Whew! I can’t believe that we have already reached the end of 2016. This year has been chocked full of big projects, EPS™ courses, corporate collaborations, new instructional videos, and room makeovers. Today I’m going to share some of my favorite before and after photos from my interior design endeavors this year.
Let’s start with a new build. Here’s a floor plan that a couple of my friends created for their new home. I was thrilled when they asked me to help with colors, countertops, tile, fixtures, and hardware.
I love how it all came together beautifully! It was featured on WTVF’s Talk of the Town, a local news and entertainment show here in Nashville.
The Decorologist
The next room makeover was for a boys’ room. My client’s sons share a bedroom that was in need of some sprucing up:
boys’ room before
We turned this bedroom into a more mature, put-together, totally cool space for the boys to take a little retreat from their three younger siblings. Be on the lookout for an upcoming post featuring their sister’s bedroom, my FAVORITE transformation in the house!
The Decorologist
Next up is a living room makeover. My clients moved into this large home with their existing puffy leather furniture:
before
Lucky for me, they were more than willing to part with it and started fresh with this room makeover. New colors, new furniture, new accessories! Here is the gorgeous after. This space is a great example of how your home can be beautiful while still being child-friendly. Did I mention they have five kids?
The Decorologist
Here we had a den with a bit of an odd shape. With shelves, an open staircase, and a fairly tight space, you might dismiss this room as little more than a walkway to the kitchen.
before
Lightening up the palette went a long way to making this room fresher and larger. We kept the sectional, but replaced the coffee table, art, and light fixture. The semi-custom curtains and pillows pulled it all together.
The Decorologist
And here we had an unfinished living room that was practically screaming for an emergency room makeover…
before
… and boy, did it get one! Window treatments hung high and dark ceiling beams pull your eye up and make the view and the gorgeous new light fixture the stars of the room. I’ll have to show you the rest of this room soon, which includes an amazing fireplace makeover – but I still need to get over there and take some better photos.
The Decorologist
And finally, this dining room was being used as a catch-all room. You can tell that no meals were being shared on that table! If you have a room where junk is piling up, that can be a sign that you need a room makeover that includes making over the FUNCTION of the space.
before
Instead of having an unused dining room, we turned it into a stunning music room. You can bet there’s no junk piling up in this gorgeous space now!
The Decorologist
Here’s hoping 2017 holds many more makeovers and exciting projects! Which room is your favorite?
In the boys room makeover, did you change out the one larger window for two smaller ones?
ACkkkk! I used the wrong “before” photo (from another room in the same house). Thank you so much for catching that – it’s fixed now!!! 🙂
Happy New Year! Love these before & after posts! It was difficult to choose a favorite, but I will say the unfinished living room because it is so pretty, yet functional with plenty of comfortable seating.
In the new year, can you show us some ideas for covering a glass block window in a master bathroom? I recently moved to Florida from the northeast and glass block windows are new to me! I have a 50″ square block and am not sure what to do with it! Looking forward to all the awesomeness on your blog in the coming year!
Thanks Laura! I will see if I can address your issue in an upcoming post 😉
Happy New Year Kristie!!
I love “before and afters”–you can really see what was done and how the changes make such a difference!!
All the rooms look gorgeous!! I think my favorite is the last one -the music room, I love the dark ceiling!
Thanks, Maggie! Happy New Year to you 🙂
All of these rooms are fabulous! Well done!!!
Thank you, Jeannine!
Thanks, Kristie! Except for that huge square of glass block, the bathroom is pretty: nice tile, granite and modern bowl sinks. I lean toward French country, Shaker, and some modern touches and fixtures just to keep things interesting, but glass block doesn’t seem to fit anywhere!
Kristy, your blog has been both comfort and inspiration to me for a long time now as my husband and I have navigated seven long hurtful years of a situation involving our land which in turn permeated what seems every aspect of our home and life. We are finally, at what I hope and pray, is the breaking of the final link in a devastating chain of events.
At 59 and 63 years of age we have the job of rebuilding our lives and, as we attempt to do so, we also hope to take each individual link in the long chain and use each one to help others avoid what we have endured.
I want you to know that what you share feeds the spirit as well as the imagination. Your blog has given my spirit a place to rest; an escape. I believe it has been this way because home means so very much to me and because the making of home had to be set aside in order to survive.
About eight years ago my husband and I started remodeling our kitchen. We were going to do it in stages as we could afford to; new refrigerator, new sink, new stove…etc. The countertop was torn out and cabinets incomplete when our troubles started and we had been using pieces of plywood in the interim. We are still using those same pieces of plywood all these years later. I am hoping that 2017 will be a year of some peace in our lives and a new beginning for us. Perhaps the kitchen will finally be completed. Time will tell. I have to admit it does not hold the same importance to me as it did when we began.
On this first day of the new year I want to let you know what you have meant to me and how you have helped me without even knowing it. I also want to wish you a wonderful, peaceful, successful 2017 full of happiness and joy.
Thank you for the beautiful inspiration that helped to bring light to my spirit during really difficult times. I have come to see your design talents as a place where comfort and elegance, nurturing and beauty co-exist. Love and light to you and yours in 2017. Nancy Stinson, White House, TN
P.S. My favorites on this page are the first photo and the music room. You really are an artist of design.
Wow Nancy,
I don’t even know what to say. First of all, I am sorry to hear you have had such a difficult time with all that you have been going through. Secondly, I have to thank you for taking the time to write me, and you should know what an encouragement it is for me to hear that what I’ve shared on the blog has been helpful to you, even in the smallest way. I’ve been writing this blog for 7 1/2 years now, and there are times when I feel uninspired and I wonder if what I’m sharing is an inspiration to anyone at all! It means a lot to me that it has been meaningful to you, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated YOUR encouragement. I am praying that 2017 is a immeasurably better year for you than those in recent history, and that you and your husband grow together through your struggles and come out stronger on the other side.
Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you,
Kristie
Nancy, I am just now reading your comment on Kristie’s post, and it moved me so much. While I’m not sure where White House, Tennessee, is, I am in the northern most county of the neighboring state of Mississippi just south of Memphis.
I am just curious how you and your husband are doing now, three years later. I hope and pray that you find yourself in much better circumstances now and that both you and your husband are safe and healthy during this horrible pandemic in which we find ourselves.
With much respect and admiration from a fellow Southern girl,
Saprena Hagan
Hernando, Mississippi
Love the idea of the dark ceilings! It’s such a dramatic look. What type of paint sheen do you use on dark ceilings? Eggshell?
Kristie, such great inspiration and design! So thrilled to learn even more from you in 2017!
Quick question — you used something other than stainless handles in that white kitchen. Thoughts behind that?
Carol, good eye! The appliances in this kitchen are not stainless, they are slate (dark gray finish). Because of the wood beams above, we decided to paint the windows dark bronze and chose dark bronze cabinet handles, as well. It’s a bit warmer look than doing the predictable nickel handles.
My favorite is the den makeover, because with very minor changes, you have created a dramatic difference. Now that’s talent!
Thank you so much, Terry!
Absolutely love what you did with the dining room – beautiful!!
Thank you so much, Leslie! I really love that space 🙂
I look forward to meeting you at RESACON in Las Vegas. Will you have books, cds, etc. for sale in your exhibit?
Yes, Helen – I will have several products for sale at RESACON. I look forward to meeting you, too!
Is it possible for you to give the names of the paint colors?
These are all so beautiful that it is hard to choose a favorite!! You are so incredibly talented, Kristi, and your clients are fortunate to be able to have you as their interior designer! I hope that we get to see much more of each of these make-overs soon! I also second the request to know the paint colors–I especially love the warm blue-green gray(?) color in the living room (the one with the fan light and beams.)
I love all the light fixtures. Where ever do you find them? How very clever to use what looks like an old-time gym light in the boys bedroom, LOL! And what is that unique silvery finish on the light fixture in the den called? It is gorgeous and I’ve never seen anything like it!
Is your business leaning more towards interior design now, instead of staging? Just curious.
I will also second what Nancy said about your blog being an inspiration; just seeing the “before” and “afters” is inspiring and encouraging, and your whole career story is also an inspiration to all who aspire to change direction mid- career!
These makeovers are all amazing in their own way! My favorite is the awkward dark den, which now looks like someplace I’d want to lay around all day. And that dining room at the end now looks SO LUXE, like it’s in a totally different house. You’re so inspiring!
Dear Kristie, I love your blog so much! I discovered it very recently and it’s such a joy for me to still have so many older post to read and enjoy. My favorite makeovers are the den and dining room, simply beautiful!
I love them all! But since a music room is a particular dream of mine, I’ll take that one. With a grand piano, of course.
Who wouldn’t love a grand piano, right? Thanks, Beth! Are you going to RESACON this year?
I really loved the “awkward den redux” post, so that’s my favorite. It’s an encouragement to those of us with interesting spaces in our homes to give them a second chance at better hospitality, and a nudge to “lighten up” in 2017. Those curtains in the music room, though! Are the drapes in both rooms custom, Kristie? The fabrics are luscious!
Thanks, Sunny! They are semi-custom from a company that is to-the-trade only.
Wow!! All of these rooms are fabulous! Brilliant!
Why, thank you – I appreciate that!
Even though I am not usually a neutrals gal, the music room made me smile. Lovely makeover … simple, yet elegant.
I could live in every one of these rooms! Beautiful, easy and timeless elegance! Soon will be downsizing from larger home to smaller retirement home (when we find it!) and saving every article from you for inspiration. As a budding writer, I was an inspirational, cozy yet clean energetic fibe for our “golden years!” Thank you!!!
“want”… not “was”… human typo hiccup…