Too Much House
Homeowner Christine Rosen lives in a Tudor-style home in Arlington Virginia with her brother, Mike, and her boyfriend, Will. The three-story, 3,900-square-foot house is too much for her to handle, so she is looking to downsize. It should be an easy sale, built in the 1930s; the home boasts five bedrooms, a formal dining room and a large stone fireplace. Real estate expert Shirley Mattam-Male provides the lowdown on what will prevent a top-dollar sale. She likes the home’s Tudor-style exterior; it reminds her of something from a fairytale book. But, her enthusiasm ends in the living room. There is too much furniture, peeling paint and the architectural detail is not properly showcased. Mattam-Male says she absolutely, 100 percent does not like the kitchen. It is ugly and doesn’t match the home’s architectural style. She is excited by the grand size of the dining room and its elegant chandeliers; however the aluminum awning on the outside of the window is an eyesore and is blocking a lot of natural light.
Designer Taniya Nayak thinks Mattam-Male’s comments are just and has a $2,000 design plan that will have this house sold in no time.
Step 1: Remove some furniture in the living room and play up the architectural details.
Step 2: Emphasize the windows in the dining room and give the chandeliers a good cleaning.
Step 3: In the kitchen, update the look of the cabinets and replace the countertops.
Contractor Simon Ley and carpenter Lynn Kegan are all tooled-up and ready to get to work.
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