As many of you know, we have recently transitioned our business from flipping homes to renovating and designing homes for our clients. This transition has been very smooth as it allows us to utilize our greatest skills and benefit one person or family directly with more personalized designs. Our renovation services can be great or small, with renovate-to-sell options or renovate-to-stay options. In our latest renovation project, we helped our client renovate her home to maximize the sale price AND we helped her find her forever home; a home in need of some tender love and care, that could become a dream home with just a bit of work.
Our client, Adrienne, already owned a home needing minor improvements to increase the sale value. Her paint colors were tailored to individual rooms throughout the house and did not follow a specific theme. The kitchen was in need of some updates and the home overall could benefit from Mary’s staging furniture selections in order to help potential buyers envision themselves living there.
"Adrienne’s first house had been passed down to her but never really gave her that feeling of home. Her forever home, however, was one that we could help her make entirely her own."
Adrienne’s first house had been passed down to her but never really gave her that feeling of home. Her forever home, however, was one that we could help her make entirely her own. As a teacher, a mom, and a business owner, this house was destined to become a one-of-a-kind home, where Adrienne could lead her daughters by example, proving that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.
To make Adrienne’s first home more easy to sell, Mary began by painting all the rooms the same color (SW Accessible Beige). On a limited budget, there were only a few renovation changes that could be made. Aside from painting the walls, Mary decided to frame the old mirror in the bathroom (adding a touch of style and functionality). The flooring was updated and matched throughout the house, with a vinyl plank flooring. A low-cost backsplash was also installed in the kitchen, adding beautiful design for very little cost. Finally, the kitchen cabinets were painted so as to save money but also update the look overall. Top cabinets were painted (in SW Accessible Beige) to match the floor color and bottom cabinets complemented the color scheme with a slightly darker color (SW Intellectual Grey). As a finishing touch, new hardware was installed on each of those cabinets, bringing a whole new look to the kitchen.
Making the sale
When all of the cosmetic changes were complete, it was time for the finishing touches. When selling a house, we always remind our clients how important it is to declutter and stage their homes. Simple furniture and decor helps potential buyers envision themselves living in your home and it helps them make the decision to lock in the purchase.
With beautiful furniture and a whole new, consistent color scheme, Adrienne’s house sold for more than her asking price and we were soon ready to find her a new home.
The new house we found together came with a few dated decor items and overall layout issues that were not ideal when it came to suiting her busy life.
Let's start designing
“One quick check with our client and the decision was made: this kitchen’s look would only be complete with some beautiful, raw wood shelves added in.”
As a baker running a business out of her own home, Adrienne’s kitchen was an important place to update. In this space, Mary decided to paint the lower cabinets and add Shaker Beadboard style cabinet doors. With a large sheet of beadboard wood and the original cabinet doors, the changes were made, the doors were painted and the result was sophisticated and modern. When considering what to do about the top cabinets, Mary debated between higher cabinets or simply installing raw wood shelves. One quick check with our client and the decision was made: this kitchen’s look would only be complete with some beautiful, raw wood shelves added in.
Once the cabinets were complete, a picket tile backsplash was installed, leading all the way up the wall. White, quartz countertops were then selected to pair with the backsplash, further adding to the bright, fresh atmosphere of the kitchen. In order to meet the needs of Adrienne’s business, we selected a large, farmhouse-style titanium apron sink and added an extra double oven, bringing the total oven count int his kitchen to four! Between the two double ovens, the sink, the extended countertops and all the storage space, we felt we were providing Adrienne with a kitchen that had all the tools and all the necessary space to keep growing her business!
With the kitchen complete, the next personalized change came in the shape of a brand new baking room, dedicated to preparing, staging, and showing off all the amazing things prepared in that beautiful kitchen. With a direct connection to the kitchen, the baking room offered extra work space, extra storage (as we recycled the old peninsula cabinets and added closet space!), and the ease and functionality of a connected workspace. We created a custom work table for this room as well, making a space that was practical for work but also beautiful enough to use to display treats. The proximity of this room to the front entrance was ideal too, as it allowed the perfect avenue for welcoming clients as they arrived to pick up their treats. In order to separate this space from the rest of the house however, we framed together some outdoor privacy screens, painted them white, and installed them on the outer edges of the baking room entrance. This feature not only brought a beautiful design piece into the entrance of the house, it also served a great purpose, providing a light but definite division between the baking area and the rest of the house.
When the kitchen was complete, there were just a few more changes to make in the rest of the house. In the living room, we continued with a bohemian, natural theme, incorporating wood and other natural materials in the decor. Since the space was so large, Mary was able to dedicate one small area to a bar, while also staging the rest of the room as a tranquil, charming area the whole family could enjoy. On the walls, Mary framed a few pieces of wallpaper, turning the design piece into art. The warm colors and naturally flowing patterns quickly stuck out as the inspiration piece for this house and in the end, influenced quite a few other design elements.
In the main bedroom, Mary brought together more natural elements and earthy colors when she designed a modern, green wood accent wall (also known as a wood feature wall) to bring a pop of color and personality to the space. Pendant lights were added on both sides of the bed too, adding to the calm and balance reflected in the design.
As design efforts meandered upstairs, the first thing to change was the stair railing. Originally set at a very low, 28 inch height, Jon moved in to raise it higher, updating the look with a wood and metal railing.
At the top of the stairs, the kids’ bedrooms were repainted and individualized to reflect their interests too. With a reading nook surrounded by bright draperies and a custom headboard in the shape of a house, each bedroom was transformed into a cozy refuge, dedicated to each child’s passions and preferences.
While most of these transformations took place inside the house, there was also some work done to the home’s backyard, making it more enjoyable for the entire family. Some light landscaping was done to beautify the space and an old meat smoker was given new life as a raised garden, complete with a coat of bright yellow paint. With an added swinging bench and some color-coordinated outdoor throw pillows, the look was complete. The house that was once in need of maintenance and attention had become a personalized retreat, a home complete with all the tools a family could need to not only succeed but thrive in everything they hoped to accomplish.
Looking for more details?
To see this project take place from start to finish, check out Episode 1 of HGTV’s Two Steps Home. Here, you will see the process from start to finish, with every detail captured on film. If you have any additional questions or you would be interested in speaking with us about your own renovation or design projects, please contact us and a member of our team will reach out to you directly!