Kitty's Cape Cod cottage in Santa Monica, which she bought a few years ago. It was all white in the inside, except for the hardwood floors. It was a good buy, but would need some color!
The floors were beautiful, but look how much white! Kitty noticed right away that there was a wood mantle all across the fireplace wall, and her mind started wondering how to uncover it.
And did she ever. Look how that wall glows. It took hours and hours of her time, a helper's and her kid's to get the paint off. Then, she applied her favorite product, Briwax.
See that marble fireplace surround? Surprise! It's not marble, it's be faux painted to look like marble.
The living room had some wonderful "dental molding," which Kitty played up by painting the ceiling a pale blue.
The dining room had a charming bay window and wainscoting. But it needed life!
The room got shelves, color and fabric.
The master bathroom was in perfect shape, but so dated! So 1930s!
With very little budget, Kitty spiced up the bathroom with furniture, wallpaper, and accesories.
One of the greatest additions to the bathroom was the dental molding that Kitty found in a house nearby that was being torn down.
So what do you do with a somewhat cruddy shower door? Kitty covered hers with a curtain made from her grandmother's lace tablecloth.
The master bedroom was a challenge. The odd ceiling didn't seem to go with the Cape Cod style of the house. And see that blank wall? That was standing between Kitty and the back garden.
Kitty turned the odd ceiling shape into an asset when a painter gave it a conservatory look.
And most importantly, Kitty had a door and window cut into that back wall and had a Dutch door installed. She had a brick covered deck built outside, with steps to the garden. The fireplace was set between the two windows. Here Kitty is with her beloved dog Spot.
Above the fireplace, more added molding to tie the room into the living room.
The Dutch door allows light and air into the room, but keeps Spot contained when necessary.
The hallway was pretty plain, as most hallways are.
But of course, Kitty transformed the space. She got that wood piece in the foreground from the same torn-down house as the molding.
Here's the kitchen as Kitty found it. Have you ever seen so much white? It looks like a hospital.
To make the kitchen more Kitty-like, which means charming and on a budget, she tore out the built-in stove and all cabinets on that side of the kitchen, and replaced them with a wonderful vintage stove and an antique hutch.
This red table on the other side of the stove gives more counter space. And see that black wood floor? That came out of another house being torn down. (Kitty lives in Santa Monica, remember, where little cottages like this are torn down, sadly, to make room for very large new houses.)
On the other side of the kitchen, Kitty took off the "cheesy" cabinet doors.
Without the cabinet doors, Kitty's colorful dishes brighten up the room.
To make the kitchen larger, Kitty had the door to the laundry room removed, and incorporated that space into the kitchen. The washer and dryer were moved out to the guest house.
The space where the washer and dryer once stood has become an open pantry with the addition of open shelves. Kitty's checkerboard paint job on the back wall gives it an extra kick.
This corner hutch provides more storage space.
So how can Kitty do all this? She's a very hard worker! Here, she gets started fixing up a house for her TV show.
Here's Spot on the new deck outside Kitty's new bedroom door.