|
Woman’s project featured in Better Homes and Gardens (back to About) Gail Gil of Franklin Park began remodeling her home five years ago, hoping to lighten the atmosphere in her kitchen and living space. She never expected her remodeling project would result in her family’s 15 minutes of fame. Gil’s remodeling project is featured on six pages in the August issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The magazine feature was part of Gil’s selection as winner of the public rooms and decorating division of the Better Homes and Gardens Home Improvement Contest last year. She began her remodeling in 1997, when she decided to paint and replace some cabinets in her kitchen. Gil did the majority of the work herself, repainting cabinets white and installing a new tile stove backsplash. The only project that required outside help was her idea to turn some cabinets into displays, by replacing part of the cabinet doors with glass. The kitchen renovation sparked the idea for a complete reconstruction of the family’s living space. Tired of the darkness of wood paneling in their family room and a living room that was never used, the Gil family had almost moved to find a more appropriate house. “We both knew something needed to be done,” says Gil. “I can’t believe it turned out so close to what we planned.” When looking through magazines for remodeling ideas, Gil says she kept coming back to the same theme. “I have always liked white, and was never a wallpaper person,” she said. The Gils decided to tear down and rebuild some walls, rip out the paneling and re-do the living space in a more open, brighter fashion. The living room was converted into a television room, with a opening in one wall specifically designed to fit their armoire. The room also shrank is size, as a wall was moved to provide room for a larger entry way. Along with the work in the entry way, Bogel & Joseph Builders removed walls and added windows in the family room, allowing for more light. Both rooms were decorated with natural colored couches and chairs, along with antique pieces that make the new rooms appear like something in a Pottery Barn catalogue. Gil felt obliged to enter the Better Homes and Gardens contest after spending so much of her time reading similar magazines to find ideas for her home transformation. And, it seems that her intuition paid off, as Better Homes and Gardens awarded her with $1,500 for her work. The money has already been put aside for future projects, including a revamping of the family’s deck, which is now visible thanks to the new windows in their living room, says Gil. The magazine’s award may have also started a new career for Gil, as she is now considering returning to school in interior design. |