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KARI HAILEY
While renovating and decorating the house we purchased in 2010, I discovered a passion for interior design. Our home on Chicago's north side was built in 1891 it took a lot of experimentation and creativity to make it work for our family of five. Here are before and after pics of some of the most dramatic transformations.
LIVING ROOM
This room has lovely high ceilings but zero architectural interest, despite our home being over 120 years old. We added the wood beams to bring in some warmth and character, painted the walls a warm white (Alabaster by Sherwin Williams) and my amazing husband made me the wood horse that hangs over the sofa.
BEFORE
Let's be real. The only thing cute in here is the dog. The paint color that looked so serene in our last apartment was just sad here. Womp womp.
LIGHTENED UP
White walls (Alabaster by SW) and white linen curtains helped brighten up the room. I also pared down the furniture so we could seat six for dinner.
COZY
White walls (Alabaster by SW) and white linen curtains helped brighten up the room. I also pared down the furniture so we could seat six for dinner.
From drab...
...to Fab.
BEFORE: TV WALL
AFTER: TV Wall
I think most people hang their TV too high. I prefer the TV to be eye level when you're sitting on the sofa. I incorporated ours into a gallery art wall so it blends in better. The chair is Jayson, the wood planter is vintage from the 70s.
MASTER BEDROOM
The entire top floor of our home is a master suite. True story: I almost didn't even look at this house because that sounded too indulgent. Silly girl, there is no such thing as a master that's too nice. Our bed is Room & Board, long pillow is from the Citizenry, and the SDH coverlet I bought from a lovely gentleman on Craigslist for $25. When I Googled the tag I found out it retails for $685, and that is why I love Craigslist.
LIGHT, BRIGHT
It's not a full second floor but the ceilings are high enough and the skylights bring in tons of natural light.
BEFORE
The previous owners painted the bedroom a lovely color I call "Band Aid" and for unknown reasons, placed their bed up against the only window.
WALLPAPER
Graham & Brown floral wallpaper adds texture and character to the window wall and was a steal at $20/roll on clearance. I love the subtle metallic highlights on the flowers, and that the background color almost perfectly matches the paint on the walls. This was the best $80 I spent on my house!
BEFORE
I mean really. This is a huge room. The enclosed bit in the middle is a walk in closet.
READING NOOK
We put a little reading corner where they had their TV. The vintage Michel Arnoult chair was an amazing thrift score (All Modern has a knock off but this is an original) and the pouf was deflated at the back of a resale shop and cost $5. The throw and pillow are West Elm, and the table and lamp are from Target.
NEW FRONT PORCH
In 2018, we added a new front porch that I designed myself! We chose no-maintenance Trex for the decking and lattice, and sleek metal railings which will never need to be painted. "No maintenance” is the best maintenance. We landscaped with white Incrediball hydrangeas under the front windows, can’t you picture how gorgeous they’ll look when they’re big and fluffy?
BEFORE
With no cover from the elements, anyone on the front porch got soaked on rainy days. The wagon wheel fanlight and mother-of-pearl glass door were not our style, and the wooden deck was in poor shape even back in 2010.
DURING
While we focused on interior projects, I slapped a coat of paint on the door and called it a day. The yellow is Lemon Tart by Behr. Even the lady at the paint counter said, "Woah, that's bright." The pizza guy could always find our house though.
DURING
Right after we moved in, the city stupidly cut down the healthy 40 year old tree in front of our house in the fall of 2010, so I made them plant this flowering pear the next spring.
AFTER
Eight years later that flowering pear is almost as tall as the house. I love that it's the same age as Elliot.
BLACK DOOR
The yellow door was cute, but this black door is so sexy. The Baldwin lockset was a splurge but you can unlock the door with a touch and the unlaquered brass will patina beautifully over time. The lantern and mat are from All Modern, the brass numbers are Restoration Hardware, and the wreath is from Target.