A real home makeover by Thom Filicia!

Real Simple and Chase Blueprint awarded one very lucky winner a $20,000 home makeover by the wonderful Thom Filicia!  That lucky winner of the contest, "Blueprint to a Beautiful Home" was Stephanie Gayol Phillipou of Mountainside, NJ.

The Philipou's moved into their home December 2011 and had to start preparing for new baby, leaving no time to add their personal style to the home.

Check out her home's amazing transformation!

Before:

What's amazing to me is how their home looks barely lived in, it was in major need of some character!

After:

The blue paint is so refreshing.

Before:

After:

I'm really loving upholstered dining chairs these days, it makes the space elegant and comfortable.

The bedroom and living room are a great study in how to mix patterns. The rug and comforter are in a neutral gray, which makes it easy to add pattern and color without worrying about clashing. The smoky lavender walls are restful, and the global accents remind the Phillipou's of their safari honeymoon in South Africa.

As always, Filicia did an amazing job.  What do you think of this transformation?

You can see and read more about the transformation in the December 2012 issue of Real Simple.

Oh so glamorous and elegant interiors in white

I am super excited about this post because I always have, and I think always will, have a soft spot for white interiors.  Having a room based in white is great by itself, and it's great for those who are afraid of color, because it lets you experiment with color in small doses, such as throws, pillows, and other accessories.

Aren't the windows to die for?  The room could easily go gloomy with all of the dark wood, however, so white furnishings and light and airy fabrics keep it bright.

The dramatic slate gray walls in this SF showhouse really contrast beautifully with the white upholstered chairs.

This dining room has superb bones, and the white and neutral colors let them take center stage.
I think I'd go without the rug though.

I like the painted floors in this room, but I think I'd sill like a rug at my feet when I get out of bed.  The chandelier and furniture is gorgeous.

*swoon...a modern parsons desk, an antique ladder-back chair, a tribal stool..the white netting..what an unexpected but delectable quartet.

What do you think?  Do any of these spaces make your heart skip a beat?

via Traditional Home