Weird to Wonderful: The Bathroom is Finished!

Actually, the bathroom was finished weeks ago!  I've been horrible about blogging lately and stopped posting updates.  So, here are all the pictures leading up to the final product!

First, the floors!  The old carpeting was replaced with tile that we feel mimics the original tile in the rest of the house.  Since our home was built in the 1920's, we really wanted this new space to flow with the rest of the house and not seem like an after thought.  

After the tile was dry we installed new light fixtures in the bathroom and office.  The light we chose for the bathroom is by far my favorite light in the entire house!

The light in the office doesn't give off much glow, but we didn't feel it was necessary since there is a skylight in the room.

The next step was installing the french door leading into the bathroom.  We have two other french doors in our house (including one leading into the office), so this was just another way for us to make the room blend in.  Of course, we figured the glass on this door should be frosted!  The final step was painting each room.  After a lot of discussion about which colors to pick, Joe got to work painting.  The pictures below show both the new door and the paint in the office.  All we did in the bathroom was texturize the walls and paint them white.

Since taking these pictures the furniture has been put back in the room and we use the space regularly.  I'll post pictures of the room (and the bathroom) as they look now....soon!

A virtual Before and After!

My listing on Hollywood Avenue in Whitefish Bay is getting a lot of traffic, both through showings and Open Houses.  Buyers have been raving about the location, the fantastic yard with the brick patio, and the great finished basement.  However, it seems some potential buyers don't feel they can work with the current paint colors. While paint is an easy and inexpensive fix, sometimes it can be hard to envision changes before the work is complete.  To help give future owners a better idea of the potential in this gem of a home, I've made a few virtual models to show the impact a few simple changes will make!

Living Room:  The living room in this home is a perfect space to entertain, get together with family, or relax.  The hardwood floors are in amazing shape!  Some warm neutral walls and cozy future will quickly make this a room you never want to leave!

Kitchen:  In addition to paint, the kitchen could use a few simple updates.  New countertops, glass cabinet doors, and a french door leading to the back entry will bring a touch of sophistication to this kitchen, making it a great place to entertain hungry guests.

Master Bedroom: Unlike many closets in older Northshore homes, the closet in this bedroom has plenty of space, especially with the storage system designed by California Closets.  Putting doors on the closet will make it easier to determine which half is "hers" and which half is "his."  Or, one half can be used for clothes and the other for shoes and purses (in this scenario "he" is on his own....much like in my house!).     

Second Bedroom: I love the color of paint in this room, but I still thought it would be fun to play around with future uses for the space.  I left the walls green and just experimented with different furniture options.  This room would be perfect as a nursery or guest bedroom.  It gets lots of light and looks out onto the great backyard!

I'll have posters with these and other depictions located in each room of the home.  If you know of anyone who may be interested in taking a look, please have them contact me to schedule a showing!

This home has so much potential and would be such a fun little project.  The truly wonderful part is that the home is in great condition just the way it is, so the new owner can move in and take their time redoing the space in a way that works best for their lifestyle.  

Open House!

Open House at 4714 N. Hollywood Avenue in Whitefish Bay tomorrow from 2-3:30.

Click here for more information on this great home!

Weird to Wonderful: Bathroom Window

See that far window in the picture below?  The window behind the recently built wall?  That window is in our new bathroom.  The problem is, who wants a large window in their bathroom?  Especially one that looks out onto the street.  Unless you are really close with your neighbors, most people would probably prefer not to admire the view while taking care of business.   

Since the bathroom is small we were happy to have the light from the window coming in to help open up the space.  We just needed to figure out a way to obstruct the view.  We decided our best option was to frost the glass.  It would allow the light to come in while preventing anyone outside our house from seeing in.  After shopping around some, I settled on frosted window film from Amazon.  It was fairly easy to apply, although I did discover a few things along the way that will make it easier if I do it in another room in the future!  

 

Before I could get started, I had to remove the old and dingy blinds from the window.  However, I quickly realized that I didn't know how to take the blinds down.  After watching a quick video online, I learned that you simply have to take a screwdriver and pop open the bracket doors.  Then slide out the blinds.  So easy!  

After the blinds are off the window, use the screwdriver to take off the remaining piece.  You'll have to use wood filler to fill in the holes from the screws before painting.  That is a project I'll work on another day.

Next, I read the very short instructions on the side of the box.  I'll admit, while I was reading these brief instructions, I asked myself why there aren't more detailed instructions included inside.

According to the box, after I cut the film I should have used a spray bottle filled with water to secure the film to the window.  However, none of the spray bottles we ever buy (and we have bought a lot!) ever work, so I used a wet rag instead.  Apparently our house is where spray bottles go to die.  

After the film was attached to the window, I used the squeegee that  came with the film to get rid of any bubbles...

...however, I quickly realized that the squeegee was completely useless.  My advice?  Use a credit card or your license instead.

I purposely had cut the film bigger then the window to make sure I had extra material to work with.  Therefore, my last step was to get out an X-Acto knife and trim off the excess film around the window.

Below is a picture I took after I completed the first half of the window.  I'll have pictures of the finished product when I post the big bathroom reveal!

By the way, when I was unrolling more of the film for the second half of the window, I found the instructions in the middle of the roll!  Seriously?  Who unrolls a huge roll of film when they only need a small piece?  Not the best location for the instructions!  I decided to have my assistant use them to verify my work.

Home Upgrades That Don't Pay Off

Real Simple magazine has an article online listing the five home remodeling projects that DON'T pay off. They are a great reminder of things to keep in mind when renovating your home with an eye towards selling it.

- First, it's never a good idea to convert a third bedroom to an office. Using the extra space as an office while you are living in the home is one thing, but it's smart to stage it as a bedroom when your home is on the market. Buyers often have a hard time envisioning a space as something other then what they see when they are touring a home.

- Second, steer clear of concrete patios. They crack and just never look right when you try to repair them.

- Third, pick neutral countertops. Vern Yip, host of HGTV's Deserving Design, recommends going with solid black if you want to use granite. I don't necessarily agree with that, since it really depends on the colors you already have in the kitchen, but I do see his point. Picking a color that makes it impossible to redecorate around is sure to turn off some buyers.

- Fourth, skip the tennis and basketball courts. If you love sports, join a gym or go to the park. Most people would prefer a yard!

- Fifth, avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. This is especially true in the Northshore area. Buyers expect homes to have the original hardwood floors, and buyers who walk into a home with carpeting always want to know if hardwood floors are hidden underneath.  Carpeting also shows off stains from your kids and pets, while hardwood floors have a much cleaner look.

What other projects do you think homeowners should skip when they are preparing to sell their home? Have you seen any disaster renovations that made you want to run out of a house?

Click here for the full article:

Home Upgrades That Don't Pay Off | Real Simple