A Quick BEFORE & AFTER

With a large old sofa and worn out (but much loved) recliner, a fireplace wall that lacked detail, and a layout that needed some tweaking, my clients' family room was a space that they hoped could be welcoming and gorgeous...someday.  

As of this week, I believe that day has come!  As we put most of the finishing touches on the lovely new space, I wanted to show you a sneak peek of how things have come together:

I love how warm and bright the room feels now with new textures, paint colors, rug, furniture, built-in bookcases, and accessories to cozy it up. The blue and camel color scheme brings out the warmth in the stone fireplace and pulls the whole space together beautifully. 

It is a joy to do what I do! 

But it didn't turn out quite how I thought it would...

Transformation can be a tricky thing.

As a culture, I have to say we are pretty fascinated with transformation. There are television shows about weight loss, getting fit, becoming famous, and, of course, my favorite--home renovation. 

Those BEFORE & AFTER shots can be downright intoxicating, right? 

On a good day, those images and stories can show us what is possible, inspiring us to do things differently in our own lives. On a bad day, it tricks us into thinking that really complicated problems can be easily fixed within the timeframe of an hour-long television program. 

(I have read that some of those oh-so-engaging HGTV shows may transform one space in a house while piling stuff in adjacent rooms that are off-camera, creating new problems and a big mess that still needs addressing. Interesting...) 

Sometimes we accidentally create chaos rather than transformation when we try to just make something pretty while ignoring or being blissfully unaware of the underlying challenges and problems that make that thing ugly or dysfunctional in the first place.

We don't mean to do this. We just don't know what we are getting ourselves into! 

For example, have you ever bought new furniture for a room and been so looking forward to the new look you were creating, only to be deeply disappointed when it arrived because it wasn't the right size or shape, didn't look how you had hoped it would, and made the room actually feel worse to you? 

OR

Have you ever invested in a renovation project that resulted in a space that still frustrated you and didn't turn out quite how you thought it would--despite throwing all that money at the problem?

*SIGH* Haven't we all? 

Good transformations--ones that have remarkable, long-lasting positive results--come from taking the time to understand what really is at the core of the thing we long to change.  

Maybe a sofa is too big for the space, and what you really need to make it sensational is a loveseat?

Maybe your house is driving you nuts, and instead of renovating and reconfiguring closets, it would be better to start by clearing out clutter and getting back to basics before you hire a contractor?

Maybe instead of hanging new curtains and artwork, you need to figure out the best furniture layout for the room first so that it feels inviting and settled?

WHO KNEW??

These are the challenges I love helping people solve as the House Whisperer--and the result is a transformation that changes the way my clients live in their homes for the better for years to come. 

Keep Calm & Throw It Out

The feeling of calm is something that can be in short supply in our busy lives--and it is the feeling that most of us long to create in our homes. 

Should be easy, right? 

The mistake we can make is thinking that to improve a room, we have to ADD something. But in this case what is missing is CALM, and to create this much sought after feeling, we most often need to take something away. 

Because we are such busy people, we often have a lot of STUFF out in our homes and don't realize how this changes how we feel each day. 

You see, when we have a lot of stuff sitting out, it is almost like having a group of people all talking at us at the same time. You may not really "see" all of those items on the shelf or stuck on the refrigerator anymore --it may have become white noise to you--but trust me, they are still trying to get your attention and causing a commotion every time your eye glances over them....

What things around your home can be taken down, donated, thrown out, put in a drawer, or stored in such a way that it gives you some visual rest? Having less on the surfaces in our homes automatically makes it feel more settled. It helps us to feel more calm. 

And peace and calm is what I wish for you, dear friends! 

Whoa--there are some fun changes going on around here!

We aren't even three weeks into 2017 yet, but there are so many fun changes and exciting things going on already that I can't wait to share with you. 

First, the picture above is of a new addition that I designed for a long-time client last year. After many months of planning and dreaming, the new space is becoming a reality! I stopped by at the job site yesterday to see how it is taking shape, and it is just soooo exciting to see the walls and roof being put in place.

SECOND--back in October I received a call from a new client who was interested in my help with reworking the island in her kitchen.

She had selected the countertop, paint color and backsplash in a rush as the room was being built a few years ago, and had never been happy with how the room came together... 

I got to see how things were progressing yesterday, and I was so glad to hear her say how much SHE LOVES the room now!

As you can see below, we redesigned the cabinetry so now she has a level counter--providing much more usable space. We also selected a gorgeous soapstone countertop, which compliments the granite around the perimeter (something she and her husband did not want to change) and goes so well with the historic character of her farmhouse.

The backsplash and new paint have not gone as of yet, but when they do, this room is really going to sing! The granite around the perimeter of the kitchen will no longer have to compete with the busy small tile above it, and the new colors will soften the room and make it more soothing--as well as compliment the gorgeous stone found in this old farmhouse.

And the last but NOT THE LEAST of all of these new changes is this very website you are on! 

I am so excited to reveal Revealing Redesign's BEAUTIFUL new website that was just completed in the last days of 2016!

I am SO PROUD! You can read all about how this new site was created by my amazing friend Elizabeth Fanslow right here. 

So many amazing things in the past two weeks--looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2017 has in store!

What if it were possible?

I think this is the best time of year to ask ourselves this question. I really do. 

We are just a few days into a new year--a time when many people long to make a fresh start, to make big changes, to feel the thrill of possibility. 

What if ________ were possible??

Thrilling, right??

One of the most important things I learned a few years ago, during a time of intense personal growth, was to ask myself this very simple question when I came upon something that seemed like a roadblock or a limitation (which happens a lot when you are really stretching yourself).  

For example, if in 2017 you are thinking of changing jobs, getting the pet hamster you have been dreaming of, embarking on a home renovation (my personal favorite! :), or some other life-altering undertaking, you may find yourself saying limiting things like:

I don't have time for this!

That is too expensive.

That will never work for me.

I'm too old for this kind of craziness!

I can't stand cleaning up hamster poop.

This negativity will happen. You know it will. SO this is the time when you simply step back and ask yourself this question: 

What if it were possible....?

and you then fill in the blank :

"What if it were possible that I could easily find the time/money I needed to accomplish this?"

"What if it were possible that I am at the perfect age and time of my life for this to happen? "

"What if it were possible that I could toilet train my new pet hamster?"

I mean, who's to say it isn't??

It isn't important to answer this question, just to ask it. Write down your question and leave it somewhere where you will see it often. Read it out loud. Allow yourself to ponder the possibility. :)

May the year ahead be one in which we all stretch and grow, dream big and keep putting one foot in front of the other. And as we go along, let's keep asking ourselves and those we love this question that is so full of possibility:

What if it were possible...?

(AND if you are wondering just what is possible in your home--just how beautiful, nurturing, and pulled-together can it really be?--don't forget to check out my special offer that is going on right now, and will end in just a few days. CLICK HERE to learn more. )