5 Reader Redo: Rachel’s Bathroom & Kitchen

Yes! Another extremely happy day when I found Rachel’s email perched in my inbox…

Hi Cara! I am an avid blog stalker, er, reader, of yours! :) I happened upon your blog, and L-O-V-E it!!!! Seriously, I am a stay at home mom with a deployed husband and an 8 month old little girl, and your blog is one of the things that helps get me through the weeks at this point! So THANK YOU!   I wanted to share my before and after of my bathroom with you, and get your "professional" opinion, both as a Realtor and as a decorator. We are hoping to sell in the next year or two, and I am just wondering if you think I will have to paint over my beloved Glass Tile wall color? Thanks so much!

Thanks, Rachel! You made my day in more ways than you know…wanna see the before and after shots of Rachel’s bath? You got it!

Here is her bath before. Slightly dated and just a smidge on the boring side…

 
Enter Rachel’s fabulous after shots…

Holy smokes! That is one good looking bath! Great job, Rachel.

Now on to Rachel’s question: What needs to be done to this space before she decides to sell? Mainly, does the wall color need to be changed?

My professional opinion? Not a thing needs to change!—my clients’ jaws are dropping to the floor since I’m notorious for shelling out pre-listing to-do lists to all of my sellers—but in this case, Rachel’s already knocked out all of the hard work. While the wall color isn’t a shade of khaki (which for some reason we all mistakenly tend to think of when we picture a “neutral”) it is a great, soothing color for this bath and there is no need to paint over. She already has the crisp white towels and a few fitting accessories, so Rachel gets an A+ in my prepped-for-sale Realtor grade book.

Killer bath? Check!…but Rachel didn’t stop there. Check out her amazing kitchen before and after on a budget…

…and just $8,000 later (and that includes installing bamboo flooring throughout the entire house!)…

 

 
Pretty stinkin’ amazing if you ask me. For more on Rachel’s kitchen and bath remodels, click here to head on over to her blog. Thanks for sharing, Rachel!



PS…Have a redo of your own that you are particularly proud of? Don’t be shy! Click here to email me the before & after shots so that we can celebrate together!

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2 Redesigned to Sell: A Cluttered Kitchen

With kitchens being high on potential buyers’ checklists, it is important to keep yours in tip top shape. Let’s see what we can do to spruce up this kitchen to really grab a hold of potential buyers…

1. Clear the clutter. One steadfast rule applies to all kitchens: clear the clutter. Your kitchen will look a million times more spacious and functional with clear countertops. For this kitchen in particular, ditch the canisters, cookie sheet, blender, collection of salt & pepper shakers and microwave—if you can’t quite part with the microwave for a few weeks, I may forgive you. Once the counters are clear, bring out a few select items, such as a couple of clean white canisters like the ones below from Target, to keep the space homey. Remember, less  is more.

2. Update hardware. Updating your cabinet hardware is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to give your kitchen an instant update. This kitchen needs to lose the dated white pulls and head for something a bit more current like the stainless pulls shown below from Ikea.

3. Don’t be afraid of color. Add a few strategic pops of color to give your kitchen a bit of personality. Fresh dish towels, like these from Crate & Barrel, are a great way to get the most bang for your buck.

4. Free the fridge. Nothing screams “storage issues” like piling cereal boxes on top of the refrigerator. We are all guilty of this one, but while your home is for sale, let’s find another place to stash the Fruit Loops.

 

In no time this kitchen will go from dated & cluttered to fabulous & buyer friendly. With that said, what is the strangest item you’ve ever seen in a kitchen?

-Cara

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6 LTHL Guest Blog

Be sure to hop on over to At Home magazine’s blog today to check out a guest blog by yours truly!

A special Redesigned to Sell focuses on adding the finishing touches to a living room overflowing with potential.

But don’t stop there! At Home has oodles of other fabulous posts for your reading enjoyment. So go ahead, leave Live the Home Life behind and scoot on over to all of the fantastic fun At Home has in store for you. We’ll get back together tomorrow.

-Cara

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1 Redesigned to Sell: Bedroom

1. Paint it up! Let’s warm up these walls and keep it modest with this warm hue from Sherwin Williams.

2. Break up the large empty wall with a little artwork, such as these three panels from Bed Bath & Beyond.

3. Now that the hard part is over with, let’s make the bed. White linens, like this duvet cover from Target, always give a clean impression to a room. Then add a few pops of color to give the space a bit more interest. I bet these guys would be just the ticket: a few throw pillows, blankets & vases.

4. Finally, frame the windows with a couple of inexpensive curtain panels. This baby is ready to roll!

-Cara


Mini-Giveaway Alert!:

Have a room in your house that you’d like to make a bit more sellable or just ready for a change? Click here to email us & claim your free consultation courtesy of Live the Home Life. First email received wins, so you better be an early bird and go snag that worm! 
 
Update: We have a winner! Congrats go out to Robin who will soon see a room of her home in fancy new clothes. No need to fret, of course we will share Robin’s plan of attack with you, so check back soon. Thanks to all who entered!

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1 Redesigned to Sell: Living Room

As Realtors, Eric and I know firsthand that preparing a home for sale can be overwhelming at times. Whether planning to sell in one month or five years, there are always little things you can do to make your home more appealing to buyers.

Take for example this living room. A cozy spot just screaming with potential…

 

Ready for the game plan? Here we go…

1. Freshen up with paint. We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again. The quickest, and most likely least expensive, way to change the look of any room is to get down and dirty with a paint brush. For this room, I would love to see a warm, neutral color on the walls. 

The fireplace is looking a bit charred in places and a coat of white paint would not only make the room feel fresh and clean but larger as well.

While we have our paint cans out, let’s cruise on over to the fantastic built ins. By painting the wall behind the shelves one shade darker than the rest of the walls, we’ll add visual interest and draw the eye to this area.

All paint colors above by Valspar.

2. When selling a home, take the TV down from the mantle. Not only can you use this space to cozy up a room with a great mirror or piece of art, like the mirror and flat wood shelf shown above from Target, but in many instances when a TV is mounted to the wall, it then becomes a ”fixture” and a buyer may get the impression that the TV comes with the house. Go ahead and avoid a sticky situation in advance and find a temporary spot for the tube.

3. Declutter, declutter, and declutter again. To make a room feel as open as possible, take a look around and do your best to eliminate unnecessary objects taking up valuable square footage. The speakers in this room provide an excellent example of distracting space fillers. Go ahead and pack these babies up until you get settled in the new place.

4. Last but not least, cut down on personal items. While you want guests to admire photos of your recent family vacation, you want buyers to envision themselves living in your home. This can be difficult when photos of the current residents on their wedding day are scattered about. Use shelves and built ins to display a few decorative items such as books, vases and other home accents.


A few extras never hurt anyone…

Rug: West Elm

Pillows: Target & Pier 1

Floor Lamp: Bed, Bath & Beyond

With just a few sprucing steps, this living room is primed and ready for a speedy sale at a higher price.

-Cara

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