8 updates to consider when selling your home (for more)

/ Terra Sol Interiors/

During the frenzy on the only weekend our Carlsbad home was on the market, a realtor/broker based in Solana Beach brought his adorable clients over to view our property. Soon after, I received a phone call from him requesting some help with a large home in Olivenhain that his firm was listing. For those unfamiliar, this exclusive area of Encinitas is a special gem where people still have land just a few minutes from the beach and you can hear the roosters crowing in the early hours.

Upon entering the Mediterranean style home I was immediately transported to an eclectic world of travel, energy and astrology. The bones were beautiful and I could see so much potential through the home’s appearance. Thankfully the contractor team had already started to lay 9” white oak flooring in most areas of the home to replace the existing tile and carpet. This update gave us a grounded foundation to revive the rest of the home. That day, we put together a punch list of what needed to be done prior to listing the home on the MLS. You can see the BEFORE photos to see how we came up with this list:

  1. New wall paint color: We chose Dunn Edwards Igloo which is my go to white. It’s bright, not too blue or yellow and makes any room shine. Really good choice for a room with low ceilings too!

  2. New cabinet color: Sherwin Williams White Shoulders in semi gloss. This gave the cabinets a complete transformation with a high end look and feel. It’s a white with a very slight hint of cream that compliments the brighter white of the walls. We used this cabinet color in the kitchen, laundry room, master and guest room bathrooms.

  3. Additional cabinet color: Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron in semi gloss. The office library cabinets were an old school brown which we dressed up with paint and new brass handles from CB2. For this space we used the Hex Polished Brass which were a perfect match for the paint color. CB2 is a great resource for handles and pulls.

  4. Updates stairwell and fireplaces: We used Sherwin Williams Black Magic to give the grand stairwell and fireplaces a quick refresh. The existing stairwell was a dated wood tone and the fireplaces were green and beige. The black helped to ground the spaces and provide an elevated feel.

Before and After .png

Library before/after.

A darker paint gives the room an elevated, modern feel.

5. New hardware: We added new antique bronze handles to the remaining white shoulders cabinets. The darker color gave a nice contrast to the white and by using the antique finish rather than matte, we were able to keep the From there it was selecting wall, trim and cabinet color, all new lighting, bathroom upgrades, handles and fixtures.

6. All new lighting: A new entryway chandelier, stairwell sconces, kitchen nook and island pendants, living room and den pendants and dining room chandelier. The bedrooms which had no lighting got fans with lights and the master bedroom sitting area got a special pendant to create a warm space.

7. We also painted the existing cans to white since over time these can age to a yellow-ish color. We switched out all the faceplates for new ones and painted intercoms and sound system controls white as well. Basically anything attached to the wall which we weren’t removing was painted white.

8. Staging: We knew we wanted to stage the home and furnishing this property with a worldly, modern and high-end feel was really crucial. We love the way it turned out!

I had so much fun with this project! It was quick with a turn around time of only a couple of weeks but together with quick decision maker Greg from Class Realty, the staging gals from Witty Rentals who swooped in and staged it swimmingly and a stellar contracting team, we nailed it. Proof that team work and collaborations with talented professionals makes for a fluid and seamless process. The home feels stately yet warm, it’s own resort like paradise.

THE AFTERS.

THE BEFORES.