With all this talk of us getting settled into our “forever” home, it’s got me thinking about the fun we had updating our last “starter” home. If you love a good Cinderella (dressed in yellow, literally) makeover story as much as I do, let’s take a trip down memory lane together and take a closer look at this sweet ranch-style home that we were lucky to call our own.

We replaced the glass and gold doors with a craftsman wood door and took out the overgrown, old bushes in favor of a more symmetrical assortment of greenery to brighten up the front of the house. I placed colorful potted plants around the entryway to make it look more alive and inviting. The exterior had been freshly painted, but had we stayed longer we’d have painted it a more modern color and added some more character around the windows.

We ditched the bold yellow paint in favor of a neutral ivory and switched to all stainless steel appliances for an instant upgrade. After painting the cabinets a charcoal grey and adding new hardware, a new faucet, and granite countertops it felt like a brand new kitchen.

This red accent wall was too aggressive, so we painted it a warm taupe and it made the room feel huge! We instantly modernized the fireplace by painting it from brass to black and by adding floor to ceiling curtains to polish up the room. Mounting a flatscreen to the wall and bringing in a sectional that was proportional to the space made the family room more functional and comfortable.

Once again, switching to a neutral paint on all 4 walls immediately brightened, updated and visually enlarged the master bedroom. Adding neutral curtains and changing the placement of the wall art made the room look more pulled together. I styled the room in a more chic, calming palette that made a once dull, mismatched space look much more appealing.

The outdated blue countertop and vanity were the first to go! A new vanity, better storage solutions, a brighter light fixture and a cool backsplash added character and style to this small space.

We really lucked out with our backyard because it had a covered patio, a great lawn and lots of privacy. I staged the patio furniture in a way that was better for entertaining and created a separate seating area with 2 adirondack chairs and several freshly potted plants. Every house needs a perfect spot to enjoy ‘Happy Hour!’

I desperately wish I had more ‘before’ photos to show you the journey that we took reinventing the 4 rooms shown above. I love the way that each room has a transitional feel and a similar gray color palette. I’m outnumbered at home, so the styling is more masculine than it was way back when it was just me living alone in a dinky fashionista apartment in the city. The one thing I miss more than anything about this home is the gorgeous Carrara marble countertop that we had installed in my bathroom. It was almost like the second my marble dreams became a reality we put the house up for sale! Now with a toddler around I’m more likely to have quartz than marble in my near future. Either way it was a beautiful home, and I know that the new owner is just as happy as we were!

Hope you enjoyed the tour! All “After” photos by Travis Stanley.