The Makeover Challenge
When ABC 2 News asked Long & Foster Real Estate and
Bright Ideas Interiors to stage a house on live
television in one day, we thought it was a great idea.
Then we toured the house and realized this would be
quite a challenge!
We devised a detailed task list, formulated a
schedule, and rallied local businesses and volunteers to
help with the transformation. In two weeks we organized
this dramatic makeover, starting with the dedication of
homeowners Tom and Debbie Fields who packed hundreds of
boxes and removed excess furnishings.
Starting at 5 a.m., Bright Ideas Interiors led a team
of volunteers and service professionals and staged this
house from top to bottom while ABC 2 News broadcasted
our progress on each of their newscasts.
|
See
progress photos from the day of staging.
|
|
What Needed to Be Done: |
In the Living & Dining Rooms
The oversized and excess
furnishings and sheer volume of stuff in the
living and dining rooms visually decreased the
area's size. The walls were obscured with
shelves of CD's and collectibles, closing in the
room. The desk in the dining room
further cramped the room and confused its
purpose. Heavy draperies and dingy blue carpet
darkened and dated the space. Plain white walls
needed painting, and the pale blue trim left
something to be desired.
 |
|
New
entryway |
This room was stripped bare, down to the
flooring. Jim Boyd's Flooring America installed
a gorgeous frieze carpet which freshened the
floor and lightened the space. Because there is
no formal foyer, we exposed the hardwood at the
front door to create an entryway.
Swapping the large, outdated furniture with
modern, appropriately-scaled pieces we selected
at Cort Furniture Rental, showed that the open
layout provides ample living and dining rooms.
Down came those dated, dark drapes, and up went
stylish rods and light and modern curtain
panels. We chose warm neutral paint throughout
the house, and here Latte (SW 6108) warmed up
the walls and Extra White (SW 7006) brightened
the trim. CertaPro Painters of Towson procured
the paint from Sherwin-Williams and coordinated
the painting. An oversized, low-riding ceiling
fan was replaced with a sleek ceiling light to
bring the ceiling back up. Twin pendant lights over the
dining room table provided a dramatic finishing
touch.
Living/Dining Rooms Before |
Living/Dining Rooms After |
|
Living Room Before
Living Room After
|
| |
|
In the Kitchen
In the large kitchen, clutter reigned.
The fireplace was hidden, the countertops were
buried, and the picture windows were covered.
Once the stuff was out, we covered the outdated
floor with vinyl peel-and-stick tiles, an easy
and inexpensive fix. The rich colors in the new
floor enhance the nice existing cabinetry and
the brick fireplace.
To update the look and coordinate with the
stainless steel appliances, we replaced the
brass cabinet pulls with brushed nickel ones,
and the mismatched light fixtures with identical
ceiling mounts trimmed in nickel. The heavy
drapes were replaced with valances to let in the
light and show off the verdant view. We moved
the homeowners' dining room table into the
kitchen, because it had a better scale for the
space. Two Cort chairs flank the fireplace,
creating a cozy spot. |
Kitchen Before
Kitchen After |
 |
 |
| Kitchen Before |
Kitchen After |
|
| |
|
|
Master Bedroom Before |
In
the Master Bedroom
The California King-sized bed with bookcase
headboard was swallowing up the room. The Fields
had a queen-sized bed and a beautiful antique
bedroom set scattered throughout the house that
suited the room beautifully. Elegant bedding,
new curtain panels, a fabulous rug from Cort,
and a fresh coat of paint (Nomadic Desert, SW
6107) turned this cramped room into a spacious,
luxurious master bedroom.
|
Master Bedroom After |
| |
|
|
 In
the 1st Floor
Bathroom
Because this is the main bathroom, it needed to
be freshened up. We removed the large,
overflowing storage cabinet which was cramping
the space. This exposed the attractive vintage
tile and provided space for colorful artwork.
Next the shower curtain was replaced with a
modern one that tied in to the black and white
tiles. |
|
1st Floor Bathroom Before
& After |
| |
Bedroom 2 Before |
Bedroom 2 After |
In Bedroom 2
(Tommy's Room)
Tommy's room had an eclectic
style -- part antique, part nursery, part
toddler's room. The Fields upgraded Tommy to a
twin-sized bed and cleared out the excess
furniture. Our team painstakingly removed the
wallpaper border and repainted the room the same
color as the master. Topped with new
Transformers bedding and a colorful Cort rug,
it's a cheery room. Best of all, we can see the
beautiful hardwood floors and the spaciousness
of this bedroom. |
| |
In Bedroom 3
(the Office)
Upstairs, this bedroom was used
as a storage closet and appeared tiny. Once
empty, it got a fresh coat of Kilim Beige (SW
6106) and a new roman shade. Arranged with a
writing desk and antique chair on one side, a
beautiful rocker and side table on the other,
and connected with a fun Cort rug, this room
makes a perfect office. |
Office Before |
Office After |
Upstairs Bath Before |
Upstairs Bath After |
Upstairs Bathroom
Fortunately the Fields had recently remodeled this
bathroom into a second full bathroom. To finish it off,
we replaced the old medicine chest with a mirror that
matched the vanity and removed a shelving unit that was in the way. A new light fixture was also
installed. With a new window treatment, accessories, and artwork for
some color, this room was complete. |
| |
 |
 |
|
Bedroom 4 Before |
Bedroom 4 After |
In
Bedroom 4
In theory a guest bedroom, this space was not
useable as such, since it was filled to capacity
with stuff. The paint on the walls also cut the
space vertically, making it appear more cramped.
When everything came out, we revealed a
good-sized bedroom that easily accommodated a
chest of drawers, a full-sized bed, and a
bedside table. The dark walls were repainted Kilim Beige, carried up the pitched walls onto
the ceiling so the room appeared taller. We tore
out the ratty blue carpet to uncover the
hardwood floor underneath. A new window shade
and bedding completed the charming bedroom. |
|
|
| |
|
Broker's
Open
The following day, Mary Wodka, realtor for Long & Foster, hosted a
brokers' open with ABC 2 News on the scene to capture the event. Her
fellow realtors poured in and raved over the transformation. She looks
forward to a quick sale on this fantastic Cape Cod house located in a
wonderful and well-situated neighborhood in Timonium.
For more information on this listing,
contact:
Mary Wodka, ABR, GRI, REALTOR
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
443-794-5068 cell;
410-667-1900 office
mwodka@earthlink.net
See the
Virtual Home Tour |
 |
|
ABC 2 News
Reporter Christian Schaffer interviewing Bright Ideas' Pamela
Turnbull |
| |
|
|
|
|
