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DESIGN POINT

RENOVATION

Hidden Profits

REPURPOSING MATERIALS TO POLISH A CENTURY-OLD GEM

by Michele Van der Veen

s a real estate investor, I am always in search of homes to renovate with added potential for added

in the end. By repurposing its priceless wood in a cre - ative way, not only did it save money, but it added to the house’s already intriguing story and, after all, doesn’t every home buyer like owning a house with a great story behind it? During the demo of this 100-year-old home, we came across some interesting wood when we opened up the ceiling in the kitchen to make it vaulted. The planks were wide, the grain was tight. and the wood was nearly impos- sible to cut through! We knew this wood was special! It had a warm honey color to it yet was a bit dry looking. I knew with a little elbow grease that putting a natural

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profit! As a designer, I am also always in search of invest - ment homes with great repurposing potential. These types of homes are often just the projects that offer great - er opportunity for more profit! Looking for homes with materials that can be repurposed such as brick, corru - gated metal, or old wood can translate to more profit and an even more beautifully finished project. In the case of this home in Historic Gold Country Cal - ifornia, saving and repurposing its 100-year-old hand- milled antique wood helped to bring in a bigger profit

62 | think realty magazine :: february 2021

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