Our first before and after post! And it’s a good one. You won’t believe how this house was transformed.
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Located in the Anderson Mill neighborhood of North Austin our Sweet Split-Level provided quite the design challenge. It was built in the early 1980’s and had some, ahem, layout issues.
In a world where open-concept floor plans reign supreme, we knew we had to open this home up as much as we possibly could to give it the functional layout modern home-buyers are looking for.
We’ll begin our tour from outside. Our Sweet Split-Level needed a little help in the curb-appeal department. Here she is in all her 80’s jungle-green glory.
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And here she is after:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/50f16a_c804d6d4f43b4b18b2ab66a8c9df45b3~mv2_d_2660_1774_s_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_501,al_c,q_20/file.jpg)
So much better! We replaced the worn-out front siding with board and batten. We initially only replaced the front siding in order to save some dough and get the most bang for our buck.
*Be sure to tune in to episode 1 of the podcast (coming soon!) to find out what happened when we replaced the rest of the siding at the buyer’s request. Spoiler alert-it was not good and almost killed this deal!*
We also toned down the high-contrast exterior colors by warming up the siding color and accenting it with a neutral trim. We used the same trim color to paint the front door and give the entrance some pop in a much more subtle way than the jungle green trim did!
We added some wood accents to add visual interest incorporating a custom wood trellis above the front entry and above the two-car garage. These elements help to add warmth and character with a dash of farmhouse charm.
We reoriented the stair case and added a flight of stairs to improve the functionality of the home’s entrance.
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Some new mulch and freshly-trimmed trees gives a more polished presentation and allows you to actually see the home!
.Moving inside, our first major layout improvement was opening up the entry way.
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We opened up the wall between the entry hall and dining room by creating a pony wall. This allowed us to maintain the structural integrity of the house while giving a more open feel. We also added iron handrails and a new entry light to give the home a more modern aesthetic.
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Replacing the wall to wall carpet with engineered hardwood floors also opens the room visually and the darker color provides a grounding place for the eye.
Another major layout change we made was removing the walls between the dinning and kitchen and kitchen and family rooms. This allowed not only for a more functional and modern layout but also allowed the natural light from the exterior windows to enter the space. We added a glass exterior door leading to the deck for additional light. White cabinetry replaced the 80’s dark brown cabinets and light quartzite countertops replaced the faux wood counters to give a more modern feel. We added butcher block to the kitchen island for warmth. A small desk was added to the right of the kitchen to make use of an area that had previously been dead space. The result is a compact but efficient living area.
Check out how cramped and dark the kitchen felt before. Hard to believe it’s the same space!
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/50f16a_ec49de4453ae486bae2922b8bd3989cb~mv2_d_4032_3024_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_563,al_c,q_20/file.jpg)
Ah much better:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/50f16a_101a5d0f24f84e15b3682eaeb10cd0ee~mv2_d_2698_1801_s_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_501,al_c,q_20/file.jpg)
The master bath was 80’s fabulous with faux marble counters, lots of brown tile and carpet (ewww).
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Our updated mater bath features subway tile and a large glass door to make the shower feel much larger than it acually is. We also replaced all hardware to give an updated feel.
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The powder room also got an upgrade with a vanity and mirror on a scale more fitting of the small space.
Before:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/50f16a_61ef688c41f54392b4647c8dd41f5674~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_640,h_480,al_c,q_20/file.jpg)
And after:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/50f16a_0e521562f4ba4e0097a71c1c22f39f46~mv2_d_2680_1789_s_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_501,al_c,q_20/file.jpg)
We did our best to bring the design and layout of this home more in line with what modern buyers are looking for and the results speak for themselves-we were under contract in 7 days!