Floyd Avenue Part 4: Finishing Touches
Over the past several months, we’ve been blogging about the renovation process of a historic home in the Museum District on Floyd Avenue. We talked about how we choose investment properties, the demolition process, rethinking the space of an older home and finally today, we are going to talk about finishing touches.
This home was completed in March 2016 and sold in its first day on the market at over asking price. There are several reasons why this happened. First off, the house is in an excellent location, which is part of our process of choosing the best investment property. Secondly, the new layout and updated and efficient heating and cooling systems make the home a sound investment for the buyer and ensure that they will be comfortable in a historic home for many, many years to come. But finally, we know that stylish and high-end finishing touches can really make a sale happen quickly.
Choosing finishing touches for a historic home can be tricky. You want to honor the past of the home, while giving the buyers the modern amenities that they need and want. Choosing classic finishes and high-quality appliances and hardware help make a space feel modern but ensure it won’t be dated within a decade.
Where we made the most updates and changes was in the home’s kitchen, which we completely gutted and redesigned to be open to the dining area. We choose gray, shaker-style cabinetry with a carrara marble countertop. This color palette is modern but also classic and while carrara has definitely had a recent resurgence, it has never really gone out of style. Clean hardware and high-end stainless steel appliances complete the look.
For the floors, we used a classic, dark hardwood that will look great and hold up to decades of use. We used this flooring throughout the house, except in the upstairs bathrooms, to create a cohesive look and flow.
Exposing the brick wall was a design decision that speaks to a lot of modern buyers while simultaneously exposing a part of the home’s original qualities. Painting it this modern gray updates the look.
The one original bathroom was completely redone, although it kept a similar footprint. We unearthed its original pocket door to save space and bring back an original piece of the home.
Two additional bathrooms were added including a master en suite and a powder room downstairs. All three bathrooms were given fresh, clean palettes and simple tile and vanity choices for the buyer’s own personalization. A modern touch was given to the tile work in the master bath, but nothing so specific that the design won’t hold up for many years.
We also chose some very modern, bright paint colors for some of the rooms and modern lighting. Paint and lighting are so easily changed to suite a buyer’s taste, that we don’t mind going out on a limb when staging a home. These bright, fresh colors and fixtures speak to modern buyers without locking them into a specific look.
Outside the home, BWS Landscaping made the curb appeal pop. As they say - you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and this simple, but attractive landscaping spoke to buyers. It’s low maintenance while still being beautiful, which is what buyers in this area want.
We removed overgrown trees and shrubs to let the house shine and brighten up the interior. A home that you would have walked by without noticing is now the star of the street.
Finally, staging was key. Our amazing realtor and stager, Rob Moss, made this home look modern, classic and ready to move into. Staging an empty house is critical for potential buyers to see how they may be able to live in a space. It can be difficult to image your own dining table or couch in a room without something to compare it to. Staging gives buyers an idea of how something might work, but isn’t so taste specific or overwhelming that they can’t see themselves and their own furniture in the space. It’s a fine line, but Rob does a great job.
Working on this house has been a great experience and we are so happy for the family that will be making this one their new home. Now, on to the next project!