Once children are out of the nest, houses can be reborn. That was the case for this Atlanta couple with two kids in college. The husband is a builder, and the wife is a real estate agent, but even though they’re “house” people, they decided to bring in interior designer Michele Gratch to help pull a new look together.
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“They’re recent empty-nesters who had sacrificed what they wanted aesthetically due to a busy lifestyle with kids and pets,” Michele says. “They wanted their home to have a clean, transitional feel with pops of color throughout to add vibrancy to the space.” Since pets were still around, Michele made sure her selections kept the home animal-friendly.
They re-did many parts of the house during this makeover, including the kitchen and bathrooms, and they expanded the master bedroom. The team also pursued simpler architectural updates: fretwork on the dining room ceiling and wooden beams and a new plaster fireplace in the living room.
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An even easier upgrade Michele recommends: repainting the whole house. “Paint can be a game changer and instantly make a space feel fresh and current,” she says. “We wanted to keep the house feeling light and airy, so most of the rooms are either painted Benjamin Moore White Dove or Bruton White. White Dove is a warm, versatile white, and Bruton White has a touch of gray.”
Another way to ready a house for the next chapter of life: edit out accessories (all those framed photos that can accumulate … we’re looking at you) and maybe replace them with new items and some fresh pillows. But beware, when the kids come home to visit, they might be so impressed they decide to move back in.
All house photos are by Christina Wedge, and Michele’s portrait is by Jake Laughlin.
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