Happy Friday, friends! One of my friends recently purchased a townhouse and was asking for my opinion on a few things so I put together a few design boards! The house was pretty bland with all white walls and kind of a standard 20-30 year old house! It just needed a few updates to modernize and spruce it up!
Read on below for some of my ideas!
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more information.
Front Porch
For most of these designs, I actually used photos of the house from the real estate listing! This is a great way for me to showcase what a design will actually look like in the real space!
The front door was a literal poop brown color and had to go! I suggested changing the door color to Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, which is one of my favorite colors! Another item that is a quick fix to modernize the front door is new hardware! I love square black hardware for most front doors – goes with everything!
For decor, I always like to do a layered doormat (check out my Front Porch blog post from a few years ago here) and plants around the door. I used a modern planter here and black bench to finish it off!
Entryway
Often in older homes, the back of the front door has taken a little bit of a beating and a fresh coat of paint can work wonders if you aren’t replacing the door! Also with light colored walls, the front door is the perfect place for a pop of color! I wanted this to coordinate with the front and keep a consistent color palette inside so I also suggested BM Hale Navy for the back of the door!
Another item in older homes that often could use a refresh is the lighting! This townhouse has a two story foyer and the scale of the chandelier is really important in a space like this! The light that was currently there was way too small so I suggested a few more modern large chandeliers.
I also like to include practical items in an entryway like hooks and a bench! I have these Hearth and Hand hooks in my own entry (see them here!)
Kitchen
In the kitchen, I wanted to suggest some easy, budget-friendly updates to make the space feel modern and new! First, I added two floating shelves to the right of the sink in order to open the space more. A pendant or sconce over the window makes that wall feel more “finished.” Then, I added a white peel and stick subway tile backsplash. A backsplash automatically makes a kitchen feel more upscale. Lastly, I updated the faucet and hardware to matte black for a bolder look. I also wanted to add softness with some rugs. I like to have a rug in front of the sink and the stove, if possible, since those are places you are often standing.
Open Concept Living and Dining Room
I didn’t actually share the overall color palette in any of the above design boards! Here are the colors I included for these designs (all Benjamin Moore):
- White Dove
- Gray Owl (all open space walls at 75% strength)
- Wickham Gray
- Van Courtland Blue
- Hale Navy
- Wrought Iron
My friends had already planned on replacing the carpet with a natural white oak engineered hardwood from Somerset Floors. This was a huge change in making the space feel new! The other biggest item I had included from a remodel perspective was adding a dining room chandelier. Lighting helps to define a room, particularly in open concept spaces.
Powder Room
I wanted to jazz up the powder room and make the room feel a little more upscale. An easy way to do that is to replace a pedestal sink with a vanity! A vanity is more substantial and provides more interest. I suggested a blue vanity to tie into the navy front door. I put together two different looks with different hardware – both of which flow with the overall design – and a fun wallpaper option!
I offer 4 e-design and 3 in-person design packages ranging in price from $75 to $375! All packages include full accessibility and communication with me as well as unlimited revisions!
Leave a Reply