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Welcome to my before and after home makeover tour! When we bought this house in 2013 we were moving back to America after living overseas for 10 years. We loved the architectural details, the beautiful finishes, and all the space in this home.
The move was a big adjustment. Our kids had grown up in another country, in a different school system and we had all left our life and friends behind. For the first couple of years, we were absorbed with settling in and finding our way. However, once I could take a breath I started looking around and realized our house was very dark. And very Tuscan, which was rapidly becoming dated in favor of the light, bright and airy look.
So many DIY blogs, TV shows, and videos focus on major overhauls of a house or a room. They knock down walls, move fireplaces, install recessed bookcases and in the end, they have a spectacular result that doesn’t resemble the original space. Don’t get me wrong, I love it! I love to build, create, and swing a hammer as much as the next DIYer.
However, I’ve long suspected the truth is that people need a way to transform a room or a whole house without knocking down walls or installing all new flooring. So I created this photo tour in the hopes that people would find it useful to see how I achieved a total home makeover with only cosmetic changes!
Before And After Home Makeover Tour…Let’s Get Started!
I took my time with my home makeover and spent about 18 months on it. For the most part, I worked on one room at a time, except for painting the open living areas of the house. Cost was also at the forefront of my mind, and I used inexpensive options where I could.
The Foyer – BEFORE
Looking from the great room into the foyer, the old decor consisted of intricate old-world fixtures, Tuscan gold paint, dark furniture, and the front doors, imposing and heavy.
The Foyer – AFTER
The new foyer got a classic contemporary crystal drop chandelier, a natural seagrass blend rug, a foyer table that is less heavy-looking, curtain panels were hung to soften the imposing front doors and the walls were painted white. Helpful tip: If you have pets, seagrass rugs are the best!
Before and After – Foyer
Dining Room – BEFORE
In the dining room, the chandelier was ornate and intricate, the chairs had tapestry fabric and the walls were painted a once-popular shade of burgundy. The area rug was a very traditional pattern in a cream and burgundy. As a result, the dining room was a sea of old-world Tuscan decor from corner to corner!
Dining Room – AFTER
The dining room received a complete facelift! I recovered the tapestry chairbacks with light fabric and nailheads, replaced the old-world wall sconces with simple alabaster wall sconces and selected a new piece of artwork. I also made sleek, drum shades for an old pair of lamps,
The huge, old Tuscan chandelier was replaced with a stunning, crystal drop chandelier. I installed light and airy curtains to soften the dark woodwork around the window, replaced the old rug with a natural Jute rug and painted the walls a soft grey/green color.
Before and After – Dining Room
Great Room – BEFORE
The great room had good bones, but had more of the same Tuscan gold paint, heavy chandeliers and miles of very dark trim.
I always loved the stone wall with brick trim, and the beams, but the super dark woodwork took over the room.
The room was beautiful and had tons of potential, but all around just too dark and dated.
Great Room – AFTER
What a transformation! The great room got a pretty extensive overhaul, most notably the gorgeous draped, wooden bead chandeliers. They are one of my favorite parts of the whole makeover! The intricate old-world light fixtures on the pillars were also replaced with soft contemporary sconces. The installation of cascading, linen draperies did wonders to break up all of that dark woodwork.
One of my splurges was to replace the two dark sofas with beautiful ivory sofas with nailhead trim. I also replaced the traditional rugs with an updated layered look. On the bottom is a soft, ivory rug and the blue and white distressed damask rug is layered on top to add depth and texture. The walls and ceiling were painted white.
The fireplace got a new piece of artwork with just a touch of gold, a couple of succulents in white containers and two gold accent pieces. I’m still not sure if I will replace the brown leather chairs…what do you think?
Before and After – Great Room Series
Kitchen – BEFORE
The kitchen was the room I issued over the longest. I knew all of that dark wood and black granite was not what I wanted, but the cabinets are solid walnut. It seemed criminal to paint over walnut! In the end, it was either paint the cabinets or replace the granite with a lighter color and painting was WAY less expensive.
Kitchen – AFTER
I’m happy to say, I did paint the cabinets a soft white and installed new hardware on the cabinets and drawers. No regrets! My kitchen indulgence was a built-in Nespresso machine, which is a heavenly luxury and eliminated expensive trips to a certain coffee chain!
I tore out the ornate finials from under the range hood (and from under the island counter) and installed a mother of pearl tile backsplash. I am OBSESSED with this natural tile, it is gorgeous! It comes in peel and stick and mesh. For the range hood, I pried off all of the ornate trim and built a flat surround on the original hood with plywood. I faux painted it silver, and added streamlined trim and large nailheads.
Before And After – Kitchen Series
Breakfast Nook/Kitchen – AFTER
I don’t have a “before” picture of this exact view of the kitchen and breakfast nook, but it is a good perspective of the layout. I changed out the old ceiling fan above the table and replaced it with a beautiful metal drum fixture. The new round rug under the table is natural seagrass.
Before And After – Breakfast Nook
Master Bedroom – BEFORE
The master bedroom is a beautiful space, but suffered from the same issues as the rest of the house. In other words, Tuscan gold paint throughout, dark wood and heavy furniture!
Master Bedroom – AFTER
This room was transformed into a serene master retreat! The dark and heavy Tuscan style bed was replaced with an ivory tufted headboard. I hung Cream curtains on the windows and built matching valences with nailhead trim. I painted the formerly dark nightstands ivory, and tiled their tops with the same Mother Of Pearl peel and stick tile used for the kitchen backsplash. The nightstands were topped off with a gorgeous pair of lamps.
A chunky Jute rug replaced the dark, traditional rug and I purchased two new tufted chairs with nailhead trim. I decided to keep the ceiling fans and replace the light kits on them. The old-world style light kits were removed and replaced with crystal chandelier light kits. I purchased neutral bedding and pillows with various textures and layered them. The walls are painted a soft grey/blue/green and the recessed ceiling is painted white.
Before and After – Master Bedroom
Master Bedroom Sitting Area – BEFORE
Our bedroom has a lovely little sitting area, but it suffered from problems you are now all too familiar with, LOL! In other words, the sitting room needed more of the same kind of updating.
Master Bedroom Sitting Area – AFTER
The ceiling fan received a crystal light kit replacement, curtains were hung over each of the dark sections of wood on the French doors, and a second Jute rug placed under the furniture. I pulled this sweet little wicker set from a different area of my home. The black mirror, artwork frame, and pillows tie into the black coffee table and side table next to the two wingback chairs by the fireplace.
Before And After – Master Bedroom Sitting Area
Master Bathroom – BEFORE
The bathroom needed brightening up, but arguably the most dated thing in this room was all of the beige travertine tile. I was unwilling to tear out all of the natural stone to start over, but there is one magical fix for updating tan travertine…bright WHITE accents! Take a look!
Master Bathroom – AFTER
Over the tub, I exchanged the drab flush mount fixture and put in a flush mount crystal drop fixture. I really wanted a big chandelier over the tub, but there are safety codes prohibiting that. I made a white valence for the window, and put fluffy white towels on all of the racks plus a stack on the side of the tub.
I replaced the old Tuscan light fixtures over the sinks and installed transitional vanity fixtures with white glass. The walls and ceilings were painted white. White rugs at each sink and a white fur rug for the middle of the floor finished it off! Do you think the white accents helped?
Before and After – Master Bathroom
The Tour Is Over!
I hope you enjoyed the before and after photo tour of my home makeover! If you have questions about any of the projects I did in the house, or how I used a product, please subscribe to Sugar & Saw email, or email me directly! I will do my best to answer your questions. Please feel free to share Pinterest!
In conclusion, please check out some of my other blog posts like DIY Halloween Gravestones, how to make a really cool Resin Bowl and a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake (YUM!).
