Do you love watching others creating curb appeal from dated yards or from old houses? Have you ever seen the before and after photos/renderings in home improvement magazines? Have you ever wished you could have a new design makeover done for your home?

I enjoy seeing what a place looks like and what it can become. I imagine it gives home owners hope that their place can look fresh and new again…a place they can be proud to come home to.

With the different homes I’ve owned, I can never resist making them the best they can be. I’m sure if you enjoy home improvement magazines like I do, you’ve probably seen these (before & after) images. I like to think of them as a (problem before) and a (design solution after).

It’s a results oriented approach that I like. These before & after pictures speak to me in a way that a single rendering by itself can’t quite do.

Maybe it’s because it shows a starting point to know how and why the new design came to be what it is. It’s similar to a behind the scenes look at the design process. People love to see how things are made.

The rendering becomes a visual plan to work from...a blueprint of where you want to go. You might choose to take on your home improvement all at once or you can take your time and do a little each year. You can work at your own pace as you have the time and the money.

At least you know where you’re going. Without a plan like this it becomes more challenging to know where to start. Often it feels a little overwhelming so you never begin.

2 examples of where these before & after images have been published are "Cottage Living Magazine" (which is now out of print I’m sorry to say) and "This Old House Magazine."

I appreciate the homeowner’s letters being included so we can read what their concerns were at the time. It also gives us insight into why the home design solution was designed the way it was.

Quit often coming up with a design solution leads to other interesting elements that will also improve the over all appearance.

I like to see the list of products used to complete the finished look. Showing a picture of the product or material along with a place to find it makes it convenient for the interested homeowner who wants to take on their own before and after home improvement project.

Browse through some before and after photos today, you may just get inspired to do some home improvements of your own.