Better After

8 In bathroom

Let’s Review

Does it really pay to stage your home when you are trying to sell? That would be a big, fat YES. This home had sat on the market for four and a half months before Joanne from Rave ReView got her stage on in here. Even though the budget only allowed for a new paint job and a few new fixtures, she made a dramatic change, and an offer was made and accepted 4 days later!

If you can’t afford a professional, a few easy staging tips include:

1. Clean it up! No one wants to see your used razors in the trash.

2. Remove personal items. Maybe you love the look of your honeymoon pictures plastered all over your bedroom, but buyers want to picture THEMselves in there.

3. Aim to make it as neutral as possible. More appeal for buyers who can consider it a blank slate to start fresh from rather than moving into “someone else’s house.”

December 16, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

9 In tables/dressers

Yellow Fever

Is your season Merry and Bright this year? Sure hope so. But in case you are teensy bit tired of trees and tinsel, what’s merrier and brighter than a yellow dresser? If you like yellow but don’t think it would ever work with your decor, don’t be deceived! There are so many variations of this happy hue that you could work it in easy peasy. Don’t be scared of yellow, like my dear sister who once encountered a nasty sales lady who informed her that “Yellow is NOT your color, dear.” That lady was mistaken, yellow can work on anyone, depending on the shade. Now my sister is virtually terrified of yellow and won’t even go outside for fear of seeing a dandelion or golden retriever. Ok, I made that part up.

See more of Michelle’s dresser on her blog Itz Mitz.

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December 16, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

2 In decor

Christmas Thrifts

So maybe you don’t have tons of money to spent on Christmas. No big whoop. I for one love the idea of a thrifty Christmas, where you challenge yourself and your loved ones to makeover thrifted finds. Save the earth, save money and make a meaningful creative gift, who loses there? No one, that’s who. Except maybe Walmart.

I bet my family could get on board with this, how about yours? My sister and sister-in-law are creative masterminds, but my brothers on the other hand … I might get a used potholder or an empty box of bandaids or something. Yeah, I might have to think this through first.

Here are some thrifty redos for some Christmas giving inspiration!

From NataLee at Designed to the Nines, a battered toy box gets a classy golf-themed redo. Seriously looks amazing.

From Lindy at Cottage Hill, a 99 cent box gets made over into a handpainted treasure. WANT! Check out her blog for easy step by step instructions on to achieve this look.

And finally from Cassie at Hi Sugarplum, these dollar store vases get a high dollar look with simple burlap, jute string, plus easy to find religious candles. I actually just bought a couple of those myself for $1, wrapped them in silver paper and had an instant classy candle on my hands!

December 16, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

5 In kitchen/dining

Don’t Tell Corbel

Kim wanted to beef up her island and figured corbels were the answer. Until she got to Lowe’s and realized that corbels were $15 each and would have cost $90 for this project! So she got creative, borrowed a pen from a cashier, much to the horrified dismay of her significant other, and traced the outline of those corbels right onto a piece of lumber. Took it home and cut them out, and her grand total for six corbels? $6.51! Nobody ever said that it doesn’t pay to wear your thinking cap, but if they did, I would say they were wrong! Check it out on her blog Simple Needs.

December 15, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In bathroom

Beadboard to the Bone

Beadboard, beadboard, beadboard. I love it, you love it, we can’t get enough of it. Right? Is there such thing as *snort* TOO MUCH beadboard? I didn’t think so. But then I saw this bathroom.

Just, no. And yikes. And maybe a little wowzers. It’s a beadboard abomination. But trust me and scrolly scroll down and check out the after! And then keep scrolly scrolling past the scary before tub picture and pick your heart up off the floor, because it will have leapt out of your chest when you behold that sexy new tub. It is the sexiest tub I have seen all day. Maybe even all year.

Check it out from Kelli at Green Bridge White House.

December 15, 2010 By Lindsey @ Better After

8 In desks/hutches/buffets/ tables/dressers

Til Whatever Do Us Part

Breaking news! I just read that Ryan Reynolds and ScarJo split! And I thought those two really had a shot. Not really. Once your husband gets voted as “The Sexiest Man Alive,” that’s got to throw a wrench in things. I would not want to be married to The Sexiest Man Alive, no thanks. Who wants to be wearing their worn out pajama bottoms, picking their zits in the bathroom mirror and worry that The Sexiest Man Alive was watching? Who wants to wake up The Sexiest Man Alive with their morning breath? Not me. Way too much pressure.

So, anyway, let me awkwardly segue that tangent into before and afters by saying that this before dresser is totally outshined by the after, so it’s a good thing they are one and the same and not a married couple, because that never ends well for anyone.

Sexiest Dresser Alive!!!

And here’s a sweet desk too! Both of these redos come from the super talented Sarah at 508 design. Dresser can be seen HERE and sweet travel inspired desk HERE. I hope to see more from her often!