Orlando Bungalow sold after redesign – This 1920’s bungalow sold after a complete rehab. The transformation took a full year after a few setbacks and changes in the architectural plans. The old garage/workshop was transformed into a guesthouse and the main house underwent a full transformation. The staging was set up to show the elegant side of this charming home and give the property some sophistication to attract the younger city dwellers. With a 3 bedroom and 2 full baths in the main house and a self contained guest house with its own bath and kitchen facilities, this house would cater to a family as much as to a couple or a single person. The Orlando interior designer Helene Bonello-Strauss wanted to make sure she has the property set up to speak to a large audience. A house, that is close to a hundred years old, was in itself something special in the central Florida market. With that age it had to show its modern side while maintaining an architectural integrity that would fit a traditional bungalow. The kitchen and bathrooms were gut remodeled and received all new fixtures. While giving the house up to date functionality it was important to the Designer to maintain some classical design elements and materials. The tile are mostly classic white marble with a band of mosaic in the middle of the tub surround. The tub is a freestanding tub with simplified lines that reminds one of the claw foot tub of yesterday. Here Helene wanted to keep a similar form while updating it at the same time. The master received a walk in shower with glass enclosure and a modern multi-jet fixture. The wall tile are also the white marble accented with black glass mosaic inlay. The vanity in the master has quite a traditional appeal with traditional woodwork and a marble sink. New fixtures can be updated but show a homage to traditions at the same time. It is a designers tightrope walk that will be risky. No one wants to spend a small fortune to end up with a dated design. At the same time it may be a mistake to bring in design elements that are in contrast with the architectural integrity of the structure. The ideal solution is to enhance the architecture and take design elements from that same style and era and fuse them to a new identity. If the viewer has the feeling that the design solution is one that was meant to be for the house, the quest was successful. It is not always easy to bring the past into the presence and create something that looks authentic and intentional. Sometimes it needs a bit of imagination and the willingness to look back. In design there is no one-size-fits-all. Good interior design is not only the task of designing for a client or a target audience, but also designing for a specific style. Speaking the same design language as the architect who drew up the plans decades ago, while rejuvenating the appeal can create tremendous value in the eye of the potential purchaser. Don’t hide the style of the house. Take it in and embrace it for a great result. Let the house show its heritage with pride. There is a story hidden in those walls. Listen to the whisper of past decades and bring your version of that story to the surface. You will find that in re-imagining the story of an old house you will uncover many facets of yourself.