We work on a lot of renovations, and every one is special in its own way.
This particular one is the wife’s childhood home. As I shared with you here, we renovated to give it new life for their family to grow into it.
I have no doubt many memories are waiting to be made.
Gone are the finishes of the 80s and it is now a chic, livable, family-friendly home that has made quite the transformation.
Here are a few before and after photos:
Dana Wolter Interiors, Kitchen Renovation After Framing
After The Renovation- A Functional, Livable Home For The Entire Family, Dana Wolter Interiors
Custom cabinetry and gorgeous marble slabs create a custom kitchen while the unlacquered brass hardware and lighting finishes the room.
What a difference taking down walls and adding in new windows made, too.
Its hard to tell in the picture, but the kitchen roman shade is green and charcoal gray. Green is the homeowner’s favorite color, so we pulled it into her Dining Room.
Dining Room, Dana Wolter Interiors
Powder Room, Dana Wolter Interiors
It gives me such pleasure seeing this cute family enjoying their new home and adding in items, such as her grandmother’s dining table, that are important to them. After all, isn’t that the reason behind each of us having a home to call our own.
XO,
Dana
If we can help you renovate your home, contact us here.
To see more of what Dana Wolter Interiors is doing on a daily basis, click to follow along…
I’m in a lot of homes, and I tend to see the same problems come up time after time.
Some are dark, cramped, outdated, not functioning well…. Can you relate to any of these issues in your own home?
If so, I am sharing a few simples ways to instantly make your house feel and look better.
It’s one of the best parts of my job when a client hires us to transform their personal space and for us to see how a beautiful, organized home can completely change how a family lives.
Here are a few ways to solve some common problems in the home:
1. Organize your home so everything has a place.
If organizing overwhelms you, start by cleaning out a small space such as the towel drawer in your kitchen. Incorporate hidden storage where you can create a visual calm and remember to store alike things together.
The hidden door under my stairs allows for all kinds of hidden storage for my family, Dana Wolter Interiors
2. Find a Purpose for every room in your home.
No room should serve as a “walk-through” or a one that is used once or twice a year. Once you give the room a function, take a step back and assess the items in it. Do they bring you joy or are they useful? If neither, it is time to give them away or throw them out.
This may also mean switching rooms around, or changing how the furniture is arranged in a room.
Take this home below that we worked on recently. The living room was never used, the family room wasn’t working for the family, so we flipped the two.
Looking Into The New Family Room, Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography
Because of where these two rooms are placed in the house, the family now finds themselves using both spaces on a regular basis.
3. Find a Balance with how your home flows and functions.
To Live Well in your home, it should work hard for everyday living while easily transitioning to host a party when needed.
Does the kitchen allow for quality work space? Is there a place for guests to sit and linger? If not, it may be time to renovate your kitchen.
We took this outdated, dark, cramped kitchen and made it accommodate today’s living. By raising the ceiling, taking the sunroom into the kitchen space and adding a wall of hidden storage, we created a kitchen that is functional, bright and works hard for this family.
BEFORE
BEFORE
AFTER:
Dana Wolter Interiors. Photography by Graham Yelton
I also love adding a banquette when I can in a kitchen. It allows for more seating AND it adds a layer of softness to a room filled with many hard surfaces.
Recent Breakfast Room completed, Dana Wolter Interiors. Graham Yelton Photography
4. What makes you smile and brings you joy?
Whether it is a sparse room, layered objects, bright colors, or a wall filled with books, use discernment in adding these touches to your space. Find ways to add what makes you smile to bring you Warmth and Joy in your house.
Sentimental family photos are added into this new, casual space, Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography
I hope these tips help you make an honest assessment about your home so you can find ways to add to your quality of life.
If you need help turning your house into one you love, reach out to us here. We would love to hear from you!
Here’s to Living Well in your home, whatever your definition may be.
Dana
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Your house is one of the biggest purchases you will make and there are three rooms you should invest in when designing your home.
That’s not to say the other rooms or areas should be ignored; it just means these three add more value to the quality of your life and for resale.
So….Here goes-…
The top three rooms in your home to invest in and why
1. Kitchen–
Not only will a beautiful, functional kitchen make your life easier when cooking and feeding your family, it also gives you a great return on your investment if you ever decide to sell your home.
Invest in quality cabinets (believe me, not all cabinetry is the same. Buy the best you can afford and select a cabinet maker/company who truly pays attention to the details), classic finishes, and quality plumbing.
A kitchen of ours as featured in Traditional Home. Photography by Jean Allsopp
It’s the room that gets the most use, so make yours one you love and one that functions well for cooking, prep, and entertaining.
2.Master Bedroom–
My bed is my FAVORITE place in my house. Yep – I admit it. Great linens, comfortable pillows, soft, soothing colors….. I love to curl up in my bed and relax, and if a book in involved, even better. It’s like wearing a comfy pair of pjs to me.
Dana Wolter Interiors, Photography by Graham Yelton
A cocoon-like feel for this teen’s bedroom. Dana Wolter Interiors, LLC, Photography by Graham Yelton
3. Family Room–
I included the Family Room since it’s where you relax, watch tv and LIVE. It needs to draw you in with comfortable seating that makes you want to kick back and visit with family and friends.
Be sure to include comfortable upholstery (the best you can afford), and soften the room with drapes, a rug that fits the space well, etc… Think of layering this room with things you love to create a collected, personal feel.
I have always admired the layered look of this room created by interior designer Ray Booth
Invest in these three rooms first to create a retreat and a home that feels good to you and your family. If we can ever help you turn your home into one you love, contact us here.
Dana
P.S. Follow along to see what we are doing on a day to day basis….
Building or renovating a home is a huge investment with your time and more importantly, your money.
And when a client hires us, we work to protect their investment and become their advocate, all while investing their money wisely and (hopefully) taking away the stress. I often see the same pitfalls to avoid when renovating or building.
Here are 5 must-follow tips on building or renovating a home:
1. Order the Size Window the Architect Specs Sometimes in the bidding process, it’s discussed replacing a custom window with a standard size one to save a little money.
Don’t do it- window size, type, and placement are extremely important when building a home, and this small change can dramatically alter the look of what has been professionally drawn.
2. Buy Right the First Time. Let’s face it….Life gets busy and all of us have good intentions to go back later and switch something out. I know building can be draining and tiring, but once you have moved and settled in, the last thing you want to do is spend money to replace something.
Buy the best you can afford on the front end and you will enjoy it for many years to come.
3. Use Classic Building Materials Save the trends for things that are easy to switch out such as pillows and accessories, and keep your building material finishes classic. You will thank me in the long run, especially if you decide to sell.
4. Set Money Aside for the Furnishings Budget appropriately for the building process (this is another post I need to write) and be sure to leave enough money to properly furnish the home.
Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography
Dana Wolter Interiors. Graham Yelton Photography
5. Think Long Termon Your Needs How long are you going to live in this house? If you plan on staying for five years or more, you need to take into account what your needs will be down the road.
Are you an empty nester building your final house? Be sure to think ahead on bedroom placement, stairs and other simple things that could be a hindrance down the road.
A custom-designed #island for an #emptynester couple, Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography
Do you have children who will be teenagers in five years? If so, they (and their friends) will only grow bigger and need more space..
Be sure to think long term and hire the best architect, designer, landscape designer and builder your budget allows. I promise you that in the end, it will save you money and hassle.
If you are building or renovating and would like to discuss your project with us, email us here. I would love to talk with you.
Potential clients will often reach out to us for different reasons.
Sometimes they can’t quite put their finger on why they aren’t happy with their home, but it is intuitive- it feels like wasted space or it’s dated or just not quite right.
Some are even embarrassed to have visitors over because of how it looks.
You can’t put a price tag on some things, and a home that offers a place to retreat is one of them.
Here are four ways to create a home you love:
Have a well-thought out design plan created for your home. After the purchase, furnishing your home is the second largest investment you will probably make.
Furnishing a home isn’t cheap, and you want to make sure you are spending your money wisely the first time….
You see- designing a home is an investment, so hire a professional to give you a detailed plan on how – and where- to invest in the furnishings of your home.
Dana Wolter Interiors
Think long term with your investment and life.
2.Include pieces that speak to you and that you love. When we begin a turnkey project, there is a lot of conversation with our client about their dreams, what’s important to them, etc… Your home needs to be a reflection of you and what makes your heart happy.
3. Give a room a purpose, and work the furniture around it. Unfortunately, you can’t have a home that feels good and works for you unless it works for your needs.
Cant figure out one? Contact us here to assess your needs and to help you invest your money wisely.
4. How can you add to the quality of your life through your home? Do you want to expand your circle of friends and want to invite more people over to dinner on a regular basis? Great- let’s make sure your home will flow like it needs to do so.
Dana Wolter Interiors
Life is too short to not love the place you spend the majority of your life. Your home should be a place that feels good, rejuvenates you and gives you a place to restore and rest.
It’s one of the best days of the week, and to mark my favorite day, I am starting a new series.
Friday Favorite begins today, and to kick it off I have chosen an image from a TV segment that I taped a few years ago.
Know all of those pumpkins and gourds you see at the farmer’s market and grocery? Well here are a few ways to implement them into your fall decor.
Both of these arrangements are super easy, so anyone , yes, anyone (I mean you!) can pull them together. Choose your flowers and gourds and let your creativity do the rest.
I always love having fresh flowers in my house, especially when they are in beautiful colors and add a touch of fall.
