Goodbye, Windy City

Homeowners Alex and Melanie are leaving cold and blustery Chicago for the sunny Caribbean. He got a job offer in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. But, before they go, the couple needs to sell their century-old town home. They’ve done a lot of renovation since they bought the place two years ago. Now, they have to hurry up and get it finished in a very short time. Luckily, they have the Designed to Sell team to give them a hand.

Real estate expert Bethany Souza is the first to arrive to advise which areas of the house need the most work. Her first impression of the home is really good –– she likes the bright and open living room. However, her opinion quickly changes when she sees the tiny second bathroom. She strongly advises finishing this renovation, otherwise the homeowners will be losing a lot of money. The master suite reminds Souza of a college dorm room because it is so small and barren. Souza likes the size of the kitchen, but the mismatched stuff lying all over the floor has her referring to the space as a dumping ground.

Designer Monica Pederson agrees with Souza’s assessment and has a $2,000 design plan that will maximize storage, space and style.

Step 1: Add more cabinets in the kitchen then create an opening into the dining room.

Step 2: Make the master bedroom appear more spacious by adding storage and emphasizing the ceiling height.

Step 3: Finish remodeling the bathroom and maximize storage.

Carpenters Robert North and Chad Lopez know all the tricks of the trade to get the job done quickly.