PAINTED THE EXTERIOR BLACK TO SHOWCASE THE HOME AGAINST THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE AS WELL AS REMOVED THE SHUTTERS FROM THE WINDOWS.
IN ADDITION TO PAINTING THE EXTERIOR BLACK WE ALSO ADDED ALL NEW EXTERIOR LIGHTS.
TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF BEING ON THE LAKE I ADDED 10 FOOT SLIDING DOORS TO GAIN A BETTER VIEW OF THE LAKE.
MODERNIZED THE RAILINGS ON THE PORCH AND REMOVED THE LIGHTS FROM THE POSTS ON THE RAILINGS.
THOUGH WE KEPT THE BONES OF THE PORCH DOWNSTAIRS WE PAINTED IT TO COMPLIMENT THE DARK EXTERIOR COLOR.
ALSO ADDED NEW CEILING FANS TO MODERNIZE THE SPACE A BIT MORE.
A LIGHT AND BRIGHT MAKEOVER HAD TO HAPPEN IN THIS ENTRYWAY; PAINTING THE DOOR WHITE AND REPLACING THE WINDOW WAS THE FIRST THING TO DO TO LIGHTEN THIS SPACE UP. WE SWITCHED OUT THE PENDANT LIGHT TO ADD A BIT OF DRAMA TO THE FOYER.
ALSO ADDED EUROPEAN WHITE OAK HARDWOOD FLOORS THROUGHOUT TO MAKE THE SPACE FEEL FRESH AND BRIGHT.
REMOVED WINDOW ARCH, CHAIR RAIL, PANELING, AND LIGHT FIXTURE AND PAINTED THE WALLS WHITE TO BE COHESIVE WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE.
TOOK OUT THE DOOR TO CREATE A FREE FLOW OF MOVEMENT FROM ONE ROOM TO ANOTHER.
ADDED CEILING SPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE WAS A MUST AS MUSIC IS SOMETIMES MY THERAPY.
TO KEEP THE EYES FLOWING FROM ONE ROOM TO THE OTHER WE REMOVED ALL OF THE CROWN MOLDING AND TRIM.
AND TO KEEP THE EYES FLOWING TO THE BIGGER PICTURE WE REMOVED THE DOOR AND WINDOWS AND ADDED LARGE SLIDING DOORS TO GET AN ALL-DAY ACCESS VIEW OF THE LAKE AS WELL AS THE OPTION TO CREATE A FLOW FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE.
REMOVED THE CEILING FAN AND ADDED A NEW LIGHT FIXTURE TO CREATE AMBIENT LIGHTING WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN OVER THE LAKE.
BRIGHTENED UP THE LIVING ROOM BY ADDING THE 10 FOOT SLIDING DOORS AS WELL AS THE NEW EUROPEAN WHITE OAK HARDWOOD FLOORS.
REMOVED THE MANTLE AND HEARTH FROM THE FIREPLACE AND MADE IT MODERN BY ADDING A PLASTERED SURROUND TO THE FIREPLACE TO ADD TEXTURE TO THE SPACE.
ADDED A BUILT-IN BENCH TO THE LEFT OF THE FIREPLACE FOR MORE ROOM TO RELAX AND READ AS WELL AS HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS.
REMOVED THE WALL BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN TO OPEN UP THE SPACE AND ADDED A SUPPORTIVE COLUMN THAT IS NOW HOME TO PICTURES AND POSTCARDS.
ADDED A WATERFALL ISLAND TO CREATE SEATING AND A PLACE TO TALK WITH FRIENDS WHEN COOKING.
OPENED UP THE 2ND GUEST ROOM TO CREATE A BREAKFAST ROOM OFF THE KITCHEN FOR MORNING COFFEE.
THE REMOVAL OF THE WALL IN THE KITCHEN ALLOWED FOR A BETTER FLOW AND A BETTER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS THAT ARE RELAXING ON THE COUCH AND THE OTHERS WHO ARE MIXING DRINKS IN THE KITCHEN.
OPENED UP THE KITCHEN BY REMOVING THE WALL BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND ADDING THE WATERFALL ISLAND.
NEW CABINETS, COUNTERTOPS, APPLIANCES, LIGHTING, AND OPEN SHELVING ACCOMPANIED THE REMOVAL OF THE WALL TO MAKE IT THE PERFECT SPOT TO ENTERTAIN.
KEPT THE BAY WINDOW BUT REMOVED THE CROWN MOLDING AND SHUTTERS AS WELL AS THE FAN TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE LAKE.
REMOVED THE PENINSULA AND WALL TO THE LIVING ROOM IN ORDER TO CREATE A MORE OPEN SPACE AND ADDED AN ISLAND WITH PENDANT LIGHTING AND A SEATING AREA TO CONNECT THE TWO ROOMS.
THE KITCHEN WAS A TOTAL GUT - WE REMOVED THE PENINSULA, CABINETS, AND CROWN MOLDING TO LIGHTEN UP THE KITCHEN. WE ADDED NEW WHITE FLUSH CABINETS TO FLOW WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE.
MOVED THE FRIDGE TO THE PERPENDICULAR WALL THAT WAS ONCE THE 2ND GUEST BEDROOM BUT IS NOW THE BREAKFAST ROOM.
ADDED COOKTOP AND NEW OVEN WITH BOXED HOOD FOR ALL THOSE HOME-COOKED MEALS AFTER A DAY ON THE LAKE AND ALSO INCLUDED OPEN SHELVING AND A PLASTER BACKSPLASH TO ADD TEXTURE TO THE SPACE.
REMOVED THIS WALL FOR A CLEAR SHOT OF THE FIREPLACE.
WE REPLACED THE WALL WITH A WATERFALL ISLAND WITH PENDANT LIGHTING, SEATING, AND A NEW SINK.
NEW EUROPEAN WHITE OAK WOOD FLOORS THROUGHOUT TO MAKE THE DESIGN COHESIVE.
SHOWCASING THE BEAUTY OF THE OUTSIDE BY REMOVING THE TRIM AND SHUTTERS FROM THE BAY WINDOW.
CONTINUED THE REMOVAL OF CROWN MOLDING IN THIS SPACE TO KEEP THE EYES MOVING FROM ONE SPACE TO ANOTHER.
THE ADDITION OF THE 10 FOOT SLIDING DOORS ALLOWS MORE LIGHT TO ENTER THE ROOM MAKING IT BRIGHTER FOR THOSE LONG SUMMER DAYS.
REVAMPED THIS GUEST BEDROOM BY REMOVING THE CARPET AND ADDING NEW HARDWOOD FLOORS.
REMOVED THE CROWN MOLDING AND PAINTED THE WALLS WHITE TO CREATE THAT RELAXED, REFRESHED LOOK.
REMOVED THE CEILING FAN AND REPLACED IT WITH A MORE MODERN FIXTURE.
NEW HARDWOOD FLOORS CONTINUE IN THIS POWDER ROOM AS WELL AS THE WHITE WALLS.
ADDED A NEW CUSTOM FLOATING VANITY AS WELL AS SCONCES AND PLUMBING FIXTURES.
REMOVED THE DOOR AND WINDOW ON THE BACK WALL AND ADDED LARGE SLIDING DOORS TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE LAKE AND LET IN THE NATURAL LIGHT IN THE MORNING.
CONTINUED THE HARDWOOD FLOORS AND WHITE WALLS IN HERE LIKE THE REST OF THE HOUSE AS WELL AS THE REMOVAL OF THE CROWN MOLDING FOR A SEAMLESS LOOK.
REMOVED FAN AND REPLACED WITH MORE MODERNIZED FIXTURE.
KEPT THE BAY WINDOW BUT REMOVED THE SMALL WINDOWS TO ADD SLIDING DOORS THAT LEAD OUT TO THE EXTERIOR PATIO.
PAINTED THE WALLS AS WELL AS THE CEILING DARK TO MAKE IT MOODY AND A BIT DRAMATIC FROM THE TOP FLOOR AND A GOOD PLACE TO HANG OUT WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN AFTER A LONG DAY IN THE SUN.
MODERNIZED THE FIREPLACE LIKE UPSTAIRS BY CREATING A SURROUND AND PLASTERING IT IN A DARK COLOR TO ADD TEXTURE TO THE ROOM.
ADDED A MODULAR SOFA PIECE SO SEATING COULD BE MOVED AROUND THE ROOM WHEN ENTERTAINING.
REMOVED THE CEILING FAN TO MAKE THE CEILINGS FEEL TALLER.
WENT POLAR OPPOSITE DOWN HERE AND PAINTED THE WALLS AND CEILING BLACK TO MAKE FOR A MORE MOODY AND COZY VIBE.
GUTTED THE BAR AND ADDED OPEN SHELVING ON THE TOP AND MODERNIZED CABINETS ON THE BOTTOM AS WELL AS ADDED SCONCES ABOVE THE SHELVES.
REMOVED CEILING FAN AS WELL AS THE RAILING TO THE STAIRS.
THE WINDOWS NEXT TO THE POOL TABLE, AS WELL AS THE DOOR AND WINDOWS IN THE TV ROOM, HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW SLIDING DOORS THAT LEAD OUT TO THE PATIO WHICH IS GREAT WHEN HAVING BARBECUES.
REMOVED LIGHT FIXTURES AND REPLACED THEM WITH MORE OF A STATEMENT PIECE.
ADDED A LARGE SEAGRASS RUG TO GROUND THE SPACE.
THE DOWNSTAIRS GUEST ROOM ALSO KNOWN AS NED’S ROOM HAS DONE A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION FROM PAINTING THE WALLS, CEILING, AND TRIM BLACK AND CHANGING OUT THE WINDOW TREATMENTS.
MODERNIZED THE ROOM A BIT MORE BY CHANGING OUT THE CEILING FAN.
REMOVED THE HALF WALL TO CREATE A BETTER FLOW AND PAINTED THE WALLS WHITE FOR SOME CONTRAST.
CREATED A CUSTOM SHOWER GLASS AS A PIECE OF ART FOR THIS BATHROOM AND ADDED ALL NEW TILE AS WELL AS PLUMBING FIXTURES AND LIGHTING TO MAKE THIS BATHROOM A NICE PLACE TO DECOMPRESS AFTER A DAY IN THE SUN.
COMPLETELY GUTTED THIS BATHROOM AND ADDED A NEW CUSTOMIZED SHOWER DOOR. FORWENT HAVING A TUB TO CREATE A MORE OPEN SPACE.
REPLACED THE TILE WITH SOMETHING CLEANER AS WELL AS BROUGHT THE TILE UP ALL THE WAY TO THE CEILING IN THE SHOWER TO MAKE THE CEILINGS FEEL TALLER.
THIS COMPLETELY NEW CONSTRUCTED BATHROOM IS HOME TO NEW CABINETS, COUNTERTOPS, LIGHT FIXTURES, AND PLUMBING.
REMOVED CROWN MOLDING AND DOOR TRIM AS WELL AS THE DOOR TO THE CLOSET TO CONTINUE THE SEAMLESS LOOK OF THE HOUSE.
THIS JACK-AND-JILL BATHROOM IS NOW JUST FOR ONE AS THE ROOM BEYOND TURNED INTO THE BREAKFAST ROOM.
REMOVED VANITY AND ADDED A FLOATING CONCRETE VANITY, A NEW MIRROR, AND NEW LIGHTING.
I am no stranger to a good before-and-after. It is my job to be able to see the good bones of an out-of-date home and be able to visualize the beauty it can hold. From knocking down walls to painting them to adding new light fixtures and removing existing windows - the possibilities are always endless, but with my lake house, I wanted to test those endless possibilities.
I consider my personal projects a creative lab, a place where I can test all the boundaries. I knew the lake house was the perfect project to experiment with new ideas and indeed it was.
Even with a couple of challenges along the way, I couldn’t be more thrilled with how my lake house turned out - my personal touches and experimentation paid off. It has been a fun ride and I’m happy to be revisiting the lake house as it was “before” with all of you. Let’s see how I managed to modernize this house and bring it into the 21st century.
It’s a trip to look back on the before photos of my lake house. I can always see the good bones of an out-of-date home when it belongs to one of my clients. With my house? I saw countless opportunities to modernize and personalize each space.
First thing was first - that tiny, closed-in kitchen had to go! (Along with the antiquated dark stained cabinets!) I took down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to make it one large, open space, and added a large waterfall island. I kept the new cabinets as clean as possible by sticking to open shelves and flat-front doors. The hood is boxed-in and plastered, along with the backsplash, and all appliances are paneled.
Desiring a large dining space for entertaining, I decided to forego having 2 guest bedrooms upstairs, moving one of them into a converted storage room downstairs, and opening up the room into the kitchen. This is where I added the large dining table, pendant, and ample pantry cabinets.
The next thing to tackle was the ancient half-circle transom windows in the living room. With a high ceiling, I knew I had the perfect spot to add 10’ tall sliding doors. The bigger, the better for more of that lake view!
I updated the fireplace by simply boxing out the firebox and plastering it in the same color as the walls. A bench was added on the left for extra seating, and to have another lake-viewing spot.
The wood floors were the next to go! Orangey-brown no more, new hardwoods were installed and finished in a light, white oak. Crown molding was removed throughout and door trim was modernized.
All baths were remodeled with new tile, shower doors, cabinetry, plumbing, mirrors, lighting, and accessories.
In the downstairs, I wanted to create a moody, warm, and welcoming vibe since the space would mostly be used for family/movie/game nights. Walls and ceilings were painted dark and the architectural details were updated similar to the upstairs - crown removed, fireplace streamlined with plaster, and sleek cabinetry installed.