Spicing Up for a Sale

What a Nice Son
Homeowner Brandon Braud's parents lost their New Orleans home in hurricane Katrina, so Brandon wants to sell his split-level row-house-style place and use the profit to help his mom and dad buy a new home. Situated in northeast Washington, D.C. Braud's house is just minutes away from all the city's top tourist attractions. With three bedrooms and two baths, it is perfect for anyone looking for a roomy living and dining room and an appealing front yard.

Real estate expert Shirley Mattam-Male is on the scene to make her assessment. She immediately finds the house to be a conflicting mess of patterns and colors. She thinks he made a good attempt at landscaping, but it desperately needs to be pruned and cleaned up. The mold on the front steps and pipes that serve as a handrailing on the front entry provide absolutely no curb appeal. Upon entering the home, Mattam-Male thinks the living room's soft yellow color very soothing, but the lack of railing on the stairs is a major code violation. In the dining room, she is put off by the deep blue color and thinks the rustic table combined with the rustic floor is too much.

Designer Taniya Nayak agrees with Mattam-Male's critique and has a plan that will take this house from not-so-great to awesome.

Step 1: Add some curb appeal. Make the front entryway stand apart from the rest on the street.

Step 2: Put back the stair railing in the living room, and tone down the eclectic look.

Step 3: Change the color of the dining room, and make the space the focal point of the house.

Contractors John Allen and Matt Steele are on board to make sure everything gets done before the open house begins.