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from At Home in Arkansas | May 2021

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make it happen

If I had to put money on the word real estate agents hear most often before selling a property, my bet would be “potential.” Whether the house calls for a total rehaul to bring it into the modern age or could simply use a few updates to fit its new owners’ style, people have already started to imagine the possibilities when they say, This is the one. That’s certainly how my husband and I were when we bought our house three years ago. And while it’s taken some time, we’re starting to see it come into the “after” phase we dreamed of during our first walk-through. One of the most dramatic changes happened recently when we painted the exterior a beautiful blueish gray. You know that trope in movies where one character takes off their glasses or dyes their hair, and they’re completely unrecognizable to the rest of the cast? That’s what it felt like our house did. Even with no other cosmetic updates, our home was completely transformed—and it makes me so happy. The shrubs I cursed in the front yard look less drab; they just need the attention they deserve. The new hue also better reflects the palette inside the house and even the colors my husband and I wear. While some home improvement projects add directly to the value of the house, this wasn’t necessarily one of them. The investment is worth it because we enjoy our house now even more than we already did.

Whether you’re tackling a similar curb appeal update, a much-needed kitchen or bath renovation, or even a reorganizing project, you’ll find motivation to make it happen in our annual Before & After issue. Remember the potential you mentioned the first time you saw your house? This issue is all about realizing that potential and loving your home even more than before.

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Stephanie Maxwell Newton, editor stephanie@athomearkansas.com