Before and After — The Houses — This Photographer's Life

Famed photographer Angela West and her husband were the buyers. Angela and her husband have decided to sell the home, and they listed it with Glennis once again. I went to shoot the home last week! I was so excited. I have always loved this house....

Angela West got a BA from UGA and an MFA from Yale. I've seen a lot of her pieces at Jackson Fine Art.

Since my main two loves are photography and houses, I was so excited to see the changes she had made to the home. How did her skills as a photographer influence the choices she made in the house? Lucky for you guys I have the before pictures (I know, I spoil you), so you can see for yourselves how skilled Angela is not only at photography, but also at transforming a home! Before the home was done very traditionally. I loved it then, but I am really enjoying Angela's modern approach to the home.

Here is the kitchen before..

And here is is now. I never get tired of seeing how fresh paint can change a room. I love the bare walls and that simple green vase on top of the cabinets.

The before breakfast area...

I love the paint color and new pillows. Did you see the chairs? The different fabrics on the front and back are really cool. The table is perfect as well. It's much lighter.

Here is the dining room before. It's very Traditional with the Oriental rug and furniture.

Here it is now. Obvious changes: wallpaper, curtains, chandelier, larger table, rug removal, de-cluttering. I am usually a fan of rugs, but these hardwoods are so beautiful I am glad we can see them. I believe Angela and her husband had all the floors refinished.

Here is another view of the dining room where you can see Angela's beautiful photograph on the back wall!

The living room is where you can see the biggest difference. Here is the before picture. I remember being amazed with how large this room was the first time I shot the house.

Here is an additional before picture form the other direction.

Ready to see it now?

Doesn't that look great? I love the style of this room now, and the painted beams almost seem to disappear. The room is light and airy. They added custom fireplace screens and a built-in bar in the second enclave. Also, isn't that chandelier beautiful?

I wanted you to see Angela's photography above the fireplace. Those are the same pieces highlighted above on the Jackson Fine Art website.

Here is a better view of the bar they added.

And I include this overview so you can see how large the room really is, and how functional the room is with this furniture layout. Didn't she do a great job?

To see more of the amazing rooms in the house, including these...

... and to see the gardens...

... and the guest house...

Have a great week everybody!

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Fine. I heard you. You like houses :) The results of the poll are in, and the results are STAGGERING. #joke. Thank you to my sweet friends who read because I force you. Hey, I do nice things for you, too!

You said that you would like to see more houses, interior design and architecture on this blog. LESS Blayne, MORE houses!! Well here you go! :) (It's ok, I know you still love me.)

Nan Haverty, a top agent with Beacham & Company, has 3224 Paces Bend Court listed (Architect: Norman Askins). I shot this home a few months ago when it was empty. It has a great shell... or what agents call, "great bones," but it was hard to imagine what it would look like with someone living there. The interiors feel really Country French to me. The entry way is imported tile and the wood throughout the home is also imported. Nan asked her friend/client Barbara Culbreath, who is world renowned designer and antique dealer, to stage the home. Barbara used modern/artistic/handsome furniture and art. It creates an amazing juxtaposition to the traditional interiors.

-Study-

Here is the library/study the first time I shot it. It looks so big and empty, and the chairs are dwarfed by the ceiling height and space in the center of the room.

Here it is now. Can you believe the difference? The rug is the same, but she laid down an animal skin rug on top of it to break it up a bit. I love the sofa moved to the center of the room. It feels so much more cozy. The bookshelves were arranged and the large armoir moved. The acrylic table seemed to disappear in the room before, but now it adds a cool contemporary feel to the warm furnishings. It also looks as if sconces were added above the fireplace, which brings in a lot of warm light.

-Dining Room-

Here we have the dining room when I first saw it. There are the imported tile floors I was telling you about. I really like them, but maybe some people would have a hard time imagining what a dining room could look like with brick/tile floors.

Here it is now. It looks so much better. The large scale of the artwork is perfect. I also really like the round table in the square room. It breaks it up and makes it feel livable. I'm also glad she moved the fireplace screen... I don't know why. I just am. I don't have anything against fireplace screens or anything... who knows.

-Living Room-

Here is the before living room.

Here is an overview of what it looks like now. Things to notice: that rockin' table in the middle of the room serves to break the room into two halves, and the herringbone pattern floor is visible now that the rug was lifted.

Love... especially that flying dragon piece of art in front of the window.

That's a great piece of art. Note: when staging a house or trying to make it feel more "finished," ORCHIDS ARE A MUST. Tattoo that to your forearm if you like, but don't forget it. Very important. Hydrangeas also help.

-Kitchen-

The first thing I notice about this before picture is the wallpaper. While, yes, wallpaper is coming back in style, this type of wallpaper is not. It's all I can look at. Very Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. Don't act like you son't know what I'm talking about.

Check it out! No wallpaper. See what painting your home neutral can do. I think that's the number one piece of advice agents give clients when asked what people can do to get their house ready for the market. Paint your house neutral! See what a difference it makes?

-Breakfast/Family Room-

Here is is. Again... wallpaper is really all I can see... well, wallpaper and that AWESOME fireplace!

And here you go. How much better does this look? Neutral walls? Check. Great art? Check. The circular table helps also. The white table cloth does a lot to soften the space. She also ditched the tv on the stand, which is always a plus. Have a tv? We all do. Want to sell your house? Hide it.

Here is a close up of the Family room. I just adore this space. That sofa is incredible. I've never really thought of not having arms on a sofa, but this one doesn't have them and I like it! Also, the architectural qualities of that fireplace are superb. I love that they went with white and not brick. Brick would have been too heavy.

-Master-

The master bedroom is my favorite transformation in the house. Here is the before shot. You know, a ton of people have two beds in the master bedroom. It is much more common than you would think. Even though I see it all the time I am still a little shocked every time I encounter a two-beded master. It's just not what I think of when I think "Master Bedroom." If you are a two-beded (that joke was so good I threw it in again) master person I want to say to you, "you are not alone," but for the sake of selling your home you may want to go for just one bed. It's more relatable.

Doesn't that look better? I can imagine living in that room even though the painted ceiling and curtains are not my favorite things in the world. Just by adding a contemporary bed I can visualize myself there. Can't you?

To see the rest of this house, please view Nan Haverty's listing.

In case any of you are looking for an last minute gift ideas for me, STOP. You don't have to look any further. I want these. Free People strikes again. #ugh. Why do I love everything they make??

Speaking of Christmas (see the segue there)...

I was quoted in THIS article int the AJC Homefinder about how to decorate for Christmas when your home is on the market. Do me a favor and read it. PLEASE. Those of you who are my friends, I'm not forcing you, I'm just strongly suggesting.

Photographer Angela West's Personal Home: Before and After

Before and After: Tips for Staging Your Home (even during the Holidays)

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