Old Gas Station Remodeled into Sleek, Modern Home
From Daniel T on November 12th, 2009 in General Remodel
“Oh you know, I live down at the old gas station.” Not exactly what you’d expect to hear from the average person you meet. But then again, Juerg Judin isn’t exactly an average person. And his home is definitely not the average home. This Berlin-dwelling Swiss took an old gas station—Shell, if you’re interested—and made himself a very comfortable, ultra cool, oh-so-trendy modest city home. And, no, it’s not for sale.
They say that in real estate, the most important thing is location. Judin has a great location, and thankfully, he fenced off the entrance to the gas station since his home no longer serves diesel nor unleaded. And although he has changed the once-asphalt yard into a greener space, he kept the general architecture the same. A small Shell logo plaque still adorns an outside wall. The windows retain the floor-to-ceiling look of a gas station convenience store and the front entrance retains the double-door look, but similarities begin to fade beyond that.
The retrofitted bathroom has no hint of the public restroom ambience of its former glory. Instead, it is decked out in dazzling mini tile, and fitted with custom plumbing. Just inside the front entrance of the dwelling, Judin has created a sleek, clean, and minimalistic look of white, natural light, and horizontal lines. Light-filtering vertical blinds throw a twist into the horizontal theme, but maintain the airy whiteness and natural light.
The new kitchen boasts stainless everything. The white tile floors get a creative partnership with a sharp, white tile wall. The same tall grill windows reduce the need for daytime lighting in the kitchen.
Creative? Yes. Unconventional. Definitely. This is a clever way to add flair, style and uniqueness to urban living. I wonder what other oddities you can retrofit into a new home?
Photo Credit: City of Skies
