In Southern California there are pockets of darling cottages built in the early 20th century that we like to call jewelry boxes. They are quaint, full of charm and usually a bit cramped. Our clients have a growing family and needed a modern, functional home. They opted for a renovation that directly addressed their concerns. When we first saw this 2,170 square-foot 3-bedroom beach cottage, the front door opened directly into a staircase and a dead-end hallway. The kitchen was cramped, the living room was claustrophobic and everything felt dark and dated. The big picture items included pitching the living room ceiling to create space and taking down a kitchen wall. We added a French oven and luxury range that the wife had always dreamed about, a custom vent hood, and custom-paneled appliances. We added a downstairs half-bath for guests (entirely designed around its whimsical wallpaper) and converted one of the existing bathrooms into a Jack-and-Jill, connecting the kids’ bedrooms, with double sinks and a closed-off toilet and shower for privacy. In the bathrooms, we added white marble floors and wainscoting. We created storage throughout the home with custom-cabinets, new closets and built-ins, such as bookcases, desks and shelving. White Sands Design/Build furnished the entire cottage mostly with commissioned pieces, including a custom dining table and upholstered chairs. We updated light fixtures and added brass hardware throughout, to create a vintage, bo-ho vibe. The best thing about this cottage is the charming backyard accessory dwelling unit (ADU), designed in the same style as the larger structure. In order to keep the ADU it was necessary to renovate less than 50% of the main home, which took some serious strategy, otherwise the non-conforming ADU would need to be torn out. We renovated the bathroom with white walls and pine flooring, transforming it into a get-away that will grow with the girls.

Mid-sized beach style screened-in back porch photo in New York with a roof extension and decking

Amy Birrer The kitchen pictured here is in a turn of the century home that still uses the original stove from the 1930’s to heat, cook and bake. The porcelain sink with drain boards are also originals still in use from the 1950’s. The idea here was to keep the original appliances still in use while increasing the storage and work surface space. Although the kitchen is rather large it has many of the issues of an older house in that there are 4 integral entrances into the kitchen, none of which could be rerouted or closed off. It also needed to encompass in-kitchen eating and a space for a dishwasher. The fully integrated dishwasher is raised off the floor and sits on ball and claw feet giving it the look of a freestanding piece of furniture. Elevating a dishwasher is a great way to avoid the constant bending over associated with loading and unloading dishes. The cabinets were designed to resemble an antique breakfront in keeping with the style and age of the house.

Family room - mid-sized coastal open concept dark wood floor and brown floor family room idea in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

Example of a mid-sized beach style u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, wood backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Example of a small beach style u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen design in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets and blue cabinets

Example of a mid-sized beach style master light wood floor bedroom design in San Francisco with white walls

Paul Crosby Architectural Photography
Example of a classic subway tile freestanding bathtub design in Minneapolis

Mid-sized beach style wooden l-shaped wood railing staircase photo in Boston with painted risers

Mid-sized transitional formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room photo in Other with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Cottage chic white floor freestanding bathtub photo in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink and white countertops

Photo: Charlotte Albers © 2014 Houzz
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Burlington.

This basement bedroom has a large egress window, white trim, gray walls and brown carpet.
Example of a mid-sized mountain style guest carpeted bedroom design in Minneapolis with gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Austin with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, wood backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Mid-sized tropical white one-story wood house exterior idea in Hawaii with a hip roof and a shingle roof

Photo by Grey Crawford
Inspiration for a small coastal dark wood floor bedroom remodel in Orange County with white walls

Large coastal blue two-story mixed siding exterior home idea in Salt Lake City with a shingle roof

Staircase - mid-sized coastal wooden u-shaped wood railing staircase idea in Boston with painted risers

Little Siesta Cottage- 1926 Beach Cottage saved from demolition, moved to this site in 3 pieces and then restored to what we believe is the original architecture