Landscape architect Bill Tonneson is cheap (in a good way)
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From Flint to, well, I am sure plenty other places, there are real estate opportunists among us. My favorites amongst this demographic tend not to be folks who see the current climate as just a chance to buy bigger than their wallet might normally allow. No, I admire the people who buy hum-drum properties in a fun game of seeing how much more money they can save by the end of an imaginative renovation project.
For instance: clever artist / landscape architect / builder Bill Tonneson. During the recession, he has bought forgettable, even run-down, homes and conducted cheap (but imaginative) renovations before renting them out to anyone who appreciates his belief that “cheap” and “rental” don’t inoxerably lead to “ugly.” Moreover, he ends up making a bit of profit and the neighborhood benefits from more curb appeal.
The Arizona Republic has a primo example (more images) of Tonneson’s work: a basic mid-century ranch home near Arizona State University in Tempe (just outside of Phoenix). The home started as a brick home with a coat of white paint, black trimwork, and unfortunate landscaping. Tonneson (refreshingly) freed the bricks from their white shackles, gave the entryway its own path, added interest with rocks and (of all things) IKEA show curtains screening the doorway, and shrunk the grass lawn enough so we might be grateful it’s there in the first place.
Are you wondering if you should follow in Tonneson’s footsteps? Follow a bit of his excellent advice (see the article for more detail): (1) make an entrance, (2) protect privacy, (3) add interest, (4) go green, (5) illuminate, and (6) consult a pro (Tonneson is right: “The less you spend, the more important it is that the advice is good.”).
Images courtesy of modernphoenix.net
