7 top tips from the Netflix series Dream Home Makeover
It is no surprise that the team at Vintage-etc is obsessed with Netflix's new lifestyle series - Dream Home Makeover, featuring Studio McGee.
The brand new reality series features the busy lives of Syd and the talented Shea McGee, their two young daughters and the behind the scenes at their enviable studio and own home. This couple mortgaged their first home to fund their own design studio and now the duo run a major interiors business in the US.
The series documents the couple as they transform their clients' spaces into the homes of their dreams - and features a variety of projects from a modest bathroom for an juggling mother of a gaggle of young kids, to a super impressive granny flat for a mother-in-law - to heritage homes, and also the more lavish make-overs like a ranch style home with a built in basketball court.
Here we summarize our 7 top tips from the entire series:
1. You do not have to settle with just one style
Episode 4 of Season 1 teaches us that you do not have to settle with just one style in order to create the home of your dreams. In this episode, we see Diana, who loves the idea of a boho-chic style home, and Oscar, who prefers a more modern clean lines. To begin with, the combination seems conflicting and challenging, but we later see Shea pairing the two styles effortlessly into a win-win solution. She shows us how to effortlessly blend styles to match personalities of the home owners without being fearful of a clash of personal style.
2. Styling shelving properly, is well worth it.
Displays are an important part of a home, they set the mood of the space and instantly improve overall aesthetics. Taking time to create the perfect uncluttered, aesthetic arrangement for your shelves is necessary. Putting some of your renovation budget into purchasing great display items, is a great idea.
Three of our own tips for styling shelves are:
- gather items that reflect your personal style - insert a splash of personality
- create small groups of items (eg collections) that are of visual interest
- incorporate foliage and different geometric shapes and varied texture
- ideas to include - baskets, candles, ceramics, coffee table books, giant beads, ceramic balls, the odd photograph or framed sketch.
Key take out – styling shelves is a mini project all on its own, make the time and budget available. Effort is sexy.
3. Bring in elements of the rest of the house, into your main bedroom.
In order to create a sense of flow within your home, your bedroom and the main areas of your house should have some style similarities.
“I like to take one or two colours or textures from the main part of the house and pull them in,” guides Shea.
The main McGee concept is to keep bedrooms a peaceful place to wind down - using more neutral than brighter colours. They stick to a similar palette and style to the living areas. We see how Shea creates some movement with with fluffy throws and chunky knits and scatter cushions to soften the spaces.
4. Combine different styles of seating
In a spacious living room, there is no need to stop at just one style of seating. Mix and match different styles and textures to create a powerful look. Shea's signature style is to pair two free standing chairs with the sofas, and to dress the central coffee table or ottoman, with items of visual interest.
5. Too much wood can be overkill
Episode 5 shows us that too much wood , especially on ceilings, can make a place look drab and gloomy. Shea recognizes and respects the home's history by keeping some of the beautiful barn style beams, but lightens up the space by whitewashing the ceiling in between the beams to create a more modern and bright feel. Every (initially) reluctant client, seemed thrilled with the result of getting rid of knotty timber ceilings.
On the inverse, in some episodes, Shea also introduced beautiful sleeper style beams into rooms that had boring flat ceilings, to add some instant warmth and luxury to main bedrooms and living areas.
6. Furnish a bathroom with a freestanding tubs and vanities
Shea ensures that her home has her dream bathtub, and we can understand why she advocates the same for her for her client bathroom renovations. Freestanding tubs act as the ultimate hub of relaxation and rejuvenation. It also is a great focal point and transform what can be a hard space, into something of a mini-sanctuary - especially for the overworked parents of young children.
McGee Studio seems to have a stamp on the type of vanities they install. The bathrooms featured are such a source of inspiration, where function meets and beauty. Often the vanity is painted in an accent colour, the walls feature framed sets of mirrors and accent lighting. Note the addition of green plants to bathroom vanities.
7. White kitchens need not be a harsh space
Shea teaches us that all-white kitchens are anything but mundane, by blending hints of natural wood, brushed brass and stainless steel equipment into it.
One of Shea’s tricks in making sure a white kitchen is not too stark, is to bring in warm wood accents on counters and shelves, basket weave chandeliers and rugs, adding textured tall bar stools for around the island.
The other idea we see play out in new white kitchens, is to bring in the old. She uses textured tiles (slightly wonky ceramics ) to add movement - as per examples below.
Last but not least, lest we forget - is the wood paneling idea featured in almost every episode. Shea livens up dull hallways by converting it into a utility area, or decorates (or partitions) living rooms and bedrooms with timber paneling.
We loved this concept so much, we dedicated a blog post to that tip here, click to read more.
So, that is a wrap on our top take outs from Dream Home Makeover. Make some tea and time to watch it if, you have not watched it already. It really is what dreams are made of, beautifully edited, touching moments with likeable people. You can watch the official trailer here
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Amanda Stergianos and the team @ Vintage-etc.com
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