I think it would look much more updated painted!! And it will give it a clean look :) which looks good in pictures and to buyers!

please, do so.....

sg, how did the Open House go? Any prospects? Market is weird right now. Don't get discouraged and don't let anyone low-ball you. :>)

Wishing you good luck!

Judyg, open house is this coming Sunday. DH is out of town for a few days this week, I've taken the opportunity to clean out (again!) the junk drawer in the kitchen (the stuff BREEDS!) and the linen closet. Also moved the boys' beds, as suggested last week, moved art on their wall, patched holes, and am ready to touch up paint, if needed. Last night we hung a mirror over my dresser and are trying to get the MBR ready to stage... will thoroughly CLEAN top to bottom on Saturday....

Good luck! Bake cookies the morning of...it makes the house smell "like home".:)

I hope the paneling gets painted. Painted paneling lends a cheerful cottage feel to your house. Unpainted paneling lends a rustic cabin feel to it. As a buyer, I'd prefer to give my family a cheerful cottage to live in.

Also, take a look at the room again. White walls, brown paneling. And that brown wedge where the paneling meets the sloping ceiling? It's visual tension. Painting the paneling would soften that visual tension considerably and offer the new homeowners a more restful and serence retreat. That big brown dagger formed by the brown paneled wedge kills any notion of restful slumber.

And be sure to Post updated photos (in all your spare time - LOL) BEFORE you sell that house (which, may be sooner than you think, we hope!)

Sneak peek of MBR- new sconces will be installed, I need to adjust curtain height- because of rod type, it can't be moved any higher...may just hem them. I think the air conditioner blends in much better. Also, need to remove family pic from desk....

@SG - WOW! What a difference. It looks beautiful! Very nice! Cha-ching, cha-ching at the open house!

If you put wood rods in the MBR and hang sheers from second channel, you will get them off the floor without raising the rod. Great transformations throughout. Maybe just a punch more color in accent pillows in MBR. Hope for a quick sale!

Wow! What a difference. It looks light and bright; inviting. And as I had thought, that rug suites the bedroom much better. Overall the MBR looks great, but a couple of tweaks can take it a level higher.

The hardware on the storage areas is not a feature. It would be better if it blended into the background, so give it a coat of the white paint.

Center the little writing desk under the window. Push the curtains to each side and raise the blinds (when you have the open house) There seems to be a baby picture on the desk. Put it in a drawer somewhere.

Take everything off the top of your dresser except the candlesticks. Add a small bouquet of flowers to the right hand side.

You still need to cover the air conditioner. Either a tall (live) ficus tree or a piece of art work. Potential buyers aren't thinking about air conditioning right now. They are thinking heat. :-)

Add a new white throw pillow to the wing chair. The existing pillow doesn't do a thing for the space. Cheap way to make the room feel inviting. While you are at it add a couple of new pillows to your bed to make it all work together.

I don't think your scones have to be replaced. I think you could spray paint them white for a cheap update.

Go through your photo albums, select pictures of your house and yard during all seasons. Have them enlarged to the same size, pop them in frames and hang them in your hallway or another well light area. This might give you a little edge over the next house.

Remember you are depersonaling your space You want your house to be like a hotel; anyone can walk in and feel comfortable. Having said that you need to remove the books from the bottom shelf of the little table beside the chair in the MBR. They are just clutter. Leave one; a book of poetry or about gardening. Something anyone might read. And as several of us have already stated remove all family photos. Anything that remotely identifies who lives there.

Be sure to bake those cookies, put a pineapple dining room table for a cheap centerpiece. A bowl of lemons on the kitchen counter, no air freshener of any kind. Use vanilla essential oil instead. Put a drop on light bulbs while the light is turned off! Turn every light in the house on. Use brighter bulbs than you normally use. Raise all blinds, open all curtains. Empty closets of off-season clothing and organize them to demonstrate the most efficient use of space. Leave as few items on the floor or shelves as possible. Close toilet seats. Have a pot of yellow flowers by the main entrance. Speaking of...put a vase of flowers on the back of the toilet, on the dresser, on a side table in the living room. Everywhere that needs just a little something. Try to find those that have the least scent. Remember some people are much more sensitive to scents/smells/ordors than others. Invest in a new doormat that says “Welcome.”

Can't wait to hear how it went!

Also, Addams soft throw to the reading chair. That would be inviting.

If baking cookies seems like too much on the day, try heating some apple juice/cider on the stove with some cinnamon sticks and just leave it on a simmer. You can always just set out a plate of (store bought) cookies.

I totally agree with everything janishill says. A non sweet fragrant candle will do wonders near the front door, i.e. ocean breeze scent, or lavender as examples. You have worked hard and I wish you all the best of luck.

boysaboys...I am allergic to ocean breeze.

I only recommnd vanilla because I have never heard of anyone being allergic to it. Never heard of anyone being allergic to the smell of cookies or bread either. Hint: buy premade dough, pop in preheated oven, turn oven off. leave house.

Honestly the room looks broken up and dark. I would paint the pine the lightest color then the other walls a shade darker. I think your room will look open and large, not to mention soothing. Look at neutral colors in the cream shades.

Sorry I didn't see your photos of after until I posted my last comment.they were slow to populate :-(......your room turned out so much better.

Very nice. Looks great, bright and fresh!

Dining room - 80%- open house tomorrow- any advice?? What do you think of pic resting on half moon table? Colors seem to coordinate in real life. Also, we may just remove and put a plate over spot where the sconce is.

I think it is looking fabulous! But the picture on the demilune table looks too large and not in the style of the room. For an open house think minimalist. No picture. Maybe a bowl on the table at most.

Boys room - will add pix with lights on later- dh turned off electricity to change light in MBR-is this better? I know tv is hideous.... If I change comforters, any advice on what to look for??

Wow..what a cute house! Maybe fresh flowers in a colorful vase on table?

Maybe a second pillow on each bed with a more colorful pillow case...? Cheap fix..

SG - Hi! Things look great! For the boys room, I would turn down the comforters (if the sheets are matching). That would break up some of that brown. I agree with Feeny about the picture in the dining room. It seems a tad too large for that table but honestly, at this point if that picture is a deal-breaker in selling your house then the buyer has issues. Your house has come a long way. It looks really nice. I wish you all the best tomorrow!

Daughter's room. Removed shelves. Family of stuffed animals will be on vacation for open house...

Much better, but still some tweaks:

Return picture, find long skinny picture or metal art, remove scone, hang skinny picture or metal art.

Remove candlesticks and green candles. Leave teh divider empty. Remember less is more. The more places you have that are empty the more spacious your house is going to feel.

Remove erverything from tops of both of sons chest of drawers. Add colorful shams and prop pillows against wall so they look inviting. Tyr to find something that pulls the orange,golds and blues from the pictures. The brown is overwhelming and leaves the felling very room blah. It would be great if you could find shams and valances that match. Even a bed skirt. Remove TV and center toy chest under window.


It looks like a baby picture on your daughters dresser. Put it away. Also the clothes hanging on the end o fthe bed. Just leave teh green throw pillow

NO family photos at all anywhere.. Only books that everyone or anyone would read. Non by your favorite author. Only poetry, classics and/ or encyclopedias are acceptable.

Hope you get 4 offersa dn a bidding war ensues!

Great job- very nice!
Some thoughts: Dining room is perfect.
Demi lune table - no pic - take a vase and very tall branches from the yard or tree. Spray paint branches (white)

Boy's room - pic #2, center the chest from the corner of the wall to the window frame, Put TV on this chest where red lamp is.
Pic #3 - Other chest (no TV) - pic - move both in the center of that wall. Maybe place the bed pillows a little higher on the wall, at a tilt. Add some accent pillows. Move the trunk under the window in the center.

Girl's room - flip the comforter to the solid color, No animals, just pillows. Nothing hanging on the footboard posts. Good job

You have done a lovely job and i wish you the best of luck. Air out the rooms well. When i was selling our home right before open houses i would load my car up with laundry baskets, robes that hang on the back of doors, etc. TV in boys room - if you could remove it, maybe just set it on the closet floor. I know it is probably quite heavy. Def go out and purchase two twin or full comforters for the boys room. you don't have to like them, they can go back next week but get bright boy ones for tomorrow. I would remove that little black table altogether and take the wall light down and hang anything you have to hide the exposed wiring. Anything but a family pic. if there is no time to shop then hang the one you have there, you can always return it later. Any size pic will work if the black table is gone. Good Luck !

Good luck with the open house.

I would ask the realtor to take new pictures! When I sold my parents house, the realtor that listed it took the picture on a cloudy day, while another who didn't get the listing had taken the picture on a bright sunny day. I always regretted not asking my listing agent to take a new picture.

They should accommodate your request, since you have done so much work.

Woohooo! Looking really good. I do love that painting on the table but agree with feeny it doesn't quite work here. Maybe in the girls room?

It is wonderful to see what you have done to your home. There are so many comments since last I have seen it and SOOO much change. I really don't have much to add, and this may or may not have already been addressed. I would add a lamp with a white/or offwhite as seems best, linen shade on the night stand between the beds and a matching one on the dresser top. When I did open houses, I found buyers are attracted to the rooms with lighting, and linen lamp shades always look soft and inviitng. Do the same on the dresser of the girls room

A note, in the master bedroom, I suggest putting a white/natural white pillow on the chair with the, was it a blue pillow? to tie it in with the bedding and window treatments..

Wow these houzzers have absolutely, along with yourself of course, made a fabulous metamorphosis of this home. GREAT!

All of the changes have really enhanced the place. Good luck on the open house.

Don't forget to turn on every light in the house for the open house, and put a lemon or two down the disposal right before people come in. It looks great.

MBR - painted and almost ready. Still must hem curtains, which won't take long. Also must paint hinges on storage areas

Wow - This MBR is so bright and spacious. What a GREAT transformation.
Maybe a couple of things that won't cost you anything ........
MBR - #1 pic above. Maybe move the candlesticks and basket toward the horizontal center of the dresser top. Not pushed against the mirror.
Move end table lengthwise to the reading chair and bring forward, not against the wall. It should feel like it is with the chair and not attached to the wall. Add three books on the chair side table. Maybe no art on desk in #2 pic. Looks like you're trying to hide something and buyers will want a look see, even if you think it's not a great view. So glad you moved the desk under the window. Love what you've done!
Here's a sketch below:

Love that the surface areas are cleaned off, the throw on the chair and the blue ribbon pillow. Try proping your bed pillows against the headboard (like in the attached picture) and turning the open end of the pillow cases toward the center.

I wanted to thank everyone who offered help...I am really humbled by all the advice houzzers were willing to give! Open house was yesterday. Unfortunately, I have no info to share. Realtor is out of town and send a substitute to Open House sit...she left a note saying,"Thanks for letting me show your wonderful home." Our realtor generally leaves a note indicating # people who came, feedback/comments on house, and insight (such as "3 of the couples are actively looking, one has a house to sell"). I may call the office to find out what I can. Not sure when realtor is returning from vacation. I thought he was coming back in time for the open house, so I was a bit surprised to see a note from someone else. That said, the house BY FAR looks 100% better than it did....thanks to the great advice from you all!

I am so disappoiinted for you that your realtor sort of abandoned you without notice. A good realtor is so very important and that could be a whole 'nother post. Hopefully, though, after all your immensely hard work and the wonderful results, the perfect "ladyvon" already visited your beautiful home during the open house and is even now working on an offer. Good, good luck and here's hoping your next post is a great big YES!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you in selling your home!

This house is very nice. I would buy it. You did a great job updating it. I'll admit the darker paneling would have deterred me a bit, but it looks great. My suggestion for the boys room, if you do not want to buy new comforters, is just to tuck in the comforters under the mattress so it looks clean and crisp.Try running an iron over them, too, before a showing, if the material allows it, or pop them in the dryer for a few minutes to get wrinkles out.
I am inspired by your project and look forward to my own. :) Good Luck.

I hope you are still hanging in there. Sorry the open house was a disapointment, what with your realtor being gone etc , but, remember it just takes one to love your place ! Don't get discouraged. It is exhausting having to have everything so perfect all the time. You have done so much work - I know it will pay off in the end. When I was selling - I used our outdoor grill a lot - just to keep the kitchen and stove clean :) Keep the front door looking good with cheap annuals and I would buy smellie flowers for the inside for each open house, but just use one in a room. i.e. oriental lillies are awesome as are tubor rose. One of those in a bathroom is all it takes along with the natural greenery from outside. Just wanted to check in.

Have you spoken to your realtor? When will you have another open house?

Next open house is 3/24. We're working on curb appeal right now....(I started another thread about that, if you're interested in seeing progress.)

Any suggestions for the fireplace and staging it for our open house? I am concerned about tv wires.

You can get white wires which wouldn't be so obvious.

okay, so what i would do is unplug the TV and hide the wires behind it. Now you need to up the mantle a bit. I don't remember when the open house is, but, any garage sale or craigslist that has some great pots to sell. You should find two large ceramic pots and put two plants in them and take away the candles (too small) and from the other side, - the greenery will soften up the look. Remove what is on the hearth on the left, actually both sides. Remove what is on top of the bookcases. If you get the greenery for either side of the TV it will soften it up a lot, and no worries that they partly cover the TV, Take the bird statue and place it beside one of the pots on the mantle - nothing else needed. Remove the firescreen and place if you can find them oak logs, or whatever logs you can find, or large pine cones, something to fill the black hole, and make sure there are no ashes there. The pics by the bookcases are too enemic so if time permits and perhaps you have something......a large colorfull pic just leaning on the bookcases, or two leaning, close together. Not important that they match, you are just filling up the white space. Take the "dog" and place it beside the left bookcase on the left. The idea is not to draw too much attention to the fireplace. But, that is the focal point , so make it a large appearance with cheap plants.
Find a cheap large basket for the fireplace that you can place wood logs in, again, it is all about appearance, or, leave it empty. The hearth looks nice, no need for the small stuff. If you have a home depot near you, i would go get to large orchids and place them on the fireplace - simbideums, are good prob did not spell them correctly, but they are large, last for ages, and make a statement..... all the best.

You could paint your cable white so it blends in. I would remove items from top of bookcases. Move items from right side of mantle to left side. Play with 3 smaller objects for right side. Put dog into the right bookcase to brighten it up. Pictures aren't bad but a bit off with one frame so slender and light compared to the tv thick frame matching the thick frame to the right. Do you have any others available to work with around the house?

I like the wood stairway painted white with stained treads

This is a very OLD DILEMMA.