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.

Bright and airy cottage living room with white washed brick and natural wood beam mantle.

Great room with kitchen, family room and outdoor deck overlooking the lake.

Completely remodeled beach house with an open floor plan, beautiful light wood floors and an amazing view of the water. After walking through the entry with the open living room on the right you enter the expanse with the sitting room at the left and the family room to the right. The original double sided fireplace is updated by removing the interior walls and adding a white on white shiplap and brick combination separated by a custom wood mantle the wraps completely around.

Our custom TV entertainment center sets the stage for this coast chic design. The root coffee table is just a perfect addition!

Although there isn't a fireplace, who cannot deny this space is inviting.

This was a beautiful Hamptons style home to begin with. The addition of wainscoting and carpentry details elevated it to something even better. When you have great foundations to begin with you can only go up from there, as was the case with this home. This new build was already a lovely Hamptons style home, which made an even better blank canvas for the magic of some wainscoting and architectural details. Living Walls Joinery installed wainscoting through the common areas, along with custom cabinetry and fire mantel. Intrim supplied Intrim CR99 chair rail and Intrim IN32 inlay mould. Design & Build: Living Walls Joinery

White washed built-in shelving and a custom fireplace with washed brick, rustic wood mantel, and chevron shiplap above.