Better After

17 In bathroom/ bedroom/ kitchen/dining/ living room

Fresh Rafterhouse

I’ve got a treat for your eyeballs today! It’s the latest Rafterhouse remodel, and it’s a beauty! If you recall, Rafterhouse is a local company here in Arizona that specializes in flipping homes, and they do it with the utmost style. No builder beige walls and standard kitchen-in-a-box cabinets here, no sir. They are beyond move-in ready; they’re a one-way ticket to Dreamyville.

It’s my goal to own a Rafterhouse someday, or at least kidnap Austin and his crew and hold them hostage at my house until they make it Rafterhouse-worthy. Either way works. I’m not picky.

You can see the previous homes I’ve featured from Rafterhouse here and here.

Today I’m sharing their ‘Glenrosa’ project. And wow, wait til you see the before of the outside! I’ve saved it for the last picture. Not that I doubted them … but I was pretty sure it would be the undoing of Rafterhouse. Impossible. Irredeemable. A insurmountable pink-stuccoed pile of ugly. But (spoiler alert) they knocked it out of the park. Behold:

Adios to that awkward bay window and hello new windows, gorgeous floors and neutral walls. Looking good!

How about this powder room?

Oh yeah. That’s an improvement. I love the whitewashed plank walls!

Let’s take a peek into the kitchen:

I swear, same kitchen. I know. I KNOW! I’ve done the scroll-up scroll-down thing too, and I still can’t believe it. I think the only thing that remained the same is the sink location. Can you see the vintage pantry door? That’s a signature Rafterhouse look!

One more bathroom …

… not even distantly related to the before. Fantastic.

And finally, here’s a glimpse of the exterior. Prepare to have your mind blown!

Jaw dropping. I’m sure the new owners are super happy, and the neighbors are probably dancing-in-the-streets-tears-of-joy-streaming-down-their-faces happy.

See more from Rafterhouse on their Facebook.

May 16, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In bathroom

Stripes ARE slimming …

Despite taking up about 40% of the room all by itself, this massive shower still gave me the claustrophobia sweats just from looking at it. Are the vertical lines of the wallpaper causing an optical illusion? Is it a trick of the light? Perhaps the World’s Narrowest Shower Door has something to do with it. That and the dropped ceiling. *shudder*

But guess what? There truly was a huge shower under there after all! Julia excavated it during this remodel, and ditched the wallpaper and punched up the color on the cabinets while she was at it. She splurged on the gorgeous new floor, and saved by simply painting the existing fixtures with epoxy paint. SO much better!

Same vanity, but it looks totally different, right? See more on her blog NearlyFactotum.

May 15, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In innovative idea/ miscellaneous

KÜL STAARZ DEWD

Gemma wanted to soften her stairs, so she did. Literally, with several SÖFTEN rugs from IKEA. (I love IKEA, but man, those Swedish nonsense names I will never understand. If I’m buying a nightstand, and it comes in a box, and I have to locate that box all by myself in a towering warehouse full of identical boxes, it would be swell if that box said something like “Nightstand” on it instead of GLUUMEN, or BEERD, or SPARF or what have you. You know? That’s the only thing.

Ok, also, the carts at IKEA are a nightmare. Who’s idea was that? No matter how hard you try, they just drift aimlessly in every possible direction. But not forward. No, never forward! I feel like I’m being punk’d every time I attempt to wrestle one of those demon carts across the parking lot. For sure Ashton Kutcher is in a nearby van, just watching my cart rodeo on his surveillance cameras and having a big laugh.

So, anyway. The SÖFTEN rug (with a name that actually kinda makes sense, high-five yourself IKEA), was the perfect fit for this small set of stairs that Gemma wanted to de-sad. She simply stapled them in, then added nailhead trim along the side to dress them up and add a little extra stability. I like it! See more on her blog The Sweetest Digs.

May 15, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

13 In bedroom/ wood

Board Room

There is a mystery of the universe that I’d like to solve. No, not the case of Solange in the elevator with the shoe. (Actually, I’d TOTALLY like to solve that one. What the heck was that about? I’m very much dying to know). No, the mystery I’m talking about is footboards! What are they exactly? What purpose do they serve? Are they really necessary?

Answers: They are mini headboards for your feet; none, other than to take up extra inches in your bedroom and make making the bed harder; and no. Not really. I think you could safely rid yourself of your footboard and all would be well. But this isn’t really even a post about footboards at all. It’s a post about boards!

Lindsay recently updated her bedroom by removing her footboard and adding a whole lot of reclaimed boards on the wall. The result is a woodsy funky Gramercy Park Hotel-like vibe that she was aiming for all along. Nailed it! (ha! pun!) See more on her blog Another Mormon Mommy Blog.

May 14, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

27 In chairs/ottomans/seating/ innovative idea

The Wickerdly Talented

What do you get when you buy a pair of worthless wicker chairs from a thrift store?

If you said ‘Disproving stares from your husband,’ you are correct, but what else?

‘Heavy sighs and eye rolls?’

Yes, but no. You’re on the wrong train of thought. Here’s a hint: you remove the worthless wicker part and add some boards instead!

Any guesses?

No?

Well, just take a look at what Better After reader Lori created and then maybe you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Oh yeah, you made a super cool bench out of those worthless chairs. Who’s rolling their eyes now, huh? That’s right, NO ONE!

May 14, 2014 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In desks/hutches/buffets

Back to Black (with a side of salmon)

I haven’t painted anything black in a while. Other than the town. No wait, I painted that red. No wait, I actually stayed home in paint-spattered sweats and read Us Weekly. So … kind of the same thing. Anyway, I haven’t painted anything black in a while. I don’t know why, I used to have a lot of black in my home, but I guess it just started to feel heavy.

However, this spinet desk makeover by Reeves looks anything but heavy. How is that possible? My guesses are: because of the delicate legs, the surprising splash of salmon inside, and the way she paired it up with a see-through chair. Boom. Nailed it. See more on her blog The Weathered Door.