For the Finn family of Wilmington, the wait is finally over! On last Thursday and Friday, their long-awaited segment of “Room For Improvement” aired on several of the Channel 7 news programs.
Designer Melanie Murphy, of Redecorating By Melanie (www.redesignyourhome.com), said that the family wanted to bring the outdoors in and to have a garden feel. She certainly accomplished her goal. Using three different shades of green in the room, some “pops” of purple in throw pillows and candles, and some fresh flowers and greenery, Murphy was able to emphasize nature throughout the room and use some of the family’s favorite colors at the same time.
Once an unusable space that the family avoided, the room now has two areas that the family can use for different purposes. One end is a reading nook, a great place to curl up with a good book on a rainy day. The other end is an area where the family can sit together and perhaps play games or catch up after a busy day. On the game table Murphy placed a board game, some candles, and some brownies and cookies for the kids.
The family provided a $4000 budget to create a welcoming space in the dilapidated front porch. Designer Murphy, however, only had about half of that to use in the space because the remainder was spent to replace a wood floor that was beyond repair.
When Channel 7 Producer Jennifer Savio asked Murphy [on camera] how she created the window treatments, Murphy giggled, “Oh, you can’t ask me that!” She went on to say modestly that “we were on a very tight budget, so we were creative and took two shower curtains that matched some pillows in the room and created window treatments.”
Murphy was also able to keep the budget in line by re-using some of the homeowners’ old wicker furniture. Once she added a fresh coat of paint of dark paint, the old furniture worked beautifully in the new space. Murphy simply added a cocktail table from the Christmas Tree Shops and assorted accessories from Home Goods and Pier One, Target, Crate and Barrel and Mahoneys to finish off the room.
So would the homeowners like their newly renovated space? It was time to find out. Channel 7 cameraman Kurt Hartwell set up on the front porch and then the homeowners were led out into their new room.
“Oh gosh, oh Mel, this is beautiful, I can’t believe this is my porch! This is amazing! Look at this…this is so unbelievable…this is absolutely gorgeous…I’m in the wrong house,” exclaimed Kristin Finn.
“She’s awesome,” said Finn’s husband Jay [speaking of designer Murphy]. “It was not the type of porch you want to sit in and now it is!”
Kristen continued, “Beyond my expectations! This is where we are spending the rest of the summer and fall!”
Murphy led the couple around the room pointing out some of the various new features, the painting of the furniture, the window treatments, a floral wreath, a planter, and some other greenery in a corner.
She also explained to the family that she had a water feature planned for the room, but it had not worked out as she had hoped. “Here’s your water feature,” she joked as she reached for a pitcher of water with lemons on the table in the reading nook.
It was an afternoon full of interviews and laughter, however it was homeowner Kristin Finn who had the last laugh. When it was time to call it a day, she asked the Channel 7 crew; “Can the kids eat the props now?”
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