Family cottages present interesting challenges.
Keeping important pieces and incorporating them for the current families needs and enjoyment is very key.
I was asked to help a client do just that with her family cottage.
Here is the starting point as seen the day of the first consult.
This project was wonderful for many reasons but the best aspect for me was the big reveal factor…
I am a sucker for the big reveal and since my client lived out of provence this project was perfect for it.
I came up with a design concept, it was approved, the client went home and we began working.
We had just over seven weeks until she was scheduled to return…
I will give you the play by play of what we did.
Pine walls were soaking up all the light in this small yet charming living room leaving it feeling cavelike and dark. The floor was painted a salmony taupe and needed attention.
My client was wanting to create a space that her family would enjoy for years to come. She was nervous about painting the walls but knew they were to heavy for the feeling she wanted. She agreed they needed to go!
Most of the furnishings were going to stay although we were able to budget for a new couch, pair of chairs and a set of dining chairs.
The kitchen reno was on hold for a few years so we opted for painting the existing cabinets, adding new hardware, removing the old flooring and painting the pine floorboards to match the rest of the painted floors.
As you can see, they were pretty tough.
Painting made a huge improvement. Now the family has a cleaner, lighter space to work in.
The bedrooms were very small but quaint.
This is the master bedroom before.
The closet in the master provided very important storage but was not very attractive especially in such a small room.
We painted the closet and rehung the door to open to the wall, this little change greatly improved the flow of the room.
I noticed this beautiful painting and wanted to feature it, as it turns out, my client had painted it, how fitting!
I love how crisp the room feels now.
The white linen drapes, new bed linens and paint went a long way. Everything else was repurposed.
Back in the main room we freshened up everything painting from ceilings down to floors.
This before shot shows some of the wicker that we redid.
I knew that painting the walls would make a huge improvement but I was pleasantly surprised with how great the fireplace looked.
It became a feature and a reminder of all the years this family has had here.
The wicker redone.
I love this new couch from Gresham House.
I found lots of treasures to make a vignette, the painted walls make this dresser pop with new life, it was completely lost before on the dark walls.
The family dining table was refinished and new chairs painted.
I probably don’t need to tell you that getting all of that done in seven weeks was a challenge!
We were very excited the day she came to see it finished.
I was nervous because I knew how special this place was to generations of her family and wanted her to LOVE IT!!!…
She did!
I hope you enjoyed seeing it too!
