DESIGN POINT
RENOVATION ROCKSTARS
JILL MCDONALD Omaha, Nebraska
J ill not only won a Think Realty Magazine men- tion for her kitchen renovation; she snagged the $100 Home Depot gift card for the most reactions to a project as well. She can use that on her next renovation, which will be her second. That’s right: This kitchen transformation was part of Jill’s very first real estate rehab project ever. She purchased the property in March 2016 and had a completed kitchen project just three months later. The kitchen renovation budget was $17,000. “When I originally viewed this house, I knew that the kitchen would be the first and most important room to be renovated. The original kitchen felt dated and the space just wasn't as functional as it could be, so I knew that this transformation was going to be big from the start!” she said. Jill said her favorite part of the renovation process was picking out the materials. “I had so much fun looking up kitchen ideas in magazines, online, and on TV shows. Once I knew what kind of floor, or back splash, or light fixture I wanted, I would set out to the stores to find something similar to what I had in mind,” she explained. Despite the fun factor, however, she never forgot that this job had a budget. “This was my first major renovation project and I definitely did not have an endless budget, so I also enjoyed a lot of price comparisons and searching to see where I could find the best deal!” Jill says, “While I was picking out materials I found myself questioning whether or not things would match, but I just trusted my instincts and it all came together pretty well!” WHAT’S NEXT? Jill has big plans for the next stage of her rehab and she’s eager to keep the project moving. In the interim, she moved into the property in order to save money and maximize her work time. That’s definitely taking your work home with you! “Now that I am done with the kitchen renovation, I will continue to live in the home and make more updates as I go,” she said. “I am definitely looking forward to seeing what I can do with other areas of the house to make it more modern and increase the value.” RENOVATION TAKEAWAY: TRUST YOU R INSTINCTS
BEFORE
BEFORE
THREE KITCHENS ROCKED OUR WORLD IN OUR INAUGURAL RENOVATION COMPETITION .
If you have ever watched a reality real estate show and cringed at the “great ideas” those flippers and rehabbers employ in their renovations, then you are in good company. We were pretty sure that we would have real real estate investors lining up to showcase their own remodels in the first round of our Renovation Rock Stars online competition, and we were right. After hundreds of likes, shares, and “wow” emojis, we narrowed the field to three winners. Check out their remodels and their commentary on the process, then watch the Think Realty Facebook page for information on the next round.
Jill’s finished renovation (top and bottom) combined affordable but trendy design elements with an open concept. In the before pictures, you can see where the wall between the kitchen and dining room once stood. Always work with an expert when taking out walls, since some simply cannot be removed destroying your home’s structure!
94 | think realty magazine :: year end 2017
thinkrealty . com | 95
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