Nicole knows that a ground floor powder room will see a ton of guests, so what will she do with a broken window, paint-covered floor tile, and an out-of-commission toilet? Avoiding the impulse to demolish and replace everything, Nicole restores the tile and sink fixture with elbow grease and an all-nighter. She adds dramatic wall color for flair, as well as a toilet and original glass that matches the classic style of the home. Nicole proves that when it comes to restoration, it's better to leave it, clean it, and make it functional again.

A dark basement that could have easily been overlooked as an unsalvageable and unusable space is transformed into a gorgeous family room. Exposed brick and an amazing fireplace are too beautiful for Nicole to ignore, so she sets out to elevate the room from subterranean cellar to functional family room. Nicole sources local salvaged pine for the flooring and restores it to its former shine, while using cost-effective new trim, stained to match. Finally, a vintage art Deco bar is hauled down below to serve as a focal point for the new space. Using as much as she can from the original home and time period, Nicole rebuilds a basement beyond even its original potential.