Come along with me on my dream Fixer Upper style remodeling plan for a beautiful house in desperate need of a refresh!
When working as a realtor I spent a lot of time in other people’s houses and my mind did a lot of mental redecorating and remodeling. One house in particular had been sitting on the market a while which is bad news for houses. The ones that sit are like the wallflowers at the dance, skimmed over and easily forgotten.
This house was like that. It was like your plain Jane friend that you swear would be a total knockout with a little hair and makeup.
Well, houses take a little more work and money than that, but I would love to do real “Fixer Upper” on this one. I can’t (it finally sold), but I did have a little fun finding ideas “a la Joanna Gaines” that I think would look great and I’m sharing them in this post! Ready to have a little fun?
Front Door – Before
The current front door had beautiful windows all around it, but the door itself was covered by an etched glass storm door. The actual door was just a basic black. 
After
In my dream fixer upper style remodeling plan I would remove the storm door and bring in a beautiful wood door like the one below. New black hardware would complete the clean classic look. (Welcome decal is by Custom Vinyl By Design on Etsy). Add two urns with flowers for a welcoming pop of color.
Dining Room – Before
The dining room had “beautiful bones” as they say. The light fixture was really formal, though, as was the wallpaper.
After
It would just take a simple soft rug, a gorgeous French country dining table and a simplified, yet elegant light fixture from the playbook of our home girl Joanna Gaines to get this dining room up-to-date.
The Kitchen – Before
This kitchen was big with tons of cabinets, a huge island and a window over the sink. But the stain on the cabinets was outdated as was the florescent light. Also, the island was an awkward, sort of octagonal shape. 
After
Pulling more inspiration from Joanna Gaines, you could enlarge the island either using butcher block or change all the granite to a pretty gray marble if you had the budget. It would be easy to replace the florescent light with glass pendant lights, as well as add subway tile and paint the cabinets a creamy white.
Before – Sunroom
The sunroom is a bonus space the owners added on. It’s bright and light and only needs a little refreshing.
After
I would remove the shelving around the top of the windows as well as the window treatments and paint a neutral taupe or gray. I think you could even reuse the furnishings, but just update the seat seat cushions. Taking down the arbor over the patio would also allow in more light.
And if I had a pie in the sky budget I would replace the tile with beautiful brick in a herringbone pattern just like this.
Before – Master Bedroom
The last thing I would tackle would be the master bedroom. It’s a clean slate, so you could really do anything with this space. The dark hardwood flooring makes a beautiful backdrop.
After
The picture above doesn’t show it but there are two windows on the far left wall, so the bed could fit in between like the one below. I love the soft, luxe look of the headboard, bedding and chairs. A cozy rug, an elegant chandelier and soft drapery would complete the look.
I hope you enjoyed this little mental makeover! It’s fun to play Joanna Gaines and dream a little. 🙂 If you like these looks, be sure to check out my Pinterest board, A La Fixer Upper, for more Gaines-esque ideas and inspiration.
Blessings!
Susan
