Ice-Age Refrigerator, Before
Seasoned flippers know that emptying out long-neglected appliances comes with the territory, but this Marietta, Ga., refrigerator deserves special mention in the annals of ugh. Its contents have been left to their own for more than four years.
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Sleek New Appliances, After
This modernized, multi-use space now boasts sculptural pendants, a marble-topped island perfect for both dining and prep, and—last but certainly not least—an icebox that’s better suited to Architectural Digest than Ghostbusters.
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Lugubrious Loo, Before
Stained wallpaper: Check. Filthy, outdated cabinetry: Check. Whatever’s under that grimy toilet seat: You check, we’ll be in the other room.
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Gray-on-Gray Glamour, After
Ken and Anita gave this WC room to breathe by replacing that fussy paper with contemporary paint, then echoing the serene shade on the expansive new countertop and vanity.
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Lights Out, Before
On the bright side, one doesn’t have to worry about what might be lurking under the bed in here.
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Rise and Shine, After
Jaw-dropping transformations don’t have to cost a fortune: Here, replacing the sad old fan with a drum-shaded ceiling fixture, installing thick new carpet and layering in neutral, natural textures is enough to make this former health hazard a contemporary oasis.
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Down in the Dumps, Before
"Bringing the outdoors in" has been a design trend for ages, but this ... is not how that’s supposed to work.
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Let There Be Light, After
A gorgeous new floor treatment and a fresh face for the fireplace reawaken this now-airy living room. As in its previous life, the space has a ceiling fan (this is the southeast, after all)—but this installation complements the home instead of dating it.
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Counter Argument, Before
Less is decidedly less in this cramped kitchen in East Atlanta—it’s missing appliances, cabinet doors and tiles, for starters. On the bright side, if a stove ever does materialize, there’s a fire extinguisher ready to go!
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Modern Marvel, After
Now we’re cooking! The dark stain on these cabinets takes the room in a clean, contemporary direction and the contrasting counters and tiles sophisticate the space. (Aside: Isn’t the plate of white pumpkins a fantastic detail? Move over, bowls of lemons and green apples. There’s a new accent in town.)
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Baby, You Can't Drive My Car, Before
As a general proposition, "curb appeal" refers to the way a house looks from the curb. In this case, we need to talk about the actual curb (and driveway), which bear a strong resemblance to an X Games course.
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True Curb Appeal, After
What a difference a pave makes! This East Atlanta beauty—with a smooth approach, crisp exterior paint and updated landscaping—is now ready for a block party.
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Run-Down Porch, Before
This neglected outdoor space clearly needs attention, but who would want to visit?
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Craftsman-Inspired Chic, After
A substantial new column and railing give the front porch the wow" factor it so sorely lacked, and a coat of mint-green paint on the door echoes the new plantings in the yard.
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Claustrophobic Kitchen, Before
The maze-like floor plan in this older property in Tucker, Ga., isolates the kitchen from the rest of the home. Time to bring in the sledgehammers.
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Heart of the Home, After
Spaces in this home still serve clear purposes: A single step makes the subtle but noticeable transition between the carpeted living area and the gleaming wood floor in the kitchen and dining area. That said, light and conversation can now flow freely, as they should.
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Room of Doom, Before
Let’s talk about what’s happening beyond the interior doorway in this shot. Is that a refrigerator? An apparition? A gateway to another dimension? The room in the foreground is awfully glum, too.
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Rooms With a View, After
It’s a comfy-looking sectional and a trio of sweet little coffee tables, everyone! Behold the power of knocking down a few walls and letting uncovered windows (and warm neutral paint, and plush floor covering) shoo the spookiness out of a space. Good riddance, moreover, to the spidery ceiling fan that preceded this chic chandelier.
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Welcome to the Jungle, Before
We think Ken and Anita bought a house on an acre of land in Stone Mountain, Ga., but can we be sure?
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Rustic Retreat, After
The home’s idyllic setting is now picture-perfect, thanks to the removal of a few trees and a lot of ground-clearing. The fresh white paint on its brick exterior, in turn, highlights the raw beauty of the wooden shutters, pillars and front door.
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Extra Clutter, Before
This woebegone kitchen is in dire need of new appliances, updated cabinetry and counters and a dumpster.
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Everything in Its Place, After
Carefully curated details make all the difference in this makeover: shapely tiles, smooth dark wood and occasional accents add personality without gobbling valuable counter space.
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More Is Not More, Before
It’s hard to know where to look first in a room that seems to have absorbed an entire house’s worth of furniture, finishes, overflow storage and... well, at least there’s already a box of garbage bags in there?
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Modern Brick Accent Wall, After
Ken and Anita modernized this living room by keeping the painted and whitewashed brick walls in the same family of tones. Here, standouts like the boldly-patterned chairs and the painting above the mantel feel interesting rather than overwhelming.
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Ho-Hum Home, Before
This awkward, '70s-era split-level house sticks out like a sore thumb among the upscale homes that surround it.
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Neighborhood Royalty, After
Every element of this reimagined exterior is eye-popping: The deep blue shutters pick up the tones in the roof, the warm, knotty wood on the porch and front door pulls in shades of brown and orange from the masonry and the shingles in the dormers, and even the flowers on the front walk function as accents to the architectural details.
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In the Weeds, Before
First haircuts are always a little scary, but the one at this home in East Atlanta is long overdue. How do visitors find the front door?
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Quaint Cottage, After
Behold the petite beauty behind all that overgrowth! Cornflower-blue paint unifies the top and bottom halves of the home’s face, and an awning that coordinates with both the front door and the window boxes no longer feels like an afterthought.
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Stained Cabinets and Frumpy Floors, Before
Every surface in this dilapidated kitchen seems to be saying, "Wouldn’t you rather be looking at something else?"
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Small Wonder, After
Though this kitchen be but little, as Shakespeare would say, she is fierce: Ken and Anita replaced each and every generic feature with a treasure (we love the texture on the reclaimed flooring and the details on the sink hardware).
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Cold Hearth, Before
This chilly old living room, in Atlanta’s Beltline neighborhood, is the photographic antithesis of an inspirational poster.
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Midcentury Beauty, After
While mod accent chairs and an atomic-era-inspired chandelier pay homage to this home’s historical roots, it’s otherwise unrecognizable. With abundant natural light, a much more intuitive layout, and cozy textures, Ken and Anita brought it back from the dead—now that’s inspiration.