Before and After: A Quaint Cape Cod Cottage Is Rescued from Disrepair

Wendy and Cleve Meredith, drawing inspiration from their New England background, undertook a significant renovation of their 1930s Cape Cod-style home in Atlanta. The house, which had remained largely unaltered for decades, presented a unique opportunity for an update without expanding its original footprint. Wendy, an interior designer, collaborated with Atlanta architect Brad Heppner to refresh the property, beginning with its curb appeal. Subtle yet impactful changes were made to the exterior, including repainting the brick a warm light brown to blend with the surrounding trees. A new cedar-shingled roof, a flared awning over the front door, and black shutters on the dormer windows were added, enhancing the home's architectural definition. Inside, the objective was to improve living spaces without increasing the home's size. The kitchen, despite retaining its original square footage, now appears more expansive. Much of the kitchen, along with an adjacent pantry and breakfast area, was reconfigured to maximize space planning. Existing scalloped-niche and Shaker-style cabinetry was ingeniously adapted to conceal a refrigerator and pantry. Custom cabinets throughout the kitchen were designed to be slightly oversized, with upper cabinets deepened by 2 to 3 inches to accommodate larger items, and lower cabinets equipped with drawers for easier access. A wooden plank backsplash was chosen over tile to maintain a seamless, old-fashioned cottage aesthetic. A central, space-saving pocket door now connects the kitchen to the dining room. The dining room itself was updated to evoke a sense of history without feeling overly formal. The upper walls were painted the same gray as the kitchen island, creating continuity between the adjacent spaces, while creamy horizontal wood planks were installed below the chair rail. The original hardwood floors were refinished to their former beauty. Wendy selected a round table and antique chairs, upholstered in simple linen and checked fabrics with a delicate scalloped edge, to foster a welcoming atmosphere. A family heirloom, a 13-arm meeting-house chandelier, serves as a distinctive focal point. The former back porch, previously housing a washer and dryer, was transformed into an essential butler's pantry, extending the kitchen's functionality. This area features wood-plank walls, a quaint and practical brick floor, a walnut countertop for added patina, and open shelving to display bar items. A former bedroom was converted into a sitting room, now offering direct access to the newly designed courtyard through French doors. The backyard, originally with a small brick patio, was re-envisioned as a lush courtyard to provide more living space and a garden retreat for the Merediths and their two corgis. A new garage/carriage house anchors the back of the yard. The hardscape includes a picket fence, bluestone tiles, and a pea gravel drive and path, softened by a green-and-white-themed garden. This garden is thoughtfully planted with camellias, a tea olive hedge, hostas, hydrangeas, and ferns, ensuring year-round greenery and blooms. A unique personal touch was added with a quarterboard displaying the name "Glory Cottage," a nod to Nantucket tradition and a symbol of adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. #CapeCodCottage #HomeRenovation #InteriorDesign #ExteriorMakeover #KitchenRemodel #CourtyardDesign #TraditionalHome #ArchitecturalDetails #GardenLandscaping

Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab” undertook one of her most ambitious projects, transforming an incredibly run-down 1885 home in Chicago, IL, into a stunning modern-meets-historic short-term rental. The renovation, documented in the Season 5 episode "Second Time's a Charm," spanned two years, addressing significant damage and aiming to preserve the home's quintessential Chicago architecture and history while introducing contemporary elements. Victoria's primary focus for the exterior was preservation and meticulous restoration. Despite extensive wear and tear, she chose not to alter the external appearance significantly. Instead, her team meticulously rehabilitated existing features, such as saving the corbels at the entryway, repainting the original front doors, and recreating the roofline molding to match its historic design as closely as possible. This approach ensured the home retained its original charm and historical integrity for future generations to appreciate. Inside, a major challenge arose with the staircase. Victoria initially intended to salvage the original stair railing and newel post, but these were mistakenly discarded during demolition. Committed to maintaining the home's historic aesthetic, she opted to replicate the intricate design of the original staircase from old photographs. The result was a new staircase that perfectly mimicked the historic design, appearing seamlessly integrated and indistinguishable from the original, demonstrating that features beyond repair can be faithfully recreated. The home featured four old fireplaces, which Victoria revitalized by exposing the original brickwork. To enhance their classic appeal, she added antique mantels, creating a charming blend of the home's original materials and period-appropriate additions. This design choice highlighted the inherent beauty of the building's original structure without concealing or removing its historic essence. For a touch of modern functionality, Victoria introduced arched glass and iron doors to separate the kitchen and living room. While not antique, these doors were chosen for their elegant design and ability to create a sense of openness while still defining distinct spaces. This clever addition enhanced the flow and functionality of the first floor, providing layers to the house and demonstrating a successful fusion of modern elements with the traditional architecture. Victoria emphasized that this blend of old and new, modern and traditional, was crucial to the home's successful transformation. Throughout the renovation, Victoria prioritized using materials and designs that resonated with the home's historical period. Even newly added features, such as kitchen sconces and bathroom tiles, were selected for their timeless quality. A notable example was the replacement of three small main bedroom windows with custom stained-glass windows, crafted by her team in a simple, old-fashioned floral design. This decision provided a beautiful, classic touch that honored the home's heritage, showcasing Victoria's commitment to a thoughtful, historically sensitive renovation. #WindyCityRehab #AlisonVictoria #HomeRenovation #HistoricHome #ChicagoArchitecture #ModernMeetsHistoric #InteriorDesign #ExteriorPreservation #StainedGlass

This article details the comprehensive renovation of a historic 1894 officer's quarters on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, undertaken by Donivon and Anne Glassburn. The project aimed to retain the home's historic aesthetic while integrating modern amenities and design. A significant aspect of the renovation involved carefully dismantling and then reusing 200-year-old oak boards from the original structure, which were milled into floorboards for the second level, creating a sense of continuity with the ground floor's reclaimed wood. This approach contributed to the home's perceived 'soul,' as noted by interior designer Allison Elebash. Architect Beau Clowney was instrumental in designing a 900-square-foot addition that harmonized with the original structure's scale and details. This addition primarily created an open living space at the back of the house, featuring steel doors that open to a pool area, envisioned by the Glassburns as a private resort. Elebash's interior design strategy focused on bridging the old and new elements through classic finishes, sculptural furniture, durable fabrics suitable for a coastal environment, and the strategic display of the family's modern art collection. The renovation emphasized creating a sense of spaciousness. The addition of a wall of steel windows and doors in the living area, despite its moderate size, makes the room feel significantly larger. Careful planning by Clowney and Elebash regarding interior doorways, kitchen layout, and furniture placement contributes to the illusion of a much larger home, with visitors often estimating it to be 3,600 square feet, when it is actually 2,950 square feet. The front room serves a dual purpose as an everyday entry and a special-occasion dining room, facilitated by clever furniture choices like a round dining table that allows for ample foot traffic. The design incorporates a mix of high-end and inexpensive items, such as antique dining chairs paired with an acrylic table and a durable seagrass rug, ensuring both elegance and practicality for daily life with pets. The kitchen, where the addition meets the original structure, features marble used in contemporary ways, such as a waterfall island and slab backsplash, creating a focal point on the range wall. Transom windows above the doorways enhance light flow and character. Shaker cabinets, painted in a diluted Benjamin Moore's Collingwood (OC-28) to match the original window and door trim's thin bead detail, and walls painted in Benjamin Moore's Simply White (OC-117) complete the cohesive look. A pass-through area, originally intended as a sitting room, was converted into a cabinet-lined butler's pantry, easing traffic flow during entertaining and complementing the petite kitchen. The cabinetry in this area is painted Farrow & Ball's Stone Blue (No. 86) as a nod to the coastal setting, and polished nickel hardware was predominantly used, with brass accents in the butler's pantry. Upstairs, a bedroom was transformed into a den, initially appearing bland with white walls. Elebash introduced Thibaut's Kasai wallpaper to add a significant visual impact. The renovation budget was managed by limiting the home's size to 2,950 square feet, allowing for investment in high-end materials and features like a vaulted ceiling with early 20th-century style beams and shiplap walls that visually distinguish the new addition from the original drywall. The main bathroom includes carved storage nooks to address an awkward bump-out and a wall-to-wall mirror to enhance the sense of space. The daughter's bedroom features a cheerful Quadrille's Sigourney Small Scale fabric for the headboard, bed skirt, and Roman shades, complemented by a bright white palette, rattan accents, and colorful woven baskets as wall decor. Externally, Clowney restored the exterior to its original 1890s appearance while adding modern touches, such as a 10-foot-deep porch, substantial shutters, and dramatic rooflines with replicated trusses. Contemporary elements like ipe decking, oversized pool pavers, and modern landscaping by Sheila Wertimer contrast with the historic facade. This blend of historical preservation and modern convenience has created a home that the Glassburns cherish, with their daughter already expressing a desire to inherit it. #HistoricRenovation #CoastalHomeDesign #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalAddition #ReclaimedMaterials #LuxuryRenovation #SullivanIsland #TraditionalMeetsModern #HomeTransformation

Jay Deputy embarked on a journey to update his late parents' home in Seaford, Delaware, transforming it into a personal retreat while preserving its inherent character. The single-story, red brick Colonial-style house, built in 1968, held significant sentimental value, having been purchased by his parents, John and Lillian, in 1970. Deputy, who describes himself as a lifelong collector of homes and furnishings, ranging from a 13,000-square-foot mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, to a New York City loft and a centuries-old farmhouse in North Wilmington, viewed the Seaford property as an ideal downstate getaway. He appreciated its "human-scaled" rooms, conducive to intimate gatherings of six to eight people. Upon inheriting the house after his mother's passing in 2009, Deputy's initial focus was on structural stability. This involved addressing termite damage, installing a new heating and air conditioning system, and restoring the front porch columns. He then furnished the porch with rockers and casual seating, allowing for enjoyment of the hydrangeas. Simultaneously, he simplified the yard and garden to better suit a second home, acknowledging it as an ongoing project despite removing several trees. Inside, Deputy concentrated his decorative efforts on the entertaining areas: the formal living room, library, dining room, and sunroom, along with the master and guest bedrooms. Notably, he left the kitchen largely untouched, preserving its original Corian countertops, plank cabinets, and wrought-iron hinges, deeming it "still a very serviceable kitchen." The library, which served as a family room during his childhood, underwent a significant transformation. Deputy removed dark paneling, painting the walls and fireplace a soft celadon green, a color inspired by a floral needlepoint rug inherited from his grandmother. He sourced matching Baker settees, reupholstering them in a claret-and-ivory toile fabric by Brunschwig & Fils, featuring pheasants, hunting dogs, and woodland flora. Accents of black, including a painted tole tray, silk chandelier shades, and a cocktail table, complement the room's color scheme. A 19th-century Empire-inspired mahogany bookcase displays antique volumes and Chinese porcelains, subtly reflecting the room's palette, flanked by 18th-century Chippendale chairs. Deputy's decorating style, while more formal, shares a common appreciation for Chippendale furniture with his mother, who preferred a country aesthetic. He describes the mahogany sideboard in the dining room as an artful reproduction, adorned with vintage Waterford crystal and heirloom decanters holding a collection of rare Scotches. The full restoration of his St. Paul mansion, which took a decade, provided him with valuable hands-on experience in plastering and carpentry. For the Seaford project, he hired out much of the work but personally handled tasks he enjoyed, such as painting, often accompanied by Bach on his iPod. The formal dining room features a bold blue-and-white Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper depicting birds and vines. Chippendale-style dining chairs by Maison Jansen and mid-century reproductions of a dining table and breakfront by Henredon, inherited from his aunt, complete the space. An antique Chinese rug from his grandmother and 18th-century gilt-wood sconces with their original mirrors add historical depth. In the sunroom, Deputy refreshed his mother's whitewashed wicker furniture with black paint and claret-and-cream toile cushions. Unmatched Asian-influenced chandeliers were unified with a glossy crimson enamel, and lemon trees and leafy plants contribute to a tropical atmosphere. The formal living room showcases his grandmother’s camelback sofa, upholstered in its original shimmering gold silk, complemented by cream walls, coral wing chairs, and an Oriental carpet. The room also features a 1740 partner's desk, a mahogany desk with flame finials crafted in Delaware, and 18th-century commodes serving as end tables. A magnificent, thinly cut stone screen from China behind the sofa underscores his passion for collecting. Deputy emphasizes the sentiment behind these items, stating, "Things we find, things that have age, things we collect have a certain weightedness," and cherishes the stories embedded within them. #HomeRenovation #InheritedHome #InteriorDesign #SeafordDelaware #FamilyHeirlooms #ChippendaleStyle #HistoricHomes #HomeDecor #PersonalizedSpace