Before & After – You be the Judge

I watch a lot of home remodeling shows, too many I’m sure.  I love those shows about house flippers, home staging etc. 

I get a kick out of all the shows that go over what you should do to sell your house and what home buyers are looking for.  Of course everyone wants a house that is move in ready with perfect colors and finishes.   But after making 4 moves in 5 years and purchasing a house with every move, let me tell you, no such animal exists. 

I recently came across some photos that my husband took of our house here in Hampton.  He took these photos when we were house shopping.  He was here starting his new job and I was still back in Cincinnati selling our house. 

These photos have the decor and furnishings of the previous owner.  I will let them speak for themselves.  I tried to take the same views of the exterior and interior so you can compare the "before" to my after. 

ff right front

We have a large house, 3 floors and a finished room over the garage (FROG).  We still need to get the shutters painted, I have picked out a dark blue for them and aubergine for the door.  That project is slated for summer 2008.

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These before and after aren’t so dramatic but wait till you see the inside.

FF dining room

Here is the dining room "before".

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The dining room "after".  I have stripped so much wallpaper between all the houses that we have had.  I hate wallpaper!

ff family room

Family room next to the kitchen.  Ugh.

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I painted everthing in this room, ceilings, brick and built ins.

ff back bedroom

This room is now our guest room/office.  I blogged here about stripping this wallpaper.

The guest room "after".

ff master bedroom

The master bedroom.  Yes, that is a towel hanging in the window as a curtain.

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Master bedroom, "after".  Real window coverings.

ff entry hallway

Front hallway looking towards front door.  This house is full of moldings.  Wainscoting, thick crown molding, thick chair rail.  Every inch of it was painted this tired, blue.  Miles and miles of blue!  I have repainted all of it.  All of it.  White.  Clean white.

Not quite the same view, but look at all my pretty white trim and doors.  (the doors were blue too)

3rd floor bedroom small

This is the third floor room that I have turned into my sewing studio.

hampton2

Ta da!  I really need to update this photo.  I have this room crammed with inspiration all over the walls now.  Hey, it’s my room and I can do what ever I want!

ff back yard 2

I’ve saved the best for last.  This is the former owner and his dog Champ.  Champ owned this backyard.  Obviously.

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I’m very excited because in just a few short weeks the backyard will be transformed even more.  We are having a beautiful stone paver patio put in, right here where the chairs are.  I will be sure to do lots of before and after shots of that.  I can’t wait for it. 

Looking back on all the work I have done in this house so far has just exhausted me, I’m off to bed.

30 thoughts on “Before & After – You be the Judge”

  2. what a ton of work you have done….good riddance to tired blue…hellllooooo clean white.!
    isn’t that the strangest fireplace situation in the master? does it work? do you use it?

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  3. Wow Suzy…made me tired just looking at all that work! But it sure was worth it, huh? I certainly hope you’re there to stay for a while!!! It all looks fabulous and comfortable. A really nice home. 🙂

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  6. First word that came to mind is inviting. You made the whole house sooo much more inviting! The dining room has so much more appeal now, and the family room is fabulous. You have a fireplace in your bedroom?? That would be the other word. Romantic…clean, beautifully decorated and romantic. I can’t wait to see how the backyard comes out. Knowing you, it will be a show stopper. You have the best taste! xxoo, Susan

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  7. Amazing, lovely and inviting– everything a home should be. I can imagine how much work it was to paint all that trim, but what fun to see that blue disappear.

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  10. You have done a phenomenal job! We too are in the process of remodeling. When we can afford the endeavor! I stripped the wallpaper in my bathroom four months ago. I was going to paint it myself, but it would be insane for me to try and lean over the bathtub to do that area, as I’m a klutz. So I’m going to have it done. Soon. Can’t wait to see your yard!
    Brenda

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  12. Oh wow! I’m super impressed. You certainly could see past the um shall we say interesting decor choices. You really opened up the house and made it bright and cheery. What kind of paint technique did you do on the bricks? I’m looking to paint our dingy brick fireplace.
    Karla

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  14. I love before and after pictures. What a lot of work! After stripping 5 or more layers of wallpaper in each room of my 150+ year old house, I agree with you. I hate wallpaper! Don’t you wonder where all those gorgeous homes are that you see in the magazines? They are certainly never around when you go househunting. Great job!

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  15. Next to the Space Needle, there’ s an odd marriage of museums, one kind of a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame West, and the other a shrine to science fiction. One ticket buys you admission to both places. If you’ ve been following along at home, cherished reader, I’ m sure you can guess which museum I was more excited about. But I wanted to get my money’ s worth, so I came along with Jane, Frank, and Josh to the EMP first– Experience Music Project, not Electromagnetic Pulse (sadly). They had a fine exhibit featuring…

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  16. Wow, you did a fantastic job! It is MUCH nicer afterwards! Love the white woodwork and the “real” curtains!

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  19. Certainly no comparison. Your home is lovely and I love the color in the dining room. You certainly made alot of fabulous improvement and the curb appeal really made a beautiful difference. My favorite is your sewing room. Lucky, lucky gal!
    miles of smiles,
    Darly

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  22. Holy Moly!~~I didn’t realize how bad the “before” was when you described it, but those decor choices–ick!~~~Every home you’ve lived in has been blessed by your decorating acumen! Job well done, my BFF!~~XXOO, Beth

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  23. Awesome. I have never seen the before pics although I have lived through one or two of them. You rock.

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  24. Wow! Those are the best Before and After pictures I’ve ever seen.
    What a striking difference.
    Can’t wait to see the new patio. You will love that this summer!
    Kimberly 🙂

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  25. Couldn’t stay away for ST Sunday! Missed the button challenge, so decided to show off my vintage buttons! You can go right over here.
    For your daily dose of vintage goodness a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.
    PS You’ve been very busy. Great job!

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  26. WOW! I love white woodwork too. That blue was too much and the wallpaper(yuck). Beautiful job, and your yard will be awesome.
    Happy Landscaping,
    Tracy M.

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  28. Except for the hard parts like scraping wallpaper, isn’t it nice to redo it all yourself just perfectly the way you want and not have it “move in ready”? You’ve made it beautiful!
    (and I am so envious of all the moldings!)

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  29. I had a lot of catching up to do! Over a month. I really love your before and afters and love the saga of Maymont-and-the-prom.
    Please accept my belated condolences on your nephew.
    Barbara

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