When the owner of this apartment, a two-bedroom investment property on Chicago’s Gold Coag, was ready to sell, she knew who to call. Realtor and real estate expert Molly Marino of Home by Molly Marino successfully staged and sold the owner’s primary residence several years ago and trusted Marino to understand what needed to be done to prepare this property for sale — and make it happen.
“As a real estate agent, I often focus on ‘pain points’; those things that someone sees when they walk in, that will give them a reason not to buy a house,” says Marino. “In this space, the floors needed to be refinished, and the lighting was missing because these old concrete skyscrapers often do not have overhead elements.” Plus, the kitchen and “disgusting” guest bathroom needed some cost-effective updates, so Marino embarked on what she calls a “baby rehab.”
The most significant changes took place in the kitchen. There, Marin’s plan included refinishing the floors, painting the cabinets in Pure White by Sherwin Williams, replacing the hardware, installing quartz countertops, and replacing the fixtures and overhead light. After it was determined that the awkward section of wall between the front door and the kitchen was not load-bearing, it was reduced to make the space less cramped and improve access to the refrigerator.
Marino also turned one of the first “pain points” customers would see, the outdated kitchen table – which had become a dumping ground for various junk – into a space that is both useful and beautiful. After removing the soffit and light and replacing the old cabinetry (it was cheaper to get new Shaker-style cabinets than to reuse and expand the old cabinets), Marino chose a vibrant green (Sherwin Williams’ Evergreen) to add a pop of color behind the floating shelves she added is. New countertops, pendants, and accessories have transformed an underutilized space into a chic nook that can serve as a bar, coffee station, extra prep space, or anything else the new owner can imagine. “It wasn’t a difficult project, but it had such a huge impact,” she says.
In the guest bathroom, with a little elbow grease and a $400 budget, Marino transformed the space from dingy and depressing to grown-up and picturesque with the addition of a small storage bag, a half-wall chair rail, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black, and bold black -white wallpaper that Marino installed herself.
The rest of the bathroom, bedrooms, living room and dining room in the home have been refreshed with stylish furniture, carpets and decor. In her design plan, Marino based the dark green color on the main location of the apartment across the street from the lavishly decorated Cardinal’s villa. “The condo has the most amazing view of the treetops that are so vibrant,” says Marino. “I brought this out in the selection of furniture, colors and carpets.”
In the end, Marin’s “baby rehab” had a huge impact. The apartment not only received multiple offers and sold within days on the market, but also increased the value of neighboring units, Marino says. “We have [the price] we wanted and raised the price of the building,” she says.