Article: Dream house -- right downstairs: As real estate market slumps, many potential buyers opt to remodel existing property rather than buy a new one.

Byline: Barbara E. Hernandez

Feb. 14--ORINDA -- Bekki Van Voorhis Gilbert loves her new kitchen.

Instead of institutional white cabinetry and being closed off from the rest of the house, the new room uses earth tones and flows into the rest of the house. The living room has been changed from a brass-and-white, "Dynasty"-era space to one with warmly varnished woods, neutral colors and a sea-green limestone plaster fireplace. "We moved here in 2002 knowing we wanted to remodel," Gilbert said of the 2,500-square-foot house built in 1966. "We almost didn't get this house, but after we took a measure of the market, I said, 'Let's buy it and remodel.'"

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!