Exchanging the View for Space

Homeowners Susan Galvin and Lynda Peters enjoy amazing views of Chicago from their high-rise condo, but they miss not having outdoor living space. So, they’ve decided to sell their 1,300-square-foot home in the sky to buy something a bit closer to the ground. Built in 1970, the two-bedroom, two-bath condo is in a large building that offers lot of amenities, including an indoor pool, tennis courts and a grocery store.

Real estate expert Bethany Souza pays a visit to assess the home’s marketability. From the outside, she considers the place ideal for city living and the location –– across from the park and lake –– is perfect. Souza quickly changes her positive attitude when she walks into the home’s foyer. It is so dark, she says it feels like a catacomb. Souza thinks the mismatched furniture and the broken blinds in the spare bedroom are bringing down what could be a fantastic room. The living room has a great view, but it can’t easily be seen because the windows are blocked by furniture. Souza points out that in a large building such as this, there are always going to be other units for sale, so this condo needs to set itself apart from the competition.

Designer Monica Pedersen agrees with Souza's comments and has a $2,000 design plan that will make this high-rise tower above the rest.

Step 1: Brighten the foyer with a neutral wall color and new lighting.

Step 2: Add some much-needed sophistication to the spare bedroom, and highlight the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Step 3: In the living room, build custom cabinetry to house the large TV, and rearrange the furniture to show off the awesome view.

Carpenters Robert North and Chad Lopez have all the right tools and talent to get the job done.