6. Window Seat
When Chelsea renovated her house back in 2012 and added closets in the third bedroom, she knew something was missing between them: a window seat.
The renovations left a nook small enough to walk into, but that space was unnecessary, and she knew a window seat would provide cleaner lines and a finished look.
Once Chelsea and Brandon learned they were expecting a baby boy, they decided that third room would be his nursery, and the time had come to build the window seat.
Watch “Built-In Window Seat” to learn how she did it>>
7. Adding Trim
Nothing enhances a room like molding and trim, and Chelsea knew she wanted to add some to her home, which never had any since the house was built in the 1940s.
She started by designing and adding trim around her living room windows. When she started turning the guest room into Mary Helen’s nursery, she added the same style trim.
Then, she added trim to a cased opening in her dining room. For less than $30 in lumber, and a few hours’ work, she was able to transform a plain Jane opening and make it pop!
Watch “Adding Trim to a Cased Opening” for more on this project>>
8. Patching Hardwood Floors
Replacing a few boards of flooring, whether they’re vinyl planks or tongue-and-groove hardwood, isn’t hard — that was the message Chelsea stressed in 2018, when she had to replace some floorboards.
The house was built in 1941 and had a packaged air conditioning unit, so ductwork ran under the house in the crawlspace and vents came up in the floor.
When Chelsea got a new HVAC system, half of the system went up in the attic. This moved the vents to the ceiling, rendering the floor vents useless and raising the need to remove them.
Watch “Replacing Hardwood Floor Boards” for more from this project>>
9. Fireplace Update
Chelsea had never thought about painting the inside of her home’s firebox until we updated a dark den and fireplace on Today’s Homeowner. But inspiration arose after she updated the fireplace mantel with wood veneer, and realized the rest of the fireplace looked a little shabby.
Black high-heat paint came to the rescue, and the result was a dramatic fireplace upgrade that offered an instantly cleaner look.
And it will look that way for many years since the black paint will easily cover the dirt and grime that the fireplace is sure to emit over time.
Watch “3 Ways to Update Your Fireplace with Paint”>>
From the nursery, to the master bathroom to the window seat, and all the projects in between, you’ve watched Chelsea’s family — and home improvements — grow in her first home.
The family has said goodbye to their starter home as they’ve moved into a bigger house that better fits their needs.
Which were your favorite projects? Share them in the comments below!
