while I have a sincere appreciation for older style architecture and the many different eras, the improvements you have made to this home have made into something really beautiful. It's a home I would stop and admire. I especially love the back of the house.

WOW! What an amazing transformation. It feels very fresh. Love love love!

I'm almost the reverse opinion then haha -- I quite like the new exterior ( with the proviso that you'd have to know the cost , and what the rest of the neighbourhood was like ) . Having said that , if the before photo had received the same level of landscaping it probably would have looked quite a bit better too . The new kitchen is great , and I am guessing the rest was all done to keep it modern , but I actually like the character of the old bathroom more than the new one -- the new one is similar to the ones in the newer malls and Macca's , with a bath added ! I am a budget person ( I say 'value for money' or 'bang for buck' , sounds nicer than cheap haha ) , but I would have gone new kitchen , new exterior paint , new landscaping , and saved 80% of the budget

My first comment -- how come these 'updates' seem to go on-line on a Friday afternoon , and within 20 minutes there are 6 'the greatest upgrade ever' posts from people who are never seen on Houzz - and yet they know within 20 minutes that the post is up ? Kate is the only person I have ever see post anything else . But the main comment -- with that 'double-step' look around the gutters ; the recessed entrance ; etc , it is obvious that the base is 1950's era -- it's obvious in both the before and the after . The only difference is that the before embraces it ; the after is pretending you can't see it . Then there's that peaked roof add-on -- apart from being the same coloured render , it doesn't gel , it is too try-hard , even things like the overhang is a lot of work for very little benefit . IF the base had also been sympathetically updated with some similar features , it might have worked , but here ( not surprisingly ) it looks like a cardboard add-on to a 1950's house . And then the flat-roofed bit is weirder still . It literally has the style of a container or one of those portable outside rooms you rent for $60 a week . Apart from the floor area , I'd prefer the 'before' any day -- it is clean , pleasant and honest , updated in an intelligent way .