The 1000 Square Foot Home
Bathrooms | Custom Cabinetry | Kitchens | Passive & Energy Saving | Remodels | Whole Home
After years of renting out their central Corvallis house, Mark and Tami Manning decided to make it their retirement home, so they could downsize and live closer to family. The 1,000-square-foot home was solid, but it wasn’t built for the life they had planned. The kitchen was closed off, the only bathroom had a tub, the three bedrooms were all small, and old windows and air leaks were driving up energy costs.
Our designer, Anna, worked with the Mannings to rethink every square foot. We planned and completed the remodel while they sold their large historic home elsewhere in Oregon. When they arrived, the house was open, bright, efficient and ready to support them for years to come.
The Challenge
The Mannings were downsizing, but they didn’t want to give up what mattered most: room to host family gatherings, a home that would keep working as they aged and lower utility bills. They also needed everything to come together from a distance while they managed the sale of another property.
Our Approach
We started with the floor plan. Two small bedrooms became one generous primary suite, the third bedroom became a flexible office and guest room, and we added a full-access laundry closet. Removing part of a load-bearing wall opened the kitchen to the living room, and Anna planned the dining area so the table can expand when the whole family visits. We rebuilt the single bathroom around future accessibility, brightened the dark entry with new windows and an alder front door, and renovated the unfinished garage.
Behind the walls, we air-sealed the entire house, added attic insulation, installed a heat recovery ventilator and replaced every window and door with higher-performance models.
The Result
The Mannings now have a home that feels far larger than its footprint, costs less to heat and cool and is ready for the years ahead. Most importantly, it’s a place where their family can gather.
Slide the green circle left and right to see before and after.
Slide the green circle left and right to see before and after.
“To everyone at G. Christianson- thank you! We have loved working with every one of you on our “new” house. It is all perfect and you made it so. We are enjoying it very much. This is an amazing company who employs the finest of professionals in the field. They have great ideas, respect, and accommodate our ideas and desires. Top quality in every way! Anna- we could not have had a better Designer than you. You were amazing all the way through!!”
Mark & Tami Manning
Corvallis, OR
A Kitchen Remodel with Efficient Space Planning
This Kitchen was opened up to the Living Room by removing a portion of the load-bearing wall, and the warmth of Alder wood was brought in through the exposed beam to complement the Rocky Coast Gray kitchen cabinets. The designer, Anna, worked with the clients to plan extra space around the dining table so that it can be expanded for larger family gatherings, even in a small space.
Mail Center
The former entry to this home was dark and lacked character. We spruced up the space with a new Alder front door and two new sidelite windows to let in a significant amount of daylight. After relocating a nearby door to a bedroom, extra space was available for a mail center nook just off the entry – complete with a secure mail slot and a small countertop with pencil drawer for the mail to land on when delivered.
Cozy Fireplace Seating & Cabinets
Although you cannot see it in photos, this home was air-sealed to help prevent heat loss and gain throughout the changing seasons, making this fireplace hearth seat extra cozy in the winter months. Our cabinetry team created the glass-front display cabinets and Alder mantel that set this space as the focal point of the living room. The existing brick was painted, and the brick hearth seat was capped in a quartz slab.
Herringbone Subway Tile Shower
This small home relies on a single bathroom, with future accessibility being an important feature to these homeowners. Our team removed the existing bathtub and replaced it with a curbless, walk-in tiled shower. The herringbone tile pattern was a carefully planned feature by the designer and tile installer, with the pattern wrapping continuously around all corners of the shower without interruption. A tiled bench and hidden storage niches are tucked inside the tiled half-wall, keeping bathroom clutter out of sight.
Custom Medicine Cabinets & Vanity
This hand-stained Alder vanity maximizes storage in the home’s single bathroom with three deep storage drawers and two large openings beneath the sink. Our cabinet shop created two matching medicine cabinets that provide even more storage, and create a mounting space for the vanity light fixtures. The designer carefully planned the placement of outlets, towel rings, and accessories so that every fixture has its place.
Energy Efficient Home Remodel
- Whole House Air Sealing
- Heat Recovery Ventilator Fresh Air System
- Energy Efficient Windows
- Custom Cabinetry Built Using Solar Power
- LED Light Fixtures
- Increased Attic Insulation
- Locally-Sourced Cabinetry and Trim Materials
