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Her real estate agent advised against it. Her in-laws begged and pleaded. But designer Lauren Liess saw an opportunity in an eyesore of a house in Herndon.

Designer Lauren Liess sits with her son, Christian, 4, in their Herndon home; her husband, Dave, holds Justin, one-and-a-half years old. The Liesses used $35,000 in savings and no-interest credit cards to transform their entire home and Lauren's career as a designer and blogger. "It was scary," says Lauren, "but it worked." Katherine Frey/The Washington Post

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The frog prince bi-level house

Local designer and blogger Lauren Liess spent $35,000 to give her entire home a facelift in six months.

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Designer Lauren Liess adds impact and drama to an uninviting entry space.

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