MARCH - APRIL 2020 | CHEROKEE LIFE 19
Bath
Most bathroom projects the Corsinis see involve relatively
small updates but require placing tile, like removing an
outdated bathtub in favor of a walk-in shower. If you’re
changing out tile in a bathroom, prepare to make a mess,
Anita Corsini said.
“Bathrooms are a messy job,” she said.
Another item on a lot of wish lists is vanities, because
many older vanities are shorter than standing height for
most adults. For those looking to save money in this area,
the Corsinis recommended getting an all-in-one vanity.
Living
In living spaces, the open floor plan is just about
everywhere. For those who want to combine rooms,
Ken Corsini says to ask some questions before taking a
sledgehammer to the walls.
“When you start taking out walls, the first question you
ask is, ‘Is this load bearing? How is this going to affect
things structurally?’” he said. “Sometimes they are and
sometimes they’re not.”
Load-bearing walls can be taken out, he said, and
replaced with one or more beams.
For rooms with fireplaces, they’re often an important
focal point, so homeowners like to paint or resurface them,
or place the television above the mantel. In one of their
newer Red Barn Homes properties, they painted a brick
fireplace white to match the walls.
“We painted it with mineral paint, which is an amazing
product because it’s porous. Actually, this whole house’s
exterior was painted with mineral paint,” Anita Corsini said.
Exteriors
From siding and the front door to decks and outside
fireplaces, some outside improvements can enhance your
home’s curb appeal-and its value to a buyer.
“Your project doesn’t have to stay inside the house, it can
go outside the house,” Anita Corsini said. “But there’s things
to consider there, because you’re adding in roof lines and
those kinds of things. It’s not just the job of a landscaper
coming in and putting things out, necessarily.”
Homeowners looking to create a farmhouse-style space
can try board and batten siding, paint it and add shutters,
Ken Corsini said.
“A few little things on the outside can really change the
way a house looks and bring it current,” he said.