Sunday 22 April 2012

House styling to attract the big dollars.

It's amazing what some vision and styling (and some $$$) can do to a house.
If you like before and after house photos, have a look at these..

before...


...after

Pretty impressive hey?

Let me set the scene a bit here. I know this house very well. Well, to be quite accurate I should say I knew this house very well. Every nook and cranny I could have told you about. I almost lived in this house...


before...
 
...after

A few years ago I sat on its back deck and penned an offer to the real estate agent.


...before

I knew that it had potential....but I don't think I could have ever made it look this good!


...after

 The offer was rejected and it stayed on the market for quite a while. The price was reduced, and it still didn't sell. (In the meantime, we had bought elsewhere). The local murmurings were that the sellers were looking for a pretty hefty offer, but the market wasn't willing to pay that much...


before...
 Keep your eyes on the staircase...

...after
I can't believe the difference.
What was once a busy, colourful, quite funky looking house (have another look at the original kitchen ceiling)
is now a complete contrast in it's serenity. It's a pretty extreme makeover.

before...

...after
 I particularly love this area.
The stairway has been hidden and a study nook created.

The whole transformation is pretty drastic, but the biggest change for me is the kitchen. 


before....

...after
Now that's an island bench!
The kitchen has been moved towards the back of the house and flows into a family dining and living area
that spills out onto the back deck.

As the shots haven't quite been taken from the same spot and just to put things into perspective
here's the 'before' and 'after' floor plans.


before




after


The house is currently on the market and after the effort that's been put into this makeover I've no doubt that it will sell this time. It will be up for auction, which is very popular here in Brisbane so once again the market will decide what it's worth...

So what do you think?
Do you prefer the 'before' or the 'after'?


(all 'after' photos are from Real Estate website and the 'before' ones from here)


26 Comments and thoughts:

  1. It’s actually a nice and useful piece of post. I am glad that you simply shared with us. Thanks!

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  2. Amazing transformation! I love the black island bench and the beautiful flooring. Shame you didn't get it!

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  3. I love the makeover - it's stunning. However all I could think about is how much did it cost and will they actually recoup what they spent? I guess that's what house auctions are about.

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  4. Oh Beth! Swooning in Hobart ☺. Definitely the 'after'. No question. I wonder how much they'll get for it - do keep us informed! J x

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  5. It's like two different homes. The before is so 1990s and the now is very wannabe Hamptons 2010s. I like elements of the after and elements of the before. It's amazing how people have different visions for what is essentially a simple weatherboard home. Great post! xx

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  6. That is one magical transformation Beth, this house is gorgeous :)

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  7. Wow! Love seeing the before shots, makes the after images even more amazing! X

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  8. Well we must have been house hunting around the same time Beth. While we didn't physically inspect the 'before' house I do remember the listing on RE.com
    It would be most interesting to hear if the vendors get close to recouping their outlay. That's a major reno.
    xx

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  9. Two totally different homes! Beautiful makeover. Beautiful. A-M xx

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  10. I think the interior was definitely due a makeover - although i quite liked the original exterior.

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  11. Wow what a fabulous reno you have done.
    I can across your blog through A-M's blog page.
    The two of you think the same.
    i look forward to following your new journey
    Pen x

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  12. It's amazing what large quantities of white paint can do. A great transformation. We're doing a major transformation of our Queenslander from ugly duckling to swan!

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  13. Wow the transformation is amazing. It just goes to show you have to have vision.
    Cheers Kylie

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  14. I love the after! It is a fabulous transformation, thanks for sharing Beth. xx

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  15. OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!
    Found you via link at A-M's blog as I'm after inspiration for a black kitchen island bench. We also want to cover our patio area (but not before my island!!!) and your fist picture showed EXACTLY what i want.......... until I scrolled and saw what they did to it in the second picture..... now I want that!
    Oh dear!
    thanks fro sharing; love before and afters they give me such inspiration!
    Have a lovely day!

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  16. Wow, what an amazing transformation. Thanks for sharing this lovely home Beth. ;-)

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  17. I love aspects from both versions. The new kitchen is stunning but I am strangely drawn to the old bathroom. The 90s version would have been pretty funky back in its day. I am most definitely old enough to remember.

    It is a good reminder that everything dates - I do wonder sometimes if in 2023 we will be looking back saying "what were we thinking with all the white..."!! Having said that I happily live in a predominantly white house at present (having just painted over some fairly special mid 90s feature walls).

    Hope you are enjoying your day. I will have a little nose around your blog which I have only just discovered!

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  18. Gorgeous reno, isn't it? I came across this house a little while ago, and recognised some of my prints in the main living room! Nothing like lashings of white to totally revamp a tired home. K xx

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  19. What an incredible transformation! It's all so spacious and light and WHITE!!!
    It was great before, and you wouldn't have thought you could make it look so different!
    Thanks for sharing Beth, I love looking inside other peoples houses!

    Gill xx

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  20. That is the most incredible renovation! Wow, I wish I had style like that. I particularly love the bathroom, there's nothing like marble floors! Have a lovely weekend..Rachael xx

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  21. Wow Beth! Where have I been? I saw this post but somehow forgot to get back to you and even today when I started writing my comment, I spend 2hours talking on the phone to my friend back home, so finally I'm able to comment... Anyhoo, this house is gorgeous! Thanks for showing it, shame you didn't get it. The people who renovated it, made it really stylefull yet it seems really comfortable. I could live there, no problem!
    Enjoy the weekend honey, hugs,
    Maureen x

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  22. love your blog...found you via Sarah at ABC
    x Marnie

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  23. Holy jesus! Unrecognizable. Great post Beth.

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  24. I know this reno really well as I am the builder that helped transform it
    to what you see today.

    It was really quite exciting watching it come together as untill the last moulding and the last lick of paint has been applied, it still looks unfinished to me.

    The property has since sold and all parties are extremely happy with the outcome, you can't ask for more than that.

    Beth to you, I loved the way you put it together with before and afters, great work!

    Regards Tony

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  25. Love it, great use of space and still keeping in style with the original house.

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