Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis' Best Home Designs

Twin sisters Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb have carved out a specialized niche in the volatile Seattle-area real estate market by renovating and selling houses deemed "unsellable." Whether it’s dreadful, dated interiors or exteriors with zero curb appeal, this duo brings the determination and creativity needed to make the seemingly impossible happen — and on a reasonable budget.

Here we highlight some of their most distinctive renovations from their HGTV series Unsellable Houses. Also included are a sampling of their renos as seen in HGTV's competition series Rock the Block, as well as a house tour of the place that Lyndsay and her husband call home.

Lyndsay and Leslie created this bold, glitzy and era-specific living room vignette in hopes of selling a client's second home for top dollar. The restored fireplace boasts a panel surround painted in deep indigo, as well as a raised hearth covered in high contrast black-and-white patterned tile. The space also received new hardwood floors in a blonde finish. Lyndsay and Leslie staged the hearth with a vintage case-design portable record player and other period accessories.

The twins chose purposeful and eclectic furnishings for the rest of the living room, inspired by mid-century (and earlier) designs, including this stylish sofa upholstered in emerald green, graphic throw pillows and contemporary wall art. "My style here was subtle 1920s-era with a bit of Art Deco," said Lyndsay.

This renovated kitchen sparkles with a ceiling-height white subway tile backsplash, bright-white lower cabinets and stone countertops. The crisp, creamy theme of the space is warmed and softened with a gray-and-white patterned area rug, hardwood floors and floating shelves in a dark stain.

Highlights in this clean, cozy and welcoming main bedroom include hardwood floors, a blue accent wall, matching blue doors and a distinctive, layered chandelier that complements the Art Deco theme in the living room.

The main bath is visually stunning, appointed with a new walk-in shower featuring high-gloss ebony tile, a contrasting white vanity and gold bathroom fixtures. A statement feature in the bath is an encore appearance of the bold patterned tile from the fireplace hearth — used here as the floor tile. "We kept the layout [of this space] essentially the same to be cost-effective," said Leslie, "but we touched every single surface."

Lyndsay and Leslie enhanced the exterior of their client's childhood home by amping up its curb appeal. Now newly painted white columns and trim, fresh landscaping and outdoor lighting create a bright and welcoming facade.

In the living room of the home, a seafoam green accent wall, wood flooring and an upgraded fireplace with a white surround and a natural wood mantel offer a coastal-cool ambiance. Rattan furniture and accessories add to the beach-cottage vibe, as do the cushy roll-arm sofa, pouf-style accent table, comfy throws and textured area rug — all in light neutral tones. Natural, unbleached textiles and tapestries are a theme throughout the renovation and staging. Houseplants and decorative greenery also contribute to the relaxed feel.

Lyndsay and Leslie had the wood mantel custom made, and the color palette draws on the owner’s favorite colors. "My style here was ‘coastal retreat,'" said Lyndsay, "so we could bring in some of those softer natural elements — so when you get home it feels very calming and relaxing."

In the coastal kitchen, stainless appliances, wood flooring, white cabinetry and a glass-tile backsplash in seafoam green offer an undeniable upgrade — aesthetically and functionally. In the updated floorplan, the space opens into an informal dining area, which is also ideal as a kids’ activity space.

Leslie and Lyndsay brought out the country charm of this older home they were readying for resale. The transformed the main bedroom with an accent wall painted in rich blue, a wooden louvered headboard in a dark stain and creamy accessories and linens. A candle-style classic chandelier provides ambient lighting as well as a rustic flair.

The home's guest bedroom follows the same palette as the main bedroom with fresh white paint for the walls; a louvered headboard; oatmeal, beige and soft blue accessories; coordinated wall art and the use of varied and sumptuous textures. Well-thought-out staging makes this modest space feel larger and inviting.

This luxe bathroom was a linen closet before the twins got their hands on it. Now, Moroccan tile flooring, relief-design mosaic tile for the shower, a marble-topped vanity, brushed gold fixtures and gold-framed mirror create a chic main bath.

The owners of this 2,500-square-foot single-family home purchased it as an investment, then converted it into a duplex. It’s located in the Seattle suburb of Bothell, an area experiencing rapid growth leading to a highly competitive real estate market. Prior to the renovation the home’s exterior was decidedly lackluster, painted in beige and lacking in any real defining features. So Lyndsay and Leslie upped the curb appeal with a dark green exterior highlighted with matte black for the trim and bump-out facades. A key focal point is the new front door in rustic natural wood. It’s a look that blends in with the natural wooded surroundings.

Inside, Lyndsay’s design style draws on industrial themes for a high-end-yet-relaxed ambiance. The primary bedroom suite features a modern-style chandelier, dark-stained wooden headboard and rustic accent bench.

Behind a traditional barn-style door this modern en suite bath features a large walk-in shower with a glass surround and grey stone tile. The wood vanity is finished with a white stone top and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and lit by industrial style sconce. Recessed lighting illuminates the shower.

To help one of the Unsellable Houses team members ready her house for the market, Leslie and Lyndsay kicked it into overdrive to upgrade the home on a tight timeline and limited budget. A standout in the living room is the fireplace: a graphic tile surround and attention-grabbing live-edge wood mantel offers distinct character. "It was so much fun doing this house," said Leslie, "because our style here is ‘farmhouse chic.'"

To save on renovation costs, the twins opted to retain the original wood cabinetry in this kitchen. However, they jazzed up the overall look of the space with ornate Moroccan style tile for the backsplash, white stone countertops and engineered wood flooring in a blond finish.

The main bedroom has a bright, fresh feel with tons of natural light. The custom headboard is a repurposed window frame, and the space feels elegantly rustic with a palette of neutrals and pale blues. Other new features include a contemporary style light fixture and a natural wood bench.

In HGTV's competition series Rock the Block, four teams of HGTV's top designers have just a few weeks and a limited predetermined budget to renovate four unfinished homes on the same block drawing on their signature styles. In the series' third season, Lyndsay and Leslie joined the contest. Starting with a blank-slate kitchen,the duo created a design that includes dark hardwood floors and vibrant blue cabinetry offset by white quartz countertops. Other highlights include a large-scale kitchen island, twin pendant lights, a state-of-the-art range and modern range hood.

Returning for Rock the Block’s fifth season in Florida, Lyndsay and Leslie took home the prize for their winning coastal design. In the kitchen they focused on a relaxed, laid-back vibe that was nonetheless elegant. Dark alder wood custom cabinets are offset by the light floating shelves in light wood and white stone countertops. The generous kitchen island has a wood base painted in jade green and it’s illuminated by no less than five pendants with various shades.

A winning feature in Leslie and Lyndsay’s winning design is the feature wall that incorporates a glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine room. “We learned that American wine started in St. Augustine, Florida, which is just a couple hours from here,” said Leslie, “so we thought, ‘Why not bring the wine to us?’”

The twins turned the second-floor landing into a home office space with a work station, natural wood desk surface, built-in shelves and textured grass-cloth wall covering.

One objective of this renovation was to create a backyard retreat with a spa resort feel. Outdoor enhancements include a covered patio, outdoor shower and this poolside palapa — an open-sided structure with a thatched roof designed to provide shade and shelter. Palapas are common in Mexico and beach communities, and traditionally the roofs are made from dried palm leaves.

Lyndsay and her husband traded in their home in downtown Snohomish, Washington for a four-bedroom country cottage about a 25-minute drive from town. Among the home's more charming features is this deck with outdoor furniture, simple corrugated roof and string lights suspended from the exposed beam supports. The Lambs spend a good bit of time on this deck, soaking up nature and watching the hummingbirds at their feeders.

The eclectically appointed living room is cozy and inviting, with wood flooring, area rugs, leather sofas and linen throw pillows. The space offers a grand view of the lush and green backyard. A long open shelf provides a venue for some of Lyndsay's potted houseplants and assorted thrift or vintage items — including two antique typewriters.