Reader Redesign: From Woah to Wow
We have a certain soft spot in our heart for other owners of 1950′s ranches, especially when those owners also had to rescue their house from outdated decor. Take Maggie for example. She and her husband transformed their Texan living room into a comfortable and classic room that they’re proud to call home. Here’s her letter:
Hello John and Sherry! Ever since I found your blog over a year and a half ago I have been hooked. My husband and I recently purchased a 1951 ranch in Texas that needed a lot of work. We knew it would require a lot of commitment, but we both love do-it-yourself projects and knew that we could tackle it on our own. The room that needed the most help was our living room, which looked more like an Italian restaurant than a cozy country cottage.
Our goal was for the space to feel organic, like it had been collected over time. We have found that by purchasing only the things that we love, the space, in turn, feels more cozy than if we were to go to one store and buy a lot of coordinating items.
Here are some more tidbits about the makeover:
- The wall color is Olympic “Toasted Almond” in flat and the color on the trim, built-ins, and fireplace is Olympic “Ultra White” in semi-gloss.
- The decorations are from a variety of discounted home stores including TJ Max, HomeGoods, Tuesday Morning, Target, and even Walmart. We also found a lot of great things at resale and antique shops.
- The curtains are actually painter’s drop-clothes from Lowe’s. We knew we wanted something light and airy, but also knew we didn’t want to spend a ton of money since we needed 8 curtain panels. They fit perfect in the room, and the $9.99 price tag wasn’t too shabby either.
I also wanted to share my dated dining room makeover as a bonus:
It feels so fresh and inviting thanks to more affordable items and ideas.
Just wanted to send those pictures your way. Keep up the awesome blogging! You’ll are so inspiring! – Maggie from The Walton’s
Wow. It’s hard to believe those are even the same rooms. And we love that Maggie didn’t run the other way when she saw those spaces as they were “before.” We like how comfy and lived in everything looks now, and I particularly covet your vintage Pepsi-Cola box. Sherry will tell you I have a weird thing for old boxes and soda bottles, so you’re lucky we live several states away or else you’d have to glue that down.
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Amazing!-What were those previous owners thinking? I love the faux stone doorway.
Big transformation…this house had A LOT of DIY faux.
Some buyers can’t look pass “terrible” decorating. Good thing this buyer did. They found a beautiful jewel.
Wow! That looks amazing – I particularly love their living room, and especially the painter’s drop cloth curtains!
Beautiful!!! I would love to see what those curtains look like if they started at the ceiling though. :)
I love the painters drop cloths as curtains. Maggie, will you post another picture with them close up?
WOW what a transformation – the other look might have been nice years ago, but was very dated… the new look is so bright and fresh!
What a great makeover! Your home looks so incredibly cozy. I love the high wainscoting (sp?) in the dining room, it adds a really interesting feature.
Great job guys!
Gorgeous!!
Gorgeous! I love the transformation.
Drop cloth curtains!? Amazing!! I love it!:) This place is absolutely adorable. I love the orange buffet in the dining room and also just love all the pieces brought together versus matchy-matchy. I am inspired.
Wow…that looks so amazing!! The living just looks so cozy and comfortable. I really like how they created a “collected over time” look. Everything fits together but is not too match-y. Beautiful, GREAT JOB!
I love the transformation, but I have a question. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone…but is that a see through cat sitting on the rug in the second picture of the dining room?
Wow, wow, wow. I had to keep looking back at the ‘Before’ picture of the living room to fully appreciate the coolness of the built-ins and how they transformed them! Great vision – wonderful job!
I think the “see thru” cat is really just sun light… isn’t it???
I love the red sideboard in the dining room.
WOW! Maggie…. that’s incredible! Those rooms are absolutely gorgeous! Great job and thanks for sharing the inspiration!
GORGEOUS!!!!!
I am in awe. That is a gorgeous make over that gave me all sorts of ideas for my house!! Beautiful!
I LOVE the family room! Awesome job, Melissa! I feel like that family room is my exact design aesthetic so thank you for sharing it. I’m filing this away in my “someday I’ll do this to the house I eventually buy” file.
Amber…that does look like a ghostly cat shaped apparition doesn’t it? I think it’s just sunshine on the floor though.
Wow-za! You had the vision and now you have PERFECT results. What an inviting home!
Love her home…read more online about drop cloth curtains..found out that the ones at Lowe’s often have a seam down the middle, the ones at Home Depot do not. Also be aware that not all drop cloths are made of the same material..so look at what you are buying. Also have to wash to get the smell out of them…what a great solution!
This is as fine a makeover as I’ve seen on the various decor blogs I read every day! The living room is so warm and welcoming – love those colors. My favorite parts: The styling on the built-in shelves (I yearn to steal them away and fill them up with books) and the mantel makeover. The hardwood floors are gorgeous. Like Jen, I’d like to see the curtains hung a bit higher, but since I don’t even *have* curtains yet, who am I to nitpick?
That living room is amazing! Love it!!
Awesome job for the seeing the beauty in those “old bones”. I might be partial, but Texas has some gorgeous old ranches that just need a lot of love. Way to go!
Holy crap, what a transformation! Beautiful!!
John – you’d love what my husband and I gave away as our wedding favors. Glass Coca-Cola bottles displayed in a vintage wooden Coca-Cola box. We live in Georgia and had a vintage wedding so it worked well.
Sounds like my kind of wedding!
-John
I am in LOVE with the built-in book shelves. They are absolutely gorgeous, and I love the items placed on the shelves. It has that great “collected-over-time” look. Thanks for sharing!
Love the re-do! Maggie, can you give us more info on the drop cloth curtains…did one drop cloth make 2 panels? did you have to wash or bleach them first? and how about the hem? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but they look so great!
I love it. They did an incredible job.
Out of curiosity (as a Texan), what city do they live in?
So impressed with the Walton’s vision! It would be hard for me to walk through that place with a straight face, let alone purchase it. Bravo! You guys are awesome!
I love that hutch in the dining room!
Ms. Melissa, you are making me miss Texas! Your house is lovely and thank you for sharing.
wowza! i love the bracket shelving! i attempted that in my house but it looks much more basic- plain white on plain white. i also love how they draped throw blankets over the living room chairs but it looks somehow chic and cozy instead of messy!
Wow I love the living room transformation, especially the window seat! Oh this one is the best one I have seen :)
Brilliant curtain idea! I love it!
whoa – it is unbelievable how great it now looks!
wow!!!!!! it looks amazing love the curtains
XOXO,
http://outfitidentifier.com
I love what they did with the shelving – and removing the doors on the upper cabinets. It makes the room look so much more spacious! (that – or maybe it was the color….?) ;)
Did you know you can paint the drop cloths for curtains? My sister painted our bedroom with — well, it is uniquely us but meant our previous curtains were a major clash. She bought drop cloths, laid them out on plastic in the basement and with a long handled roller, rolled stripes on both sides in the colours used in the room — I had them hemmed and pressed by the dry cleaner and they are perfect. Longer than average curtains for $12 plus the paint we had on hand. I’ve since used the technique in another room.
John, if I’m not mistaken, those Pepsi crates are at Pottery Barn right now: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/found-soda-crate/?pkey=e%7Cpepsi%7C4%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C4&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules I have a thing for old boxes/crates too :)
Oh gosh, now that you guys revealed that John’s going to drag me there this weekend! Not that I don’t like a good PB visit…
xo,
s
Gorgeous, just gorgeous!!! Love both rooms.
Wow is right! These rooms look amazing – well done!
John- the vintage Pepsi box can be found at Pottery Barn.
The living room has me swooning. I adore the shelves, and love the way they hung two pictures in the large space on the right shelf. This is my favorite redesign ever! I would like her to come decorate my house, please- I’m also in Texas!
I really really like it! It looks like pottery barn! Everytime I walk into that place.. this is what it looks like haha. Love it. Much Kudos!
Wow, the living room looks like a Nancy Meyers movie set! Beautiful and great job!
wow!!! what a transformation!!!
http://desire2decorate.blogspot.com/
I absolutely love this. The before pictures look something like my house. I am working on it to look like those after pictures.
Its a beautiful transformation, wish I could be that creative!
Not sure if this is the place to ask for about a month or so ago John listed at least one site where to create a room w/dimensions. I’ve looked in the topics section and did a search but could not find it. Is there anyway to get these?
Thanks!
~ L.
We’re thinking it was floorplanner.com. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I LOVE love LOVE that they used canvas drop cloths. Genius!! I have a huMUNgous picture window in my front room that currently has HIDEOUS vertical blinds. I think there’s a good 6 slats missing. Classy!! I’m totally borrowing the drop cloth idea for my front room! I will send you pictures. ;)