Is your home crying out for some renovations, but you lack the time to get anything done? Then a new show on Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network could be just the inspiration you need to get moving.
On “Makeover by Monday,” DIY expert Jenni Yolo completes clients’ projects in one weekend, with minimal funds. As she explains, “I’ve learned you don’t have to have a huge budget or a ton of time to really bring a space to life.”
In the latest episode, “Making Space for Dining In,” she visits her friends Geoff and Ami in Milwaukee, where they recently bought a Prairie-style home. They hope Yolo can turn their formal dining room into a flex space that can work not just for eating, but also where they and their two young kids can do homework, crafts, board games, and more.
Once you see Yolo’s clever tips, you might find yourself running to the nearest thrift or home improvement store to take on some renovation projects of your own. Here’s what we learned.
Replace a dangerous glass table with sturdy wood
Fragile glass dining table
Magnolia Network
Geoff and Ami had moved the dining room furniture from their former more modern house into their current home. But the furniture doesn’t transition well into their new bungalow-style abode. For one, their glass-topped dining table not only looks out of place, but it also has sharp corners that are just about at eye level for their kids.
“A glass table is an interesting choice for two young children,” says Yolo. “I feel like you guys are maybe a year away from them standing on the table and the whole thing just shattering.”
“Two days away,” says Geoff.
One of Yolo’s first tasks will be to create a new table for the family using wood from Wisconsin walnut planks—a much sturdier and style-appropriate choice for this space.
Paint thrifted furniture for a fresh new look
Jenni Yolo with an old $20 buffet
Magnolia Network
Geoff and Ami need a new buffet in their dining room. Since her budget is tight, Yolo goes to a thrift shop, where she finds an old buffet for $20.
“It’s a little bit beat up, but I saw a lot of potential in it,” says Yolo. “I’m going to paint it black, add raffia to the insets, and I’m going to update the hardware and create a beautiful piece for their space.”
The results are gorgeous—and accomplished within three days while working on other projects for the dining room.
Refinished buffet
Magnolia Network
Leave beautiful woodwork alone—and add wallpaper for eye candy
Beautiful, original woodwork
Magnolia Network
While thrift store finds may look better painted, certain woodwork should be left well enough alone. This is the case for this home’s beamed wood ceilings and matching woodwork throughout. It’s artisan quality, so painting that dark wood white or any other color would be a travesty.
“Obviously we want to leave the woodwork dark,” says Yolo. “No painting the woodwork!”
She’ll use wallpaper in the couple’s favorite colors to give the walls additional interest.
“The bones are so good I really feel like my job is to make some changes that will enhance the beauty that is already there and make the place feel cohesive and thought through,” says Yolo.
Decide whether a rug should complement the decor or steal the show
Selecting the right rug
Magnolia Network
Yolo brings a number of rugs in to see which one looks best in the room once it’s papered and accessorized.
“When you’re picking a rug, it’s important to kind of know if it’s the star of the space,” says Yolo. “Is it going to be that moment when you walk in and you really want to wow? In this space, it’s not. We have wallpaper, we have this amazing table that we built, so we want this to just complement it.”
She chooses a subtle rug that picks up the colors of the wallpaper, so it doesn’t compete for attention with the walls and table.
Mix prints with a common color
Examples of prints that work well together
Magnolia Network
Around the corner from the formal dining room is another dining space: a breakfast nook that Yolo wants to coordinate but not match.
She will have new pillows created for the plain banquette that is already there, then discusses her fabric choices.
“I personally love mixing different prints, like doing floral with plaid,” she says. “I always feel like the best rule of thumb for that is to coordinate the colors.” For example, she coordinates the dark green and mustard in both a floral and plaid.
Plus, “Whenever I’m mixing patterns, it’s always important to have a neutral one. So I love the idea of bringing in one of these plainer ones,” she says, gesturing toward neutral-toned pillows with only a few subtle stripes, “so you don’t have pattern on pattern on pattern.”
How does Jenni Yolo’s makeover turn out?
Finished dining room
Magnolia Network
Yolo is a little nervous about this project, because Geoff and Ami have been her friends for almost 10 years. What if they don’t like it?
She didn’t need to worry, mostly because she listened carefully to their tastes. Geoff and Ami end up impressed that Yolo took all their cues and put them together in a way they never would have imagined. And in three days!
“You did so much,” says Geoff. “This is amazing!”
The post The $20 DIY Idea Every Homeowners Should Try Once—Courtesy of New Show ‘Makeover by Monday’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.