Always make sure the front door is clean and inviting. Add some colorful flowers to add appeal and ensure that the first impression is a good one.
The Foyer
BEFORE; the rug on the stairs was an eye-sore to buyers walking in the door. It didn't match anything in the house and was hiding the gorgeous wood underneath them.
AFTER; The wood on these steps really makes an impact with its warm mahogany brown finish. The risers were painted the same color as our trim for more definition.
AFTER; The hallway originally had a dusty rose, textured wallpaper that made it look small and dark. After taking it down, the walls were painted a neutral, warm khaki.
AFTER; the old light fixture in the foyer was replaced. Never underestimate the importance of lighting in a home-- the style and the light itself. Before, there was a brushed nickel flush mount fixture with three small light bulbs. The glass globe around it had been taken off because it was broken, but this semi-flush fixture gives off plenty of light with two 60 watt bulbs.
The Living Room
BEFORE; the walls were canary yellow and the furniture was placed haphazardly. There are so many things in this room that it's difficult to focus on the beautiful fireplace to the left.
AFTER; the rug pulls the furniture together and the coffee table is centered in the middle of the room, which allows your eye to focus on the fireplace. The walls were painted a softer yellow as well.
The Dining Room
BEFORE; the wallpaper and color palette make this dining room feel dated.
AFTER; the wallpaper has been taken down and the top half of the walls were painted a medium chocolate brown. The full length blue and brown silk drapes give the room height and warmth, but also drawn your eye to the unique "nine by nine" windows. I wouldn't suggest using a tablecloth because it makes a room look smaller, but in this case the table was damaged so it needed to be covered.
The Kitchen
BEFORE; the kitchen looks dated with wallpaper and a floral border just above the countertops. Moreover, the sink faucet is polished chrome, but the cabinet hardware is a mixture of antique and polished brass. There is also a cornice above the window inside the arch (it's difficult to see for the chandelier) that blocks some of the light coming into the kitchen.
AFTER; the wallpaper was taken down and the walls have been painted a light blue. The wood cornice was removed, which allows more light to stream into the kitchen. The kitchen faucet remains, but the cabinet hardware was replaced with brushed nickel knobs and drawer pulls.
The Breakfast Nook
BEFORE; this area was wallpapered and made the area look dated along with the embroidered window treatment.
AFTER; the wallpaper has been taken down and the walls have been painted a neutral color that is similar to the trim. The Tiffany-style light fixture was replaced with the chandelier from the kitchen (the kitchen now has a fan with a light).
The Office
BEFORE; this room seemed dark with blue walls and was cluttered with boxes and furniture.
AFTER; the walls have been painted a medium khaki and the old Austrian "balloon" window treatments were replaced with simple, bamboo shades. The color goes well with the paint on the walls and the floor as well. By centering the desk in the middle of the room, your eye is drawn to the French doors and the crescent window above them.
The Downstairs Bathroom
BEFORE; this bathroom looks dated with the lattice/botanical wallpaper, as well as the blue toilet cover and matching floor mat.
AFTER; the wallpaper has been taken down, and the walls are now a light green. The floral fabric and embroidered curtains were replaced with simple, brown and ivory Roman shades. Wainscotting was also added to the bottom half of the walls, which adds texture (along with the exposed brick wall behind the toilet and sink) and decoration.
The Upstairs Hallway
BEFORE; the hallway downstairs and upstairs was covered in a rose-colored, textured wallpaper. After the wallpaper was removed, this area was painted the same warm, khaki color that was used in the downstairs hallway.
AFTER; a small console table was added to this space to give it a purpose, and the mirror above reflects the light into the hallway from the windows in other rooms.
The Master Bedroom
BEFORE; outdated and cluttered with too much furniture and pattern.
AFTER; the walls have been painted a medium khaki and the dark window treatments have been taken down to allow more light to come in.
Guest Room #1
BEFORE; this space was personalized with beer signs and too many accessories.
AFTER; the walls were painted a neutral ivory color to match the trim and to keep things simple in this colorful bedroom. The same ivory Roman shades remain, but the carpet has been pulled up to reveal the wood floors beneath.
Guest Room #2
I would not make many changes in this bedroom. Even though there is wallpaper, it is in good condition and has been updated. The window treatment allow a lot of light to come into the room, and the furniture fits well in this smaller room. The only thing I suggested was to rearrange the pictures. The larger picture over the headboard should be moved to the wall to the right and hung a few inches lower. The panoramic picture can be removed from this room and stored.
Upstairs Bathroom #1
BEFORE; This bathroom was outdated and mismatched. It had white, shiny square tiles on the walls and matte, ivory hexagonal tiles on the floor. The vanity is old and does not match the quality of the other "fixed" items (cabinetry, fireplaces, windows, doors, floors, etc) that are found in other parts of the house. The top half of the walls had mustard yellow wallpaper with pink birds that match the toilet cover and floor mat.
AFTER; The bathroom tile was replaced with black and white one-inch hexagonal tiles on the floor and white subway tile on the walls. The toilet and cast iron bathtub remain, but the vanity was replaced with a solid wood dry sink that included a sink. Other options could have included keeping the tile on the walls, but replacing the floor tile (because it was older), taking down the wallpaper, and painting the original vanity.
Upstairs Bathroom #2
BEFORE; the sink skirt is old and dusty, and the toilet cover and matching floor mat distract the eye from seeing other features in the room.
AFTER; A simple skirt around the sink that is on trend and tailored make the lines in this bathroom clean and bright. The toilet cover was removed, but the floor mat was left because it matched the sink skirt.
