mostly stone village. The bit on the side is the current dining room. A two story extension is going on the other side of the building to house a new kitchen with guest suite above. The old solar panels are definitely going and not being replaced. Not sure whether to have a 'traditional kitchen' or a handless modern one, gloss or matt - light or dark. Not sure whether to keep the interior flat doors and if we do, what door furniture apart from the awful existing, brushed aluminium handles. We appreciate it is what it is, but need to make serious, practical but aesthetically pleasing and sensible changes. At least we know we don't want the avocado sanitary ware!
PRO
Newbridge Heating Centre
7 years ago
One thing that might help, if the budget will stretch maybe to re-roof with a brighter tile.

Another option that might fit would be to use a product called Novabrik (http://novabrik.com/). It is a dry cladding system, and may enable you to brighten the colour in a way that is allowed by in the conservation area.
PRO
Kitchenpod - Temporary Kitchen Hire (Home use)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Hi again. if you like the idea of cladding I would encourage you to pursue it. Cladding is a traditional finish all over the UK mostly used in barn construction. We are in aonb and wanted a New England style and got cladding through on that basis (Marley Eternit which isn't even wood). There should be a document in your area that should give guidance on traditional materials. Suffice to say your 70's house uses cladding or cladding effect on the dormers and this house was probably built after it became a conservation area. rgds Ed
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Kitchenpod - Temporary Kitchen Hire (Home use)
7 years ago
Another example
joanna pearson
7 years ago
super challenge ! changing the windows & doors will immediately alter its look...elongating the roof line & building above the existing dining room will make it look more housey less dormer bungalow...I agree that changing the roof tiles is a must..the present ones are concrete ? I for one are beginning to think these grey windows are perhaps the equivalent of the bi-fold door at the moment ? Bit too on-trend ? Love coloured painted wooden windows however.
joolslashley
7 years ago
I always think seventies houses really lend themselves to modern interiors. It's tempting to fill them inside as though the outside is a period you're used to but the actual space and design you have will blossom if you approach it as though it was the cutting edge of modern. After all at its conception it was. I would do some research on 20th century modern. Think open plan. Smooth lines. Dark wooden floors and pops of bright colour. There's some amazing and high quality seventies furniture availiable on E bay very cheap at the moment. And retro is always in. Have fun.
radicalman
7 years ago
radicalman

If you are having a new extension built that will need planning permission etc;. I guess you will use an architect for that (one who has a good local reputation and whose work you admire) and who will hopefully be familiar with local planning approaches. Get them to redesign the entire building and tell them what you want to achieve. Messing around doing piecemeal alterations is a total waste of time and the end result will not look like a well integrated project. Simples.
Glug Lug
7 years ago
A property like this hasn't got much style to speak of as even the original bungalow, which would have been nothing special, has been altered beyond recognition. The aim of the day was light and space so gut it and go simple and modern. Get rid of the revolting white pvc. And remember that being in a conservation area doesn't mean you can't alter the exterior of a property like this one - I mean, what would they be conserving?!
Dundrum 16
7 years ago
Following on from radicalman's comment, even if you can't afford to do everything at once, ask the architect to draw up exactly what you want to achieve and to set it out so you can do it in several logical stages if need be, so you end up with a cohesive whole. You'll save money that way and end up with a pleasing whole. - someone I know has spent a fortune on their 70s bungalow doing loads of separate projects: add a conservatory, convert the loft, new kitchen, make the garage into a utility room, patio behind the house, fountain in front(!) change the windows and sadly, despite having spent a fortune over the years, has ended up with a sad looking bungalow containing a warren of small rooms and no flow whatsoever.
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Burchdaume
7 years ago
Christine, you may have already accrued a mix of furniture from various periods - check out Saarinen's Miller House which uses rich textiles and decorative panels. New and practical 'fixed' materials were mixed with art-craft peices here. If you want the period feel (but not the pastiche) you can re-create it. Check 'The New Craftsman' for great craft peices & hard finishes such as Kerlite and Fenix for kitchens.
PRO
Rock and Wood
7 years ago
Have you thought about retro fitting water heating to the floors. You dont need to dig out the floor to install. Polypipe Overlay, and apply stone or oak straight on top.

I live in a house exactly the same. Made ours all open plan looks great!
HU-175535654
3 years ago
Rock and wood. Do you have a floor plan? We just bought a 70s chalet style house without realising how much work it would take to get it in order!!

Any ideas on beautifying a 1970s Chalet Bungalow?

lkirk44

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Any ideas on beautifying a 1970s Chalet Bungalow?

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