Tag Archives: Interior Design

Heidi’s Home Renovation Project Reveal

home reno reveal cover

Since my friend was kind enough to allow me to share the “in process photos” from her large home renovation project in my previous post on home renovation survival tips, it seems only fitting that I share the “after” photos with all of you as well. After all, who doesn’t appreciate a little interior design eye candy, right?

This renovation project encompassed almost the entire interior and exterior of my friend’s home, so I’m just going to focus on my favorite aspects of the project.  It would have been ideal to show you a set of before and after photos for each space, but unfortunately, I did not think to take a set of before photos before the project started.

This image does give you a sense of what the kitchen looked like before…just imagine a wall right behind the sink/dishwasher area, since that was the original exterior wall of the house (the entire area behind it is an addition which almost triples the size of the existing kitchen).

House Envy 1

Looks just a smidge different in the After photo below, eh?

The new kitchen certainly makes for an awesome entertainment space. I’m in love with the large butcher block table that extends off of the center island.
house envy 6

When designing her new kitchen, Heidi incorporated one of the latest kitchen design trends…a blend of contrasting cabinetry. The wood tones mixed with the painted cabinetry creates such visual interest.

house envy 8

As you can see in the above image as well as the image below, the new kitchen boasts a ton of display space to house all of Heidi’s collectibles. Don’t you just love glass front kitchen cabinets?

house envy 9

The new lighting is gorgeous, offering up just the right amount of drama for the space (note the accent lighting in the high display cabinets…sweet!)

house envy 7

Of course, as a professional organizer, I had no choice but to “ooh and aaah” over what is probably my favorite feature of the new kitchen…this custom-built family command center that serves as home for the family’s keys, electronics, and household papers. I love it so much, I’ll be stealing emulating this idea in my own kitchen redesign.

house envy 11

By now, you’ve probably noticed the new hand-scraped hickory flooring that was installed throughout the entire main floor of the home. Much to my delight, they carried the hardwood up the stairs, and installed these beautiful square-shaped newel posts that are totally in keeping with the new craftsman design. Did I mention that I’m also a sucker for iron spindles?

house envy 10

Let’s move onto the master suite…

Once again, this part of the house is a new addition, so there are no before photos to offer up. Prior to the renovation, the master suite consisted of an average size rectangular room with an average size connected bathroom located on the second story .

The new master suite is downright palatial. This wall of windows provides an amazing view of their secluded wooded property, which is so splendid, they opted to omit window treatments entirely.

house envy 2

Among the other elements of architectural awesomeness are the gorgeous wood beams that add interest to the vaulted ceiling…

house envy 3

…and the barn door that separates the bedroom from the bathroom. Who wouldn’t want one of these?

house envy 4

Ready to take a peek inside the master bath?

The “Mrs.” vanity is on the right side:

house envy 13

and “Mr.” gets his own area to the left:

house envy 12

As if it wasn’t awesome enough, here’s the “shower that’s as big as my laundry room”! Of course it contains dual shower heads, as well as a small seating area. Of course. (Is my house envy that obvious?)

house envy 5

This is the point where I so wish that I had taken before photos, so that you could truly appreciate the complete transformation of the home’s exterior. This image was taken after the new vinyl siding, roof, and front porch were completed. The addition of the front porch totally transformed the look of the front elevation, making it infinitely more charming.

house envy 14

Let us not omit the new garage doors, stonework, and lighting.

house envy 15
Phase I of Heidi’s renovation is now finished and took approximately a year to complete. They are about to embark on Phase II, which consists of completing the basement renovation, as well as the exterior landscaping. Although it was challenging for the family to live amid the chaos, she assures me that it was well worth it.

I know that I would be willing to endure the challenge if I got to wake up to that view from my bed every day. Can you see why I have house envy?

 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Olioboard E-Design: A No Cost Resource for Your Next Room Makeover

Olioboard Collage

Have a space in your home that’s in dire need of a makeover? Do you wish there was an affordable way to enlist the help of an interior designer to create a blueprint for transforming your room from drab to fab?

Let me introduce you to Olioboard.

Olioboard is an online moodboard tool used by interior designers & enthusiasts to create 2D and 3D room designs using real products from the most popular home decor retailers.  Historically, mood boards generated by this design tool were reserved for paying clients.  With the recent introduction of Olioboard’s free e-design service, this is no longer the case.

E-design customers get matched with their very own e-designer who will provide custom “shoppable” designs for their space. You can choose which items (if any) you want to purchase from the room design and make your purchase directly through Olioboard. Items are shipped for free to your door (for orders over $50).

When I learned about this new service, I decided to try it out for myself. I’m ready to give my family room an overhaul this year, and although I have my own vision for how I want the transformation to unroll, I thought it would be fun to incorporate ideas from one of the Olioboard e-designers as well.

After creating an Olioboard account, I initiated the e-design consultation by completing their client questionnaire.  During this information-gathering process, I communicated my overall vision for the space, my style & color preferences, the room dimensions, my budget, and my preferred shopping sources (e.g., Pottery Barn, Pier One, West Elm). I was also asked to upload photos of the space. Olioboard uses this information to pair you with a designer on their team who specializes in your particular style preference (e.g., modern, traditional, coastal, etc.).

My e-designer contacted me within a few hours of submitting my client questionnaire to ask a few clarifying questions. In less than 2 days, the first draft of my design mood board appeared in my inbox (wow! that’s quick!). I was really impressed with the design, but wanted to tweak a few things. I was able to communicate directly with my e-designer via email in order to provide feedback on the draft. In less than a day, the revised mood board arrived.

L-O-V-E  I-T!Olioboard Edesign 1

This interior designer clearly understood my vision and delivered a completed room design within my specified budget. I love that she provided a few options for key pieces, such as the coffee table and t.v. console. The mood board is an essential component of the design, but…where should all of these lovely pieces be placed in the room?

This is the question I posed to my e-designer, and in response, she sent me this detailed floor plan, which left no question unanswered.Olioboard Edesign 2

The free mood board and floor plan are awesome, but what’s beyond awesome is this feature:

Olioboard Edesign 3

Your e-design consultation culminates with an item-specific shopping list with links that enable you to purchase the items in your design board directly from the Olioboard website. I know what you’re thinking…and you’re wrong. The price you see on the retailer’s site is the same price you will find on Olioboard. Too good to be true? I know, right?

I did mention that all orders over $50 include free shipping, right?

So my question to you is…what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this amazing resource and go tackle that room makeover! When you do, be sure to come back and share your experience with the Olioboard e-Design Service (as well as an AFTER photo of your space).

To learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms LLC, visit www.refinedroomsllc.com.