This project will always be a special one to me.
As a Home Stager turned Interior Designer; I was waiting for a project that went beyond one or two rooms or even just interior decorating. I had so many incredible design ideas floating in my heart that I had to release - and this project was a place for me to express the Designer inside myself.
The Mansfield Makeover Project, to date is one of my most loved projects by online followers. The cool tones and lovely contrast in colors, leaves a breathtaking feeling according to my viewers ~ and I agree. I will unpack this project here to give you an inside look to the ins and outs behind this incredible transformation.
The scope of work:
- Full Kitchen Remodel
- Full Master Suite Remodel
- Resurface Fireplace
- Partial Remodel in 2 other bathrooms
- Fresh Paint Throughout
- Partial Flooring Change
THE BEFORE.
All the stained wood from top to bottom - made this home very dark, almost every room had a different color on the walls, and every fixture or piece of hardware was outdated. She definitely needed a face lift!
After my initial meeting with the clients, we had one overarching objective: Modernize the home and give it a fresh, clean look.
Simple, right?!? Not exactly!
Going from that Tuscan yellow kitchen... to this brand new beauty, was not a walk in the park!
You have no idea how many man-hours and decisions go into transforming your home until you remodel or renovate. We had hundreds of decisions to make and the process was not a quick one. From paint color, to custom hood vent size, to tile and countertops, to knobs and pulls - the selections were endless! Weeding them out to find just the right ones for their home that also coordinated well with the design, would have been exhausting for anyone. Not to mention the lighting, fixtures, edge finishes, grout color and texture, wood colors, carpet - you get the picture!
This is where hiring a designer can really be helpful.
Together, my clients and I brought this design to life. Through countless conversations about what they wanted to add to their home and how they wanted their home to feel when you walked in the front door, we landed on calming tones with contrasting colors and natural finishes. And the end result was nothing short of perfect for this client.
Here is a sneak peek into the remodel process. This is not an extensive list by any means, but a great starting point. Take notes if you have dreams of your own home remodel project!
STEP 1: TEAMWORK
A successful remodel is not possible without a great team! Finding a contractor you can trust who will capture your vision and execute it with excellence is a must for me in my business. The contractor I used on this project was Zion Home and Building. We worked really well together because we focused a lot on our communication. Not just between the two of us, but with the client as well. Clear communication is key to making every project run smoothly.
Don't get me wrong, there will always be a hiccup or two, but if you establish transparency on the front end of your project, you can jump those hurdles together with very few set backs.
STEP 2: BUDGET
You can find a chandelier for $300 and you can find a chandelier for $3,000. Knowing what price range you can shop in is a very important part to every project. In my blog post "How to Design Your Home" I talk about how to put your budget together and how it helps you in every home project.
On this project we splurged on our kitchen backsplash tile where the square footage was low and were more cost effective in the master bath shower which is a massive walk-in. The lighting in the kitchen was exactly what we were looking for although it was a little high for the budget, but we found lighting in the bathroom on sale which balanced out the budget at the end of the day.
Another good way to help figure out your budget is by shopping popular retailers for the high and low end of their products. This will give you a good range and help you decide where you are comfortable. Again, hiring a designer is another great way to figure out how much a project will cost you.
STEP 3: CURATE
Curating this remodel was a blast for me! I loved finding items that I knew the clients would love, were true to their personality, and nailed the objective of the project. I'll have you know up front, almost 100% of the time, your first design idea is not the final. So be patient and be flexible as you curate your design.
STEP 4: TIMELINE
Once the design is finalized and signed off on, you can create a schedule for your project. Don't skip this part! If you are remodeling both bathrooms that have showers in them like this project, make sure you are staggering them so you have a place to get ready in the morning. This project was planned out into 3 phases so the clients had a space to live in while the others were under construction.
STEP 5: INSTALLATION/REMODEL
Before you begin the actual work, make sure all your items have been picked up or delivered. You don't want to put a hole in the wall for plumbing only to find out your shower head is on back order for six weeks. Have all items on site for each phase of your remodel before demo begins.
STEP 6: TOUCH UPS
Lastly, when everything is complete, go back through and touch up anything that was overlooked or out of place and make sure things are running smoothly. We had some issues with our paint finish in the kitchen on this project. The hood vent was really grainy and you could see every imperfection. Not ok! We had to have it sanded down and repainted to give it the clean, smooth look we were going for.
The fireplace tile looked a bit dull and you could barely see any variations in the stone. To resolve this issue, we had the fireplace covered in a sealant to allow every bit of texture to shine through. This is why working with an experienced designer and contractor who can deliver exactly what you want really pays off ~ we will make sure all your design dreams come true!
THE AFTER.
After months of having no working kitchen, going back and forth from bathroom to bathroom and having their home in scrambles... the project was finally complete! It was totally worth all the demolition, obstacles and messes it took to get there.
I mean, who wouldn't want to lounge in this peaceful master suite!
A word from the client:
"Lindsey has been great to work with, she listens to our suggestions and when appropriate works them in the design or shows us a better solution. This is the first time I have worked with a designer and it has definitely helped open my eye to designs I would not have appreciated before. I am very pleased with our new kitchen! Working on Master bedroom and bathroom now :-) Lindsey is very responsive to any emails or phone calls. I would highly suggest her to anyone looking for design advice, staging etc.." - Shari
For more images of this project and others like it, click HERE! Don't miss the before and afters!!!
Thanks again for stopping by. I hope this post gave you a little insight to the necessary steps of a home remodel. If you have any questions, want to schedule a phone consultation, or need help on your own home remodel project... this is where you can find me.
You are amazing and I look forward to connecting again soon!
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