June 13, 2011

Real Life Redo: Cottage Makeover

I want to share with you another great Southern Living article - a real life redo of a cottage makeover! I love this one as much as the article from Friday.


The picture above drew me in, and here are a few more pictures showing how the cottage looked before and after it was renovated...

Exterior Before


Exterior After


What changed?
1. Painted the brick a more natural, warmer color
2. Replaced the roof with cedar shingles that will age naturally over time
3. Punctuated the house with boxwood plantings encircling a new lawn

Kitchen Before


Kitchen After


What changed?
Most of the kitchen, including an adjacent pantry and breakfast area, was gutted for maximum space-planning. They were able to reuse an existing wall of cabinetry—the couple appreciated its scalloped niches and Shaker-style doors—and adapted the wall’s middle doors to conceal a refrigerator and pantry. Custom cabinets in the rest of the kitchen are slightly oversize while still having a cottage feel. For lower cabinetry, they requested mostly drawers rather than doors to make items easier to reach.

As for a backsplash, wooden plank walls (instead of tile) keep the style of the room seamless and add old-fashioned charm.


A small but efficient island holds refrigerator drawers and a bookcase for cookbooks. Painted deep gray to contrast with the lighter color of the cabinets and topped with marble, it feels vintage and perhaps even original to the house. At the end sits an antique tea table where the couple eats breakfast.


The adjacent butler’s pantry was once a porch that held an old washer and dryer, but it’s now an important extension of the kitchen. While the room has the same wood-plank walls, it also has a few distinctive differences: The brick floor is quaint and practical, a walnut countertop brings in a new surface with patina, and open shelving offers an attractive way to display bar items.


Kitchen Source Guide:
1. Cabinetry and wall paint: Revere Pewter (HC-172); Benjamin Moore.
2. Island paint: Chelsea Gray (HC-168); Benjamin Moore.
3. Hardware: Iron knobs (81EUP6 and 81EUP7) and backplates (92U86 and 92U87); White Chapel Ltd..
4. Range: Cluny 1400 by Lacanche.


Dining Room Before


Dining Room After


What Changed?
1. The upper walls are painted the same gray color as the kitchen island to help connect the adjacent rooms, while creamy horizontal wood planks are found below the chair rail.
2. Simple refinishing brought the original hardwood floors to their now beautiful state.
3. To keep the vibe friendly, they chose a round table and antique chairs covered in simple linen and checked fabrics. A dainty scalloped edge on the chairs and table topper adds a decorative touch.
4. A distinctive 13-arm meeting-house chandelier has been hung above the table.

Dining Room Source Guide:
1. Wall paint: Chelsea Gray (HC-168); Benjamin Moore.
2. Wainscot paint: Acadia White (AC-41); Benjamin Moore.
3. Drapery fabric: Zen (46205); Nobilis.
4. Chair fabric: Manchester/Treacle (850002-02) by Rogers & Goffigon; George Cameron Nash.
5. Chandelier: Meeting House Chandelier (CH119); Hurley Patentee Lighting


Courtyard Before


Courtyard After


What Changed?
1. A new garage/carriage house anchors the back of the yard.
2. A picket fence, bluestone tiles, and a pea gravel drive and path make up the hardscape.
3. A green-and-white-themed garden filled with camellias, a tea olive hedge, hostas, hydrangeas, and ferns.
4. A name and display on a quarterboard that’s affixed to the house - ‘Glory Cottage’ - represents adoration, praise, and thanksgiving.

Floor Plan of the Space Before and After


What changed?
1. A former bedroom, now the sitting room, opens to the courtyard via new French doors.
2. The back porch was converted into a butler’s pantry and wet bar.
3. Removing a wall united the kitchen and breakfast room.
4. A centered, space-saving pocket door now connects the kitchen and dining room.


Wouldn't you love a little cottage like that? I would!

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