Beach House Becomes Reality
“Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go…”
This client had always dreamed of owning a beach house. The opportunity to realize that dream presented itself while visiting with friends in a seaside community in Rhode Island. She and her new husband focused in on a small ranch for sale and began to consider the possibilities!
Although many of us may have fond memories of visiting our grandparent’s house, their popular Colonial décor was a far cry from this client’s vision of a casual beach house! The first impression of this home challenged her to hold fast to her dream and see past the miles of vintage drapery, dark trim, and braided rugs.
This breezeway had been heated with a wood stove and along with the raised brick hearth, it also had two other types of flooring; slate at the front and back doors and wood laminate. It also had three wall surfaces; plaster, brick and barn board. There were three ceiling materials too; a dark stained beam, a plastered ceiling in the back and lighter stained bead-board in front. A busy traffic pattern between the front, back and garage doors, as well as the entrance to the kitchen, added to the chaotic atmosphere of the room.
How We Simplified the Space
It was determined that the wood stove was not needed to heat this room. Although the brick could have been white-washed to lighten it, they decided to remove it because it would simplify the room more effectively. The hole left in the ceiling from the stove pipe along with a vent and an unsightly plaster repair all contributed to the decision to cover the plastered section of the ceiling and the dark beam with bead board to match the front section and coordinate with several other bead board ceilings throughout the home. This picture below shows the prep for the ceiling and the fireplace demolition.
Calm Begins to Emerge
Renovations are often driven by budget, and this was no different. It was less expensive to replace the lower section of the brick wall with barn board and paint all of it white than to replace it all with plaster board. The boards would also add to the casual beach décor. The room already has a cleaner, calmer appearance. Next up – paint!
Ceiling, Walls and Trim Complete, Next – Flooring!
The trim was painted Benjamin Moore Super White and the walls were HC-168 Chelsea Gray. If you look closely you can see the recessed area of the slate flooring by the door and where the hearth had been. It is ready for the last update – the flooring!
Ready to Move In!
Indoor/Outdoor carpeting was an economical choice for this entry and it would handle the sandy foot traffic from back from the beach! The warm gray picks up the wall color and the wood ceiling adds warmth. Below shows the simplified room ready for furnishings!
Stayed Tuned for Part II – The Kitchen Update!
I have had the pleasure to work with this client on three other properties and knew she would have great ideas and would be able to imagine the home differently! We worked together on this project to fine tune and validate ideas and ultimately make the best possible decision based on style, budget, and timeline. I wish I could take all the credit but her open-mindedness, positive attitude and focus to get things done made this project fly. Of course, her vision of having coffee on the deck gazing at the water might have had something to do with her motivation! For my part, I can say it was a pleasure to be a resource for her and collaborate on such a dramatic transformation.
Click to see how we transformed the kitchen.
If you do not know where to begin or want to discuss and validate ideas to update your home, schedule a consultation with Allison today. Her approach will encourage your creative side and enable you to make decisions with confidence!