Thirty-six years ago, Yvonne and Henry Theobald built their first and only home on the northwest side of Evanston. They designed it and decorated to their preferences and raised their family here.
Lovingly, the retired couple points to the many special architectural features-a patio in the shape of a grand piano, the furniture finish on the doors and cabinets and the wall of closets in each of the bedrooms.
“Eventually we have to think of downsizing,” said Yvonne, who admits she is reluctant to move. “We need at least a three-bedroom condo. We have the equivalent of four bedrooms here.”
She and her husband asked for some tips on improvements that will net them the best price possible when they do sell. We brought in Tom Rebarchak of Re/Max On The Shore in Wilmette for his advice.
The brick ranch home is located on a tree-lined street in a residential neighborhood. The front door opens to the living room, which is decorated with celadon carpeting, pale yellow walls and upholstery fabrics in variations of olive and gold.
Adjacent to the living room is Yvonne’s sewing room, which could be used as a bedroom or study. The home also has a formal dining room, two full baths, three more bedrooms and a combination kitchen/family room with a stone wall and built-in bookcases. There is also a full subdivided basement and a one-car attached garage.
Opening project
One project Yvonne plans to tackle immediately is sprucing up the front door. She knows it should be refinished and the brass hardware cleaned or replaced. Rebarchak agreed with her assessment. “First impressions are very important,” he said. “You want to create the image there is nothing to do.”
The dining room walls are lined with two layers of mirror. The background is smoked, veined mirror and the foreground is regular mirror cut into arch-shaped patterns.
“My dining room has always been too small,” said Yvonne. Extending the house deeper into the lot would have meant cutting down a mature oak tree. The Theobalds were reluctant to do that so they visually enlarged the dining room with the mirrors. The effect is reminiscent of the Hall of Mirrors at the palace of Versailles outside Paris, Yvonne said.
“In general, the public may react to the mirrors as being very personal,” said Rebarchak. “It depends upon their furniture.”
“It’s possible I’d take the mirrors with me to fit into the next place,” said Yvonne.
“It would enhance the room to take them down,” said Rebarchak. “That’s not a reflection on the quality, but they may not appeal to a majority of buyers. If they have been to Versailles, they might like them.”
“They’re not everyone’s taste,” said Yvonne.
If the Theobalds decide to move the mirrors to their next home, they should take them down before buyers come through, the agent advised.
The eat-in kitchen, which opens up to the family room, features light blond cabinetry, recessed lighting and patio access. Rebarchak praised Yvonne on the earthtone color scheme and the immaculate condition of the cooktop, both aspects that buyers will appreciate.
“I thought you’d tell me the handles are out of date,” Yvonne said.
Rebarchak examined the ornamental hardware on the cabinets and agreed a more contemporary style would update the kitchen. “Most people would change them,” he added.
Adding floor appeal
Vinyl flooring flows from the kitchen to the family room. Although easy to clean, the tile can seem cold, said Rebarchak, who suggested softening the effect with an area rug. “People with children seem to prefer carpeting,” he said.
One of the baths is appointed with pink tile and fixtures and the other, with yellow. In the pink bathroom, the ceiling has a small crack and some peeling that was caused by a roof leak that has been repaired. “It just needs a little bit of sanding and a coat of paint,” said Rebarchak. “Bathrooms usually need a little more attention because of the humidity.”
One of the bedrooms at the back of the house is currently being used for storage. Boxes are stacked along one wall and several portable wardrobes against another. Also in the room are two pieces of exercise equipment. The blinds are drawn shut. Rebarchak recommended storing anything the Theobalds do not use regularly and converting the space so it shows as a usable room.
Designating it an exercise room is acceptable, he said. Opening the blinds is important not only from a light aspect but also to let buyers have another opportunity to see the back yard.
“You’ve been very tactful,” said Yvonne. “I think you’ve given us some well-taken points. I hadn’t thought about the area rug. (Doing that) isn’t a problem. The other things I knew you’d say anyway.”
