The Hill Comes Alive

Wow! It's been a while. If you haven't heard, the real estate market in Nashville is booming. And that's my excuse for not posting in six months. We've been super busy, so the blog has been on hiatus.

In our time away, we've had tons of great Before & After experiences. In fact, today's post is from a property we just worked on Thursday. It's not quite complete. They still have to finish up landscaping and add some plants in a few spots on the interior. But these pics will give you an idea of the changes that have taken place.

When we first visited the home, we saw a stark, bland sort of home. It sat high up on a hill and resembled little more than a drab old farm house. It had no shutters, no sidewalk, and no landscaping. Unfortunately, I failed to get a full photo of the front of the home that day, but these snapshots will give you an idea of how neglected the exterior felt.

Exterior BEFORE
(No shutters, patio furniture in the yard.)

Exterior BEFORE
(No shutters, stacked bricks.)

Although the landscaping hasn't been installed just yet, the new shutters and walkway have really added some pizzazz into the gloomy exterior. It sure does help bring the hill to life!

Exterior AFTER
(Landscaping still to be installed, but shutters & new walkway add major curb appeal.)

Like the outside, we found the home to lacked personality on the inside too. Compounding the problem, dark, low hung window coverings in many places made spaces seem drab and confined. Do those look like 10 foot ceilings to you? They sure don't to me. 

Dining BEFORE
(Dark cloth, undersized accessories, and art hung at odd heights & locations.)

Dining BEFORE
(Dark, heavy valances bring down ceiling height and shorten room.)

To help the room seem brighter, larger, and less like the ceiling was closing in, we got the homeowner to invest in some simple white curtain panels in an extra long length, hung at ceiling height. Then, with just a few small adjustments to existing art & accessories, we brought the room into a scale much more in line with its actual size. Now the 10 foot ceilings are actually noticeable to visitors.

Dining AFTER
(Light curtain panels hung at ceiling height give room an open, airy, and light feel.
Larger accessories and proper art placement help give room a finished look.)

The kitchen was a great space, but it had very little personality. The lackluster appearance certainly wasn't telling buyers that this is an amazing kitchen!

Kitchen BEFORE
(Dark counters and low light make space seem gloomy.
Notice also how the kitchen towels hide the fact that the oven has dual function features.)

We added character to the kitchen by placing art, accessories, and extra lamp light to the counters. Then we put bar stools around the island to finish off the look. Now visitors can see its beauty, size, and functionality.

Kitchen AFTER
(Accessories & light help the kitchen sparkle with beauty and functionality)

Of all the rooms in the home, the family room needed the most attention. It really just showed like a bright yellow room with sloppy brown furniture. The colors scheme was harsh and the general style was awkward.

Living BEFORE
(Awkward entertainment center, drab furnishings.)

Living BEFORE
(Bright yellow walls, sloppy sofa, and low ceilings.)

To help soften the harshness and tone down the yellow, we started by once again adding ceiling-to-floor white curtain panels. Then we brought in a rug to further soften the room. Next we got rid of that awkward "entertainment center" by placing the TV on a simple console table. (And YES --The homeowner will be hiding those cords and adding a plant to the planter). To give the room a little style, we added a table, lamps, accessories and art. What a difference it made. 

Living AFTER
(Again, adding ceiling-to-floor white curtains help to soften room & tone down harsh colors.
Then accessories and better lighting were added to help the room seem neater and better coordinated.)

The office was probably one of our favorite transformations in the home. It is such a spacious room, but when we arrive it seemed rather dysfunctional.  Again, the heavy valances made the ceilings seem low and dark, and the bookcases overwhelmed the space.

Office BEFFORE
(Dark, drab, and cluttered.)

We removed the valances and changed out the curtains. Then we reduced the bookcases, centered the desk, and cleared the clutter. Now the room looks bright, spacious, and very functional. 

Office AFTER
(Light, bright, spacious, and functional)

Upstairs it was more of the same. We tried to lighten and brighten every room by using simple bedding, large art, better lighting, and reducing clutter. Here are those before & afters . . .

Bedroom BEFORE
(Too much going on here)

Bedroom AFTER
(Bright, open, and calming. Nightstand on other side of bed further opens the room)

Bedroom BEFORE
(Light is horrible, shaddowy, and harsh thanks to clear bulbs overhead.)

Bedroom AFTER
(Better light using frosted white bulbs, and larger art make room seem much more relaxing)

Bedroom BEFORE
(Strange netting that doesn't fit theme and harsh overhead light is not very soothing for a bedroom)

Bedroom AFTER
(Netting replaced with bigger art. Bedside table & lamp added. Now room is a calm retreat.)

Bedroom BEFORE
(Lacks a coordinated and "finished" look)

Bedroom AFTER
(Curtain panels, larger art, and removal of awkward throws give the room a polished and coordinated appeal.)

If you take nothing from this other than the amazing impact that ceiling-to-floor curtains can have on a room, our work will be done. They really do help to increase visual space and give your rooms a finished look.