Is there anything more satisfying than a before and after? I want to highlight some of my favorite home transformations. These changes give the home so much personality and make it feel like it is ours.
My Favorite Before and Afters:
We moved into our home in February 2021, and just finished our home projects in 2025. It was a long (and expensive) journey. This home is twice the size of our last home, which meant that we needed to purchase a lot of furniture. It also took time to settle into the space.
We worked with interior designers from The Finish to decorate Charles's Office and The Pub. Melissa Mahoney of MMDH consulted with us and helped us make some big final decisions like paint colors, which carpentry projects to pursue, and how to incorporate antique doors. Working with Melissa helped us hit fast forward. She came to our home and talked over the ideas Charles and I were considering. Then she gave her expert advice and opinions. Suddenly, we had a final plan! And we got to work quickly.
The Doors:
One day it clicked in my mind that the flat doors with cheap doorknobs were an eyesore. I dove into researching (which I shared in a blog post about upgrading doors) and quickly realized that replacing the doors in my home would likely cost over $20,000, which was out of the question. Adding some molding and changing out the doorknobs brought the price to a much more reasonable place.
The doorknobs are all from Emtek. Instead of replacing the hinges, Melissa suggested using Rub and Buff to paint them to match - an easier and more cost-effective solution.
This project makes the home feel more luxurious. My husband didn't feel strongly about the old doors, but he appreciates the improvement!
I wanted to do something extra special for the pantry door, since it is the first thing you see once you go up the stairs to the main living space. We ran the idea by Melissa, and she suggested getting two matching doors, since the second floor has just two doors (there is a bathroom around the corner from the pantry). We lucked out, and Salvage One had exactly two of these stunning doors available.
The Upstairs Hallway:
Hallways should be fun! I wanted to add wallpaper to give this space some color. I used Morris & Co. wallpaper designs in the pub and entryway, and we decided to use their Bird & Pomegranate pattern here. Another big change was retiring the laundry hamper that Charles had before we met (17 years ago) and replacing it with a trio of rattan hampers that slide under a desk.
The Balcony:
This project was put off since we prioritized furnishing our rooftop. In the Spring, we finally came up with a plan and turned the balcony off the kitchen into an outdoor oasis. We added tiles and trellises, and the space impressed our next-door neighbors so much that they copied our design!
The Pub:
One of the things we loved about the design of our home is that the top floor is half rooftop and half an interior room. Before construction, we opted to have a wet bar added. This is one of the best things we have done since we entertain on the roof and in the pub constantly.
Even though we knew we wanted to create a space for entertaining, we struggled with the design. Then, for some reason, we decided to order a red velvet custom sofa from our go-to furniture shop, Roger and Chris. It arrived and was very, very red, and we felt totally lost design-wise until we went to a pub in England with a red sofa, and it became clear that we needed to create our own pub-inspired space.
The Entryway:
This space evolved the most. I struggled to get the modern design to fit my style.
A year and a half after moving into our home, the white walls were so marked up that I decided to paint the entryway dark blue. It was an improvement, but it really didn't fit our style. Two years later, I changed it again.
Adding crown molding and paneling to the doors (I hired a professional for this) made a big impact. This style feels more cohesive with the rest of the home.
I'll be sharing the complete list of painters, designers, and carpenters who worked on our home soon. I will also be linking to products like wallpaper and rugs. Stay tuned!
See more of our home:
The British Pub-Inspired TV Lounge
The Balcony
The Entryway
Our Kitchen
Gwen's Room
The Primary Bedroom
The Primary Bathroom
The Rooftop
The Pantry
