Remodel

Raising the Bar for Rentals

WRITTEN BY PAULINA ANTCZAK PHOTOGRAPHED BY HIDRIVE PHOTOGRAPHY — CHRIS HOWARD

AFTER A TENANT moved out of this centrally located rental, the owners decided it was time for a refresh. Not your average real estate investors, Paulina and Jacson are making it a goal to update their properties with a more luxe vibe to raise the bar for furnished rentals in Bellingham.

Working alongside the talent at Fairhaven Floors, this powerful team made sure each interior detail was tended to. The first call was their favorite, ordering a dumpster so the project could begin! Goodbye dirty carpets and old light fixtures. The demolition took two days, then the home was ready for paint.

Neutral tones are ageless, so the team opted for a pearly white for the walls and simple white Shaker style cabinets throughout. Blonde luxury vinyl plank flooring was installed next, adding an easy-to-clean and waterproof solution for pets and spills.

Replacing light switches, outlets, and installing unique and budget-friendly lighting added warmth and character... and the vision came into clearer focus. Once the kitchen cabinets were installed, the new appliances and quartz counters followed.

An important (and easy-to-skip) step during a remodel is to keep the job site tidy — if you respect your space, so will others. Within a month and a half, the home was professionally cleaned and ready for furniture.

Over the next week, deliveries and regular trips to home decor stores were part of the job description — but Paulina took pride in personally shopping for each chair, plate, and rug. Since this rental was going to be fully furnished, details couldn’t be overlooked. Thankfully this amazing team was well-equipped with experience in furnishing VRBOs and listing homes. Their unique combination of skills came to good use in this two-month-long project. On to the next one, Bellingham! 