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Living Room/entryway

Reality

TV-PG

21

May 21, 2007

A dark, cramped living room and foyer do nothing to add appeal to Sarah’s House. Sarah reconfigures the entire space, giving it the grandeur it lacks. Walls come down, the stairway opens up and inefficient doors and windows are torn out. Even a fireplace that cannot be removed gets a new lease on life. This living room becomes a fitting showcase for a house with such lineage.

Season 1, 13 episodes

Sarah jumps onto a hot real estate market to show you how to buy a fixer-upper and make it the house you want right away. The ultimate renovator’s dream is elusive – good bones, the right price and location are everything. With her discerning eye and a solid real estate agent in tow, Sarah finds the perfect disaster and readies herself to polish this diamond in the rough!

Overgrown and unloved, no one can remember when Sarah’s backyard has seen better days. Landscapers and muscle work hand in hand to resurrect this hardscrabble plot into a chic low-maintenance space for year-round enjoyment. Increased privacy...

Kids' Bedrooms,

The kids’ bedrooms in Sarah’s House are plagued by awkward layouts and sloped ceilings. A shoestring budget challenges Sarah to transform these tricky spaces into dream escapes for their pint-sized occupants. It means spending limited funds where they’re needed most, both behind the walls and on the fun and funky décor.

Kids' Bath And Lounge,

A dingy bathroom, dim hall and a pokey room jump from tired to inspired! Sarah captures every last inch of unused space, re-working the hall, gutting the bathroom and creating a lofty kids’ lounge and study, with a constant eye on her pocketbook. The end result: affordable, functional amenities that are versatile and grow with the children!

Den/home Office,

Functioning as den, home office and guest bedroom is a tall order for a tight space. Sarah creates a stylish room with a versatility that can rise to any duty thrown its way. Eliminating coved ceilings, selecting large-scale furniture and a sunny color palette are clever design decisions that prove a small room can be big on style and serve almost any use.

Master Bedroom,

A bland master bedroom gets a wake up call! Sarah doubles the size of the space by knocking down the wall to an adjoining room, and bricks up a never used window to create a long enough wall for the bed. This new layout also captures a lounge space and walls of his and hers’ closets. Lush textures and colors, more light and sparkle make for a masterful bedroom retreat!

Master Bathroom,

A dingy kitchen and a dirty bathroom become a beautiful master bathroom. Sarah unites these two wretched spaces, cleans them up and creates one gorgeous, stand-alone oasis. Windows, doors, floors and hallways are moved to make way for a luxurious, peaceful space without going over budget. From the rough comes this diamond of a master bathroom.

Living Room/entryway,

A dark, cramped living room and foyer do nothing to add appeal to Sarah’s House. Sarah reconfigures the entire space, giving it the grandeur it lacks. Walls come down, the stairway opens up and inefficient doors and windows are torn out. Even a fireplace that cannot be removed gets a new lease on life. This living room becomes a fitting showcase for a house with such lineage.

Kitchen/dining Room,

A drab kitchen and mock tudor dining room do nothing to arouse the palate. Sarah knocks it into a vast, contemporary kitchen and dining room. Insider tips on finishes, craftsmanship and details help you to create a timeless place to cook and entertain. Sarah gets the most wow factor from every dollar, making this kitchen a showcase in every way!

Low ceilings, chopped up rooms, damp and mold would turn most potential homebuyers away, but not Sarah! However, her visions of a high and dry family space quickly turn to nightmares when costly structural work must be added to the basement renovation to-do list. With the budget compromised, Sarah works to make this family entertainment level work on a tight budget!

Mudroom/laundry Room,

A kid-friendly landing spot and a user-friendly laundry room are high on this house’s priority list. After a full basement excavation, Sarah carves out well-organized, highly-functioning service rooms for the entire home. Little money sparks big ideas to maximize every square inch of this new home operations centre.

‘Choose the worst house on the best street’ is good real estate advice and one look at Sarah’s choice shows she listened. Outdated windows, a listing porch, dry rot and an old retaining wall must be addressed to increase safety and curb appeal. Budgetary constraints, bad-weather conditions and the interior house renovation all take priority and push this makeover to last on the list. There is definitely a swan waiting inside this ugly duckling!

The dust has settled and Sarah is the proud owner of a brand new house!! Sarah has proved that through solid planning, wise spending and a sense of humour that she can make a difference to her home. Tour the entire home from top to bottom, learning added perspective on decisions made. What did the experience mean to Sarah, what can it mean to your own renovation?

Details

Sarah's House

Reality

TV-PG

4

21

Follow Sarah Richardson as she conceives, plans and renos a fixer-upper house from start to finish.

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