Before and After: Amanda's Light and Bright Living Space

Over the past year and a half, my friend Amanda has been working on renovating their new (to them) family home. When they purchased the 1970’s home back in the Fall of 2015, Judd and Amanda fell in love with the layout of the home as well as the property that surrounded it. They knew they would want to update it to fit their family’s style and needs though. Slowly but surely, Amanda and Judd have been working on transforming the space to a light and bright living space for their family of five. I have some great “before and afters” of the space for you today as well as an interview with Amanda about her experience with this process.

The Listing Photos

To give you an idea of what it looked like when it was for sale, I pulled these images from the real estate listing. You can tell the house was spacious, well-taken care of, and had well-made finishes. It was just time for some updates.

Before the Reno Began

A little while after Amanda and her family moved in, I came by to check out their new digs. I brought my camera with me so we could document the beginning of the journey. Here’s what it looked like when they moved in. This is also a testament why I never take pictures of homes with the lights on.

During that first year or so of living in the house, they tackled some of the really big projects – removing all of the wallpaper, painting all of the walls, and refinishing the wood floors. This past year, Amanda has focused on furnishing and decorating the main living space.

Since she knows how much I enjoy anything to do with styling and decor, she brought me along for the ride on this phase. The process has been so much fun. Pinning stuff like maniacs. Debating finishes, lighting, fabrics. Styling the built-in shelves in the corner. Photoshopping furniture contenders to see which looked best. This is my idea of a good time, people. Don’t laugh.

A year later, I think the room looks light years better! There are still a few pieces Amanda is looking for, like a buffet or console next to the dining area. But all in all, she is practically there. I’m so excited to share the “afters” and an interview with Amanda with you today!

Before and After: Amanda’s Light and Bright Living Space

What initially inspired your family to purchase this home? What features sold it for you?

The property and the unique character of the house. We particularly love the main living space with the huge windows and the breakfast nook with the wood ceiling.

Your renovation has a come a long way since you moved in. How did you prioritize your projects?

We lived in the house for several months before we did anything. After living here for awhile, we had a better sense of which projects were most important to us. For example, I had always assumed that we would update the kitchen relatively early in the process, but it has proven to be such a functional space, so now it is at the bottom of the list. The main family room/dining room space ended up being our top priority because it is the first thing you see when you enter our house and we really wanted a place to hang out as a family.

What was your biggest challenge in getting started?

Probably trying to figure out where to start. We wanted to update the house without changing its character. We probably spent a month debating about whether we should paint the wood trim white. We ultimately took the plunge, and I am so glad that we did.

What words describe the way you wanted this main living space to “feel”?

Comfortable, homey, and uncluttered

What is your approach to making decorating decisions?

I look at lots of pictures, read blogs, scour Pinterest and run ideas by my friends.

What is something you have learned through this process?

I realize that I do better making a change and living with it for a while before doing the next thing and making more changes.

What recommendations do you have for someone about to start a full house renovation?

We have greatly benefited from living in our house before making any changes. Of course, that comes with its own set of challenges, but it has allowed us to figure out how to best utilize the different spaces for our family. For example, we moved the laundry room from near the kitchen to the other side of the house with the bedrooms. I thought that we would use the former laundry space as a mudroom/home office. But, after living with the space for a while, we realized that we actually want to use it as a butler’s pantry.

When it comes to furniture and decor, what are your “go to” sources?

Ballard Designs, Restoration Hardware Outlet in Jacksonville, Koontz, Studio McGee, Shannon Roth Collection, and Foliage Design Systems for live plants and arrangements.

What projects are coming up next?

We are currently putting in a pool. After that, we will probably work on our master bath.

As a bonus, there is one other “Before and After” from this house I want to show you today. The kitchen eat-in nook. Judd and Amanda will be renovating the kitchen in a couple of years, but the dining space in there has had quite the transformation already.

Here it is in the listing photo:

Here it is shortly after they moved in:

And here it is now:

What testament to the power of paint and lighting, right? The table, rug and chairs are exactly the same.

Thank you for taking me along on this journey, Amanda. And for sharing what this experience has been like for you. I feel like we both have learned so much along the way. I cannot wait to see the next phase!

Before and After: Amanda's Light and Bright Living Space - The Outside & In

Amanda with her daughter Vivian

What are your thoughts of living in a home as you renovate? Could you do it? Amanda certainly is showing it can be done and the benefits to doing so!

“After” Photography: Ale Cretul

Posted by Ale & filed under Home Decor, Home Tours. This post has 8 comments.

8 thoughts on “Before and After: Amanda’s Light and Bright Living Space”

Nicole May 3, 2017 at 5:52 pm

Oh, wow, this is an extraordinary house! I just love the style and the open layout, and it looks like a solid, quality built home. Just wow! I understand the updates, but the home looked liveable in the before pictures, so a slow makeover seems doable. However, living in a home during major remodels can be stressful, especially the kitchen.
1. Ale Post author May 4, 2017 at 5:40 pm
  
  Yes, it is definitely a very well-built home. Happy that you liked it!
Michael Ashley May 3, 2017 at 9:30 pm

Time and patience is paying off here for sure!! The space is awesome and the upgrades are a perfect fit. Great job!
1. Ale Post author May 4, 2017 at 5:37 pm
  
  Totally agree, Michael. So glad you enjoyed the tour.
Meg Ruotolo May 4, 2017 at 5:31 am

Love the entire redo. Amazing difference. Love the neutral tones throughout. Really well done. The light fixture over the dining table rocks!!
1. Ale Post author May 4, 2017 at 5:38 pm
  
  I love that light fixture too! It’s the Darlana Pendant from Circa Lighting. Their lighting is stunning.
Cara May 8, 2017 at 9:32 am

What a stunning transformation! Love it. Beautiful house. Looks like they put a lot of work into it.
Emily Goodyear May 8, 2017 at 10:23 am

What an amazing transformation! I love all the bright freshness that the white colors bring these spaces! Awesome work!