Example of a small mountain style brown one-story wood gable roof design in Minneapolis

Example of a trendy open concept beige floor family room design in Orange County with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Large french country u-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, quartz countertops and glass tile backsplash

Mudroom - transitional gray floor mudroom idea in New York with white walls and a black front door

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.

Cottage powder room photo in Austin with furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and gray countertops

Jeri Koegel
Inspiration for a transitional master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Orange County with blue walls

Inspiration for a transitional built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor home office remodel in Chicago with black walls

Applied Photography
Example of a classic powder room design in Orange County with a vessel sink, furniture-like cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Example of a mid-sized danish l-shaped ceramic tile dedicated laundry room design in Dallas with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a stacked washer/dryer and quartz countertops

Kitchen - coastal light wood floor and beige floor kitchen idea in Portland Maine with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, gray countertops and granite countertops

Wine cellar - rustic wine cellar idea in Minneapolis with diamond bins

Inspiration for a bedroom rustic gender-neutral carpeted and gray floor kids' bedroom remodel in Minneapolis with red walls

Powder room - rustic powder room idea in Minneapolis with a vessel sink, medium tone wood cabinets, wood countertops and brown countertops

Jeri Koegel
Family room - contemporary walk-out light wood floor and gray floor family room idea in Orange County with white walls and no fireplace

Example of a bedroom mountain style gender-neutral medium tone wood floor and multicolored floor kids' bedroom design in Minneapolis with beige walls

Built-In Sleeping Nook
Mountain style carpeted bedroom photo in Minneapolis

Family room - large contemporary open concept light wood floor and gray floor family room idea in Vancouver with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Kitchen - mid-sized modern l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen idea in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white cabinets