I just stumbled upon these "before" pictures from my home in Channel Islands Harbor.
I thought you might enjoy seeing them.
This first picture was taken on the second floor looking out at the harbor behind our home. I loved the view but hated the 1970's feel of the house. The other pictures show the hideous lava rock fireplace. It was so ugly that we almost didn't buy the house.
BEFORE
.
AFTER
We plastered over the lava rock giving the fireplace the look of old stone and plaster .
We painted over all of the wood trim and replace the wall to wall white carpet with sea grass. All of the furniture was slipcovered in an off-white linen. All of the larger pieces were kept neutral. We added color through pillows and rugs. The dramatic tall gauzy drapes softened the space and provided a sense of scale. All of these moves gave the room a calm and comfortable feel.
BEFORE
AFTER
I recently added this antique French chair and Swedish desk to the room. It adds a layer of complexity to the over-all impression you get when you walk in the room.
BEFORE
The breakfast area and kitchen need a little something, so we added old french shutters to the wall..
It really is a cozy place to start the day.
AFTER
I knew I didn't want to completely re-do the kitchen, but I had to do something with it to pull
it out of the 1970's.
BEFORE
AFTER
We painted the dark brown kitchen a chalky French gray, replaced the ugly brown granite with a gray limestone, removed the "modern" heavy vent over the stove, and added some linen shades to the windows.
BEFORE
The dining area was so sad looking, and the light fixture was the worst.
AFTER
Again, we added soft gauzy window treatments that made the room glow. Since the dining area is open to the living room, the chairs are slip-covered in the same off-white linen as the sofas. It keeps the calm feeling in such a large open plan. We installed a capis shell chandelier that had an elegant yet beachey feel to it.
I am planning on posting the "before" and "after" pictures of my master bedroom and bath tomorrow.
They are really dramatic!
