Toning Down the House

Homeowner Gigi Williams is a world traveler who is moving from the East Coast for a new home out West. But first she needs to sell her current place. She knows it needs sprucing up, so she calls on the Designed To Sell team to help. Williams' charming bungalow is located in a desirable Washington, D.C., neighborhood that is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Real estate expert Shirley Mattam-Male tours the home and provides an honest evaluation. She thinks it looks good from the outside and has nice curb appeal. But when she steps inside the living room she finds little appeal. She thinks the garish red walls in the living room are passé and the toothpaste-green color in the dining room is too minty fresh. Further, she says, the boarded-up window over the fireplace is an eyesore, and the blinds look like they were made from construction paper. The backyard is in sorry shape, too. It is so overgrown it looks like a vacant lot.

Designer Taniya Nayak agrees with Mattam-Male and steps in with a plan to help this homeowner go from garish to great.

Step 1: Neutralize the colors. Paint the living and dining room neutral tones to appeal to more buyers.

Step 2: Replace the boarded-up window. With one of the two windows above the fireplace covered in plywood, it looks as if the wall has a black eye.

Step 3: Add landscaping. Turn the backyard mess into a stylish urban oasis.

Carpenters John Allen and Matt Steele roll up their sleeves and are ready to get rockin'.