Ready to Sell: Living/Dining Room Redesign

Yvette and Dan Purtill of Falls Church, Va., are the quintessential all-American couple. They have two beautiful daughters and another baby on the way. They need to sell quickly so they can move into a larger place by the time their newest family member arrives. Real estate expert Shirley Mattam-Male makes her Designed to Sell debut, giving Yvette and Dan the full scoop on how to sell their place.

Shirley starts her expert real-estate assessment at the white-picket fence, which she thinks will reel buyers in to the home. Once inside, she feels the poor traffic flow in the combination living and dining room will cause buyers to think the room is smaller than it really is. Once in the master bedroom, she is concerned that the existing wall color darkens the space, and the placement of the bed is hiding the buyer-baiting hardwood floor.

Design expert Taniya Nayak meets with Yvette and Dan to present her plan. She'll create a living room and dining room combo that will leave a lasting first impression with an open and flowing floor plan. Taniya says the sale is all in the details, so in the kitchen she wants to tone it down and warm it up with new paint and simple accessories. Here's how she'll bring her plan to life:

Step 1: Open up the floor to a fast sale. Angling furniture maximizes floor space to show off rich hardwood.

Step 2: Go with the flow. An open floor plan makes the most of square footage, so clear out the extra furniture and open up the space for a sale.

Step 3: Create a cozy, not cramped, atmosphere. A round, glass-topped dining table will open up a small dining area.

Carpenters John Allen and Matt Steele are on board to help get this job done.