“Whether you are in an eight-hundred-square-foot home or living in a dream house on a lake, contentment is found on the way.” ― Joanna Gaines, The Magnolia Story
We love this quote, but we also believe that we may be able to find contentment more easily if our home was beautifully designed by Joanna Gaines, or her fellow reality TV designers, Christina El Moussa, Bobby Berk, or Drew & Jonathan Scott.
While we can't promise a personalized home transformation from our favorite reality TV design stars, we can give you insider tips. And a chance to win a $75 gift card to your favorite home store.
What's the first room you walk into when you enter your house? How does that look? If your entry way is cluttered, that's the first thing guests - and you - will notice. Tackling that would be a good first priority in improving the whole feel of your home. Looking at a cluttered foyer, Drew tells realtor.com, "All you're saying in this house is 'There's no storage, there's no room.'" Improving your entry space will make you feel more welcome when you come into your house each day.
Christina is all about making a statement, especially in the kitchen, where you both cook and entertain. The backsplash is the best place to use something bold since it's often the kitchen's focal point. If you're worried that a big design is too overwhelming and too expensive, Christina recommends using it on part of the wall. "Say you find a backsplash that you love but you can't afford it, an option is to do a cutout of it," She told PopSugar.com, "The rest of the backsplash, you can do more of an inexpensive tile.” Don't be afraid to pick something that is out of your comfort zone.
A big mistake many people make, according to Bobby, is to ignore the importance of lighting. "People don’t realize that lighting can change the whole look of a place and the feel, " he tells FastCompany.com. "A lot of people spend all this time painting their house, picking out rugs, and then they put fluorescent lighting in there. It totally ruins the mood.” Bobby recommends thinking about the use of the room before choosing the lighting. For example, warm-hued lights are good for cozy spaces like the bedroom.
To transform a room, you might be looking at the furniture or walls. But Hilary suggests looking down. She tells The Star Tribune, "A brand-new area rug, flooring or even wall-to-wall carpet can make open spaces feel more cohesive." She also suggests thinking about what color palate is used throughout your space. "Color can change the way a home feels." Make sure to be thoughtful about how everything looks together.
We love that TLC brought back Trading Spaces this year, and while the designs are often over-the-top, we have still learned a lot from their variety of designers. One of our favorites, Vern Yip, says that before you even begin a design project, really think about how each of the rooms are used in your house. He tells Good Morning America, "Have an honest conversation with yourself and the people who live in your house and determine what makes sense for you as a family," Yip said. "Make designations about rooms and what they're really used for." For example. do you really want a formal dining room, or can you use the space for something else?
We still miss Fixer Upper, but we'll always love Joanna's design savvy. We especially appreciate how she puts her own unique style onto new trends. And encourages us to do the same. She tells People magazine, “You don’t need to follow a specific set of rules with your own home. Do what speaks to you and be unapologetic about it. I always feel most comfortable in a house I can tell is well-loved.” Well said!
*One lucky commenter, Tweeter or Instagrammer will be chosen at random to receive a $75 gift card to the winner's choice of home store, provided that the gift card can be easily purchased online. Giveaway is open through August 12th, 2018 to U.S. residents at least 18 years of age. Entrants must be a member of SheSpeaks. If you are not a member, click here to join. Winner will be notified by email.
Update: Thanks to all who entered! Congrats to our winner, SheSpeaks member dacotahsgirl!
I need to replace some flooring.
I want to renovate master bedroom
I would love to make our in-closed porch a laundry room
Bathroom really needs a walk in shower, especially because of our health
I want a walk in shower, I have since we bought this house. Well no funds set aside for it but with our health maybe one day we can get one
My kitchen could use a new floor and I would love a backsplash behind my oven. The appliances I have were here from when the previous owner bought this condo.
I want to tackle painting!
I want to redo my bathrooms; they are 35 years old and look awful.
I wants to upgrade my deck..
I'd like to improve my kitchen
I would like to remodel the kitchen. I would get rid of the linoleum floor and wallpaper
This one is easy - we've been in this house for over 5 years and our bedroom is still an awful faded blue. Paint - paint and paint with lots of pictures and possibly an updated diy'd headboard. Thanks for the opportunity!!
making a nursery
I would love to renovate the bathrooms
We really need to fix up our bathrooms