See How a Stager Transformed a ’50s Ranch with a “Choppy Layout” into an Open-Living Oasis
Even homes that are well-maintained inevitably need updating at some point or another. This 1950s raised ranch house in Chicago was lovingly cared for by its owners, but when they were getting ready to put it on the market, they realized they needed to make some changes to appeal to contemporary buyers. “It had a very choppy layout,” says Molly Marino, the stager who spearheaded the updates and renovations in order to get this home ready to sell. “Everything had a wall and you were navigating through the hallways.”
Here are all the changes Marino did to prepare the home to be sold.
She had to make major changes to the home’s “choppy” layout.
One big issue? There was no dining room. The kitchen and the living room were separated by a non-load-bearing wall, and the existing kitchen was not really big enough to be an eat-in, which left no natural space for a dining table. So Marino and her team focused on tearing down the wall that separated the kitchen and the living room, which allowed for an open-concept space that instantly maximized the home’s footprint.
She considered the target buyer.
“This house is in a good school district, so the target buyer was a young family,” explains Marino. “I can’t imagine not having a dining space to have a meal. We dropped a pendant light and purposely staged the space with a table and bench stools so you could push it closer to the wall or pull it out to entertain.”
By knocking down the wall, the team was able to create a more flexible space that would better suit modern lifestyles, as well as hosting.
The footprint of the space is fairly small, but the changes allow the possibility to sit between six and eight people for dinner and at least five comfortably in the living room.
She added to the square footage.
This was just one part of a fairly extensive renovation, which ended up costing the homeowners about $150,000 in total.
Aside from opening up and updating the kitchen and living room, Marino’s team also finished out the basement, added a master bedroom with en-suite bath downstairs, updated the bathrooms and roofing, put in a new sump pump and furnace, and made important structural changes on the 70-year-old home.
She updated the curb appeal.
They also repainted the exterior and updated the landscaping for better curb appeal. “We actually got praise from the neighbors for maintaining the integrity of the home,” Marino recalls. “It was kind of an eyesore — well-maintained but falling apart.”
The home went on the market for $574,900. The sellers accepted an offer just five days later. The property closed for just $10,500 under the original asking price.