Mobile Home Makeover

Most of us don't live in our dream home, do we? Very few of us have the financial resources to make our house "ideal" with stunning architecture, expansive square footage or sweeping views. But just because its smaller or older than you may like, doesn't mean your home can't accurately reflect YOU, and be a warm welcoming haven for your family. This is my goal, when you hire me for a redesign job. I spend time learning who you are, how you use the space and what makes YOUR heart sing. A cozy, serene space that brings lively comfort to all who enter? That doesn't come from architecture, nor views. You don't have to wait for your "dream home". It can be achieved in a short time, on a very tight budget, and I can help. Here is a great example...

Though the client had a beautiful collection of art and accessories, she was frustrated with her dark and dated manufactured home. The combined living and dining room is a great floor plan, but arranging furniture in such a way as to not block the many walkways had been a frustration.
Enter Fresh ReDesign! The "Before"

 

 

 

 

 

One day of work and around $100 in supplies later, we had this:

Issues addressed in this area:
1. Brightened the room by painting the back walls a warm, creamy neutral color. The client didn't want to paint ALL of the paneling, and it didn't need it. Just doing the back wall made the room feel much more expansive and became a bright focal point.

2. Rearranged the furniture for better flow, including swapping out the TV table for a smaller one from the dining room. Then hung a coordinating fabric behind the table in order to hide the many electric cords and neaten up the area..

3. Edited out extra accessories and limited the color palette to mainly red, cream and black for congruity.

4. Added layers of texture to counteract the many smooth surfaces (TV, paneling, windows, coffee table) by adding plants, baskets, throw blanket and more light. Most of these extras were purchased at the Goodwill for very little expense.

5.Broke up the many rectangle shapes (again, in the TV, windows, tables, mirrors, posters) by adding the three round plates above the television, then repeating that shape via the Japanese sun in the art print hung nearby.

6. Painted the old black wood stove chimney in the ceiling to help it visually "disappear". This worked far better than the blue paper parasol the client had tried to hide it with formerly.

7. Added the large area rug from another room to soften the space under the coffee table. As you can see, a big part of the re-design is "shopping the house" in order to restyle using what you already have and love, just in new ways!

8. Removed a large, dated mirror from the back wall and re-purposed it in another room. (to be shown tomorrow!)

The very best part of this day was the clients reaction when she walked in and saw her new room! This was my first paid job (despite years of fun playing house for myself, brave friends and desperate family members)  Hilary had believed in me so much that when she heard my hesitant-but-hopeful talk of doing it as a job, she had jumped up, pressed money into my hand and exclaimed "Do it! And I want to be your first client!" She had so much confidence in me, that it gave me boldness to move forward. And now the job was done, and I'd had fun...but would she like it? If she did, it meant yes-I could I actually pursue doing something that was so fulfilling and fun for a real job.

Her tears of happiness and exclamations of disbelief was such a joyful relief to me. They fanned the little spark of hope in me into a bright flame! Hence, this blog and the business Fresh ReDesign was born. Thank you, Hilary, for trusting me with your home, and believing in me! It was great fun!


"Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." 
 -Warren Buffet