June 16, 2019
After what seemed like eons instead of just over three weeks, we have finally moved into our new home in Valencia. It feels freaking fantastic and we feel so accomplished to have pulled it off with limited Spanish and determination. True, it wasnโt a total gut job, but it was tricky enough to make one apprehensive. Here are pictures of our “new to us” remodelled Valencia flat.
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Our Remodelled Valencia Spain Apartment
The apartment itself is located close to the lung of the city namely the City of Arts and Sciences. While not in the very thick of things, it is walkable to the trendy area of Russafa. There are several hotels nearby so we do see a few tourists, but the neighbourhood is mostly locals. Walking the dogs, I have met a few of them who insist on conversing in Spanish and l am trying my best to keep up and pick up a few words here and there, through miming and bad grammar. They tend to understand me though, so lโm happy.
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Here is the entrance to the flat. We didnโt do anything major, just painting ย as noted on a previous post. We kept the mirror and Chinese cabinet because you can never have enough storage.
The living room is where most of the change occurred. We both love the airy feel to it now that it’s roomier. The light colour makes it feel even bigger plus the addition of the former bedroom window brings a lot of natural light.
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I think getting rid of the third bedroom was the best thing we could have done to be honest. The old owners were using it as a sewing and game room. We have a very old sewing machine in mint condition that we couldnโt bare to get rid of.ย Here is a video l made of the living room.
Read about our purchase process here
The hallway also benefitted from painting. It was already painted white, so the creme is not much of a departure, but it does bring a cohesiveness to the whole flat. The long row of cabinets have been wonderful for storing our many, many, pairs of shoes. You can see the door that we repurposed at the end of the hall. This belonged to the now gone bedroom. The door hinges had to be flipped because we needed it to be attached to the left side of the wall.ย
My little pet peeve is that you need to practically bang the door shut, which is both annoying and loud. The contractor claims it’s the best he can do. We donโt mind too much because we only close it once daily at night when we go to sleep. At some point, we probably have to get a curtain for it for when we have guests and want privacy moving from the bathroom to the bedroom.
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Related Reading: The remodelling process
The kitchen also had little done to it. Federico loves his new gas oven and stovetop. We opted for separate pieces like they had before because we didnโt want them breaking the marble. The kitchen feels younger now that all the ancient appliances are gone. He has been baking on an almost daily basis :-). Chicken, lasagna, cakes, pizzaโฆyou name it!
The guest room also got a paint job. At some point, we want to hang the television so we can actually use it and not have it blocked by the computer. Can you believe my Mac is now 13 years old? We recently had to replace the hard drive for the second time and so once again, ย it has a new lease on life. Hopefully, weโll get at least another five years of use like the last time. I did lose about twelve chapters of a new novel thanks to my stupidity and forgetting to backup :-(.
The bedroom definitely benefited from the paint job. I hated that salmon colour. We splurged on a king-size mattress and put our old queen sized in the guest room. They had 2 full size beds in there prior but we just put the bases together and it not only saved money, but looks good plus l doubt if they would have been able to get in a king size frame through the door.
Something to think about if you plan on being retired in the Spanish city of Valencia, and Seville for that matter. I remember the first thing our landlord warned against was buying too big a bed. They donโt fit in the doorway plus the rooms are smaller so you wonโt have room to move around.
If youโre thinking about retiring in Spain, consider purchasing our new eBook that walks you through the steps and prepares you for your new exciting life.ย
There are a few things l am not super happy about with the remodel. They are minor things and l notice them less and less. In addition to the sticky door l mentioned earlier, ย one of the hallway lights was done sloppily. The white base sticks out on one side, and the wrong side at that!. The prior light fixture was a long bar with lights, they could have patched the hole, or at least have the showing part on the other side :-).
I have spent quite a bit of time removing paint splatters from furniture and the floor. They should have paid more attention.
I hate the crookedness of two of the living room light fixtures. You can see it in the picture with the couch. He says itโs because the cups have too much cord in them ย because of the height we wanted them hung. Poppycock! Weโll get it fixed one of these days, even it l have to glue it to the ceiling.
Feelings about our Valencia Flat Remodel:
Overall, I am very happy with the job the contractor did. It just wouldnโt be me if l didnโt kvetch just a bit. So far we are truly enjoying Valencia life and the apartment. The flat is just over 1200 square feet, but feels so much bigger. We have been walking everywhere. It is also a bit easier to find a parking spot in the neighborhood which is awesome!
Once we get settled, we are joining the closest city of Valencia gym ( I miss my old one so much, three minute walk as opposed to the 17 minutes now, but we plan on biking it which will bring it to just under six minutes, so not bad at all.
My favourite spot in the apartment is the recliner from which l can watch the lights when the sun goes down. I absolutely love not having another building directly in front.
The Valencia real estate market is slowly heating up. Just this past week, I have read at least two articles highlighting the city as a great destination and alternative to Barcelona and Madrid. I am kind of conflicted. On one hand, I am glad more people are discovering the city, on the other, Iโm afraid it might turn into the next Barcelona. Whatever happens, Iโm glad we bought now, while the prices are still decent.
Would we take on another home remodel in Spain? Yes we would. Without a doubt. It was relatively stress free and fun for the most part. Our good fortune was not living in the chaotic mess while they were renovating. I’ve been through that before.. three times, and don’t care to repeat any of those experiences.
What do you think of our home remodel? Would you have kept the old furniture or thrown them all out and started fresh? We plan on being here for a long time as we believe we are in one of the best places to live in Spain.ย
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Very nice. It looks so clean and fresh. Love that old Chinese cabinet, but I like antique, vintage things. Your video was nice. Liked how Federico jumped out of the way. Very soft spoken. I had to crank my speakers and I could still barely hear you. I couldn’t tell if those paintings on the wall came with the unit or you bought them. And how nice to be able to bike to nearby places. No cobblestones or hills? Enjoy your new home!
Thanks Cheryl.I like the cabinet as well, even though l would have never considered it my taste, but l liked it at first sight. Haha!!!! He was like “are you going to post it like that?.. Yep! I am not savvy with video and l didn’t want to do it again. My voice is pretty low, I must work on that, but did you see that even when you crank your speakers up, it’s still low, but if you use the volume button on the video, it raises the volume. I had no idea there was a separate one and only discovered when l could barely hear myself. Those pictures are Federico’s images that we had enlarged and put on canvas. We are hoping to frame some more for the bare walls. The bike path is right downstairs and the bike sharing station a minute walk so we are fortunate and the city is flat :-). Yeah!!!!
Your new place looks great: airy, bright and comfortable! I love that you’re close to the bike path and can walk, bike or take the bus to reach so many places nearby. Valencia has been a good fit for you and Fede but I know how you feel about the media *discovering* what a great place it is. Fortunately, you’re in a local neighborhood for the most part and can avoid the tourists when you want to. Welcome to your new home! Anita
Thanks Anita. So far so good. We are loving it. I think if l had gone cycling with you guys that day through the Turia, I still would have never pictured living around here then :-). We really like it though so far, and you’re right , Valencia has been a good fit for us.I want it to stay under the radar just a little bit more, but like you said, not being right in the middle of it all makes a difference.
It looks so welcoming, very airy & light filled. I sense youโre going to love living there. Well done on surviving builders, I avoid them as much as possible because they always mess something up! Yours experience was drama free on the whole so thatโs something.
Those meals look fantastic, I may just invite myself to dinner:-)
I love the light just coming in from everywhere. Everywhere else we have lived, you have to turn on the lights during the day because even though most were exterior, we were on the first floor and didn’t get much light. What a difference! Haha! I laughed at the thought of you avoiding builders, but l was happy to be drama free this time, maybe l am more Spanish than l think with the maรฑana attitude :-). You’re always welcome..you’re just a hope and skip away :-).
The apartment looks absolutely amazing! I love the fact that it gets so much natural light… that definitely makes you feel better, especially when the colder weather comes and you still get to enjoy some sun rays ๐
Regarding the lights and hanging cups… it could’ve been worse. In our case, after remodeling our apartment, we found out that the workers didn’t have screws (or whatever they’re called) that fit the size of the drill, so they covered them in adhesive tape to fit. That, of course, didn’t last, and just a week after everything was done, all our lighting fixtures fell of the ceiling. Fortunately, the cords were solid enough and nothing broke, but still…
Enjoy your new home! It is lovely and I also feel that it can count as a really solid investment and prices will definitely go up in Valencia.
I have no doubt that l think this is a good solid investment. I am scatterbrained about some stuff, but when it comes to real estate, I don’t take it lightly and have rarely been wrong :-). Oh my god..what a horror story about the light fixtures at your place. I can’t believe they actually just taped it…hahah! I would have been livid..hahah..but l guess you can see the humor in it afterwards.
The fact that it gets so much light makes me wonder if we are going to freeze our butts off come winter time. I’m glad we didn’t get rid of our button gas heater, we might be needing it. I’m glad they also left us 2 electric heater, between those and the ones we have, we should hopefully be warm.
We have been nesting a lot so far :-).
Kem, your place looks so light and inviting. You were smart to incorporate the third bedroom into your living space. I know what you mean about the flaws. They seem glaring at first, but then you get used to it and no longer notice, or care. Malcolm would be envious of the gas stove. There are no gas lines in our neighborhood, which means we would have to bury a tank outside our home. I refuse to do that. So much could go wrong! Black stovetop was a good choice. The entrance piece and mirror look very nice and I would have kept it also. I can’t believe you did this is just three weeks. Congratulations and best of luck in your new home. Valencia, Spain, it doesn’t get better.
I think the third bedroom for us was just so unnecessary and if anyone could find crap to fill it, it would be me :-). Federico’s wish list was gas stove and oven and nearby grocery store, and he got both. We were already happy at the old apartment with the five minute walk. This being two minutes just makes it awesome. Tell Malcolm he can come cook with gas any old time :-). The three weeks seemed like forever. He had said a month at first and then two weeks, then maรฑana, maรฑana and maรฑana :-). We came by very often to make sure they were working. Thanks for the good wishes. ๐
OMG, I LOVE IT!!! Compared to before, just the painting made a world of difference. It’s so bright and inviting looking! Love, love, love everything Kem!
Thanks so much Martha. It is amazing what a lick of paint can do for sure. There were four different colors and just choosing a light color made all the difference. Thanks again, we are thoroughly enjoying it so far :-).
Congratulations on finishing your remodel. It can be such a fraught process. Best wishes for health and happiness in your new home.
Thanks Suzanne. Every morning, I’m happy that l have the good health to be able to enjoy all of this. It amazing how the values change. I have become ever so thankful after losing my sister at a young age to cancer. We must seize the day, es verdad? :-).
Glad your construction is done. Enjoy your changes
Thanks Roy. I am happy to be done with it :-).
I am so jealous and happy that you have found a base you love along with a great flat. As much as I enjoy the constant travelling, I loved waking up to my own place in Split. I’m still heart broken about not having a home base especially after a series of recent bad Airbnb stays. Congratulations and enjoy it Kemkem. Your shadow is a real cutie pie :).
Thanks Spanky! I know you miss Split a lot, but l’m sure you’ll find someplace that makes your heart sing again soon and all will be right again with the world. Sorry about the AirBnB stays, people have gotten pretty greedy lately :-(. My shadow is a cutie, even if sometimes a pain in the caboose!!!.
Wow! What a great job! In record spade! You are real fixer-uppers.
We try..haha! I guess we were just so eager to finally have that chapter end :-).
That should have been record “speed” – guess I was keyboarding in record speed, too:-)
Hahhhaaaa! I figured as much… I do it all the time :-).
Paint and natural lighting can do wonders. You’re right about overlooking the small things. They become unimportant in the larger scheme of things. Congratulations and enjoy your new digs!
I hardly see those small imperfections anymore like you correctly reminded me. There is indeed a bigger picture and we are enjoying that right now. Thanks for the good wishes.
Lovely job on the renos to your flat in Spain. I especially love the charcoal coloured marble floor.
We were drawn to the floors as well. They are in perfect condition, as was a lot of stuff in here already, so we got lucky.
Wow, you did it all in just 3 weeks! I like it that I was able to follow the entire process. A friend lives in Valencia so I might just get to visit your lovely flat one of these days!
Yeah! We were on a tear..haha! I wonder if l know your friend. I started a foodie club that has quite a few members from the U.S so it makes me wonder. Valencia is waiting for you, and you can see it anytime :-).
Love the home remodel and the end result! It does get in your blood a bit and once you’ve met the challenge it is tempting to find a new challenge out there somewhere. Great job and happy home for many years ahead!
What an adventure – a new home and a new city! I think the apartment looks great now.
Thanks Karen. A new adventure indeed!
Kemkem, I enjoyed the video you have made. You have a lovely soothing voice. Your apartment looks super spacious and light, a real good find indeed and sounds like location is also great near the City of Arts and Science. Huge congratulations for pulling it off in a foreign language, not an easy task. Having your own home gives a greater feeling of belonging, in a way that renting can never feel like…in my humble opinion. Enjoy your new digs, I am sure it will be a steady queue of visitors from friends and family. You live in a beautiful part of the world ๐
Thanks Gilda. It’s hard for me to believe my voice is soft because l consider it loud and brash…haha! The apartment is indeed very airy and looks larger than it is, thanks to the color l think. We can’t wait to join the bike scheme and start cycling through the park on the way to the beach. Buying in has definitely given us a greater sense of belonging, a noticeable change. Haha! I have my nieces and sister saying they will visit, but who knows? It’s funny, when we lived in L.A, there were steady streams of visitors over the years. After moving to Houston, no one visited :-).
The pictures are beautiful! How did you end up in Spain? How long have you been there?
Thanks! Hah..years long planning led us to Spain. This is our third city in Spain, one that became permanent after two years in Seville and half a year in Malaga. Total of four and half years.
This looks amazing. Our son is taking Spanish this year. We’d love to visit Spain AND Italy.
Thanks :-). Oh, how nice. I wish l had taken Spanish when l was younger, would have saved me so much heartache and he is set for the majority of the world with that language and English. I hope you get to visit both countries soon. They are fab!
I think it’s so cool that you live in Spain. Sounds like living there is going very well for you.
So far so good knock on wood :-).
You guys really spruced up the place, it looks really nice. It is funny how a little can change the look of something so much. Even with the language barrier you got your project done, I know you guys feel such a different vibe now.
You nailed it with the different vibe. All of a sudden.. I feel like mad dogging someone littering…haha! even more than l usually do. Yeah, it’s amazing what a little change can make. Spanish people always have their blinds down etc.. while the immigrants like us roll everything up to let the sun in. It’s comical the difference.
Who doesn’t love a great renovation story! Your place looks great. The perfect getaway!
Thanks. It’s been wonderful so far :-).
Kudos to you for navigating the course to get your renovation finished in record time. You were brave to have done it without proficiency in Spanish but you pulled it off. I too observed that the locals shutter their places. At both Airbnbs I couldn’t get the sunshine in fast enough! Clear cultural differences. Sorry to have missed you but thank you for the networking opportunity. Giving consideration to relocation in the near future.
Haha! They do love the darkness in the house for sure. Definitely cultural differences. Sometimes l am opening the window, and if someone else is opening theirs at the same time, it’s like deer in the headlights as if you caught them doing a bad thing. So strange, but not uncommon. Glad you were able to meet my friend in my absence. Hopefully we’ll meet at some point :-).
Just go! Moving between Spain & Italy is inexpensive, quick and easy. Whatever you do, after Labor Day. to avoid hordes of tourists, hot weather and insufficient hotel choices.
True indeed! Yeah.. I am for the most part going to limit travel to off shoulder season. I am over insane crowds and hot weather.
I stumbled into your post and it could not have been more perfect timing. We have purchased our property in Valencia and currently planning remodeling (we were just there last week to check the property and made some furniture and appliance purchases). We have hired the company to do the contractor referral and project management as we don’t speak the language and we are not there yet. We have received the quote and it seems higher than I would expect considering Valencian property prices. We are planning to ask this to our project manager but would you mind sharing some details of the company you used, approx cost, furniture shops you purchased your bed, etc? I would love to email you if that’s better. When we were there last week we made so many trips to IKEA (although I don’t like them, it seems like a dominant option in Valencia) and some other stores like Media Markt, etc. Any tips and information would be so helpful! We are planning to move from States to Valencia. ๐ Thank you so much
Hi Vicky, Congratulations on your purchase and l’m sure you’re going to love living here. I have sent you an email to answer your questions. ๐