HOW TO TRANSFORM A SHABBY COTTAGE INTO A FAMILY BEACH HOUSE

Many people are buying houses when the house price is getting higher and higher. How to buy a cozy home at a low price is our permanent goal. Here is a case for everyone on how to transform a shabby cottage into a beach house.

Real estate agent Lisa Marie Brooks and her husband Scott paid $270,000 for the 2,000-square-foot home. However, the original asking price for the house was $1 million. The owner bought the house at a bargain price as it was in disrepair. It took them a year and $120,000 to renovate the home and make it fit a million-dollar house standards.

The house was in tatters when they first bought it, with decayed doors, old walls, broken windows, exposed pipes, and a lawn that was overdue for a mowing. A lot of buyers may say no to houses like this one. These flaws made the property seem a bad purchase. Brooks and Scott, however, liked the extended area of glass used in the house, and they saw other potentials as well, while the broken features can be fixed.

In the renovation, they replaced the original exterior wall glass and used glass at the triangle area. The white, cozy and clean exterior keeps the home look bright and polished. Tiles are paved around the house. The trimmed lawn is well-kept and looks satisfying. Also, the oak trees around the house are the best shelters for the house. And the new version of this house became a home they didn't want to resell.

Transformation of the Living Room

Before the renovation, the stone flooring and wall cabinets made the living room look dim. The windows had too many frames that made the window look scattered. At the same time, these frames block out the natural light from coming indoor.

Instead of replacing the old built-in oak closet, Lisa Marie changed the color by repainting it, which saved a lot of money. As of the furniture, they chose white couches and chairs. The flooring adopts a brown wood floor. The soft white carpet adds a warm, comforting touch to space. And white walls, cupboards, and furniture free the area from the darkness and repression of the past. Besides, yellow logs on the ceiling and brown floors fill the area with warmth.

They also saved money by replacing the old wood-burning stoves with a gas-fired one. "We did a lot of homework to find out that nothing else can compete with gas fireplaces," said Lisa Marie. The walls of the fireplace are made of plaster with shells and starfish from the beach. It did not cost much, but it made the ubiquitous shells and starfish the highlight of the area.

Dining Room

When they bought the house, the dining room flooring was plywood instead of hardwood. Lisa Marie wished to have hardwood flooring for the entire home. "I think over time hardwood is better than prefabricated floors," she says, “We use affordable wood, pine, and dyed it ebony." The original window filled the room with a sense of fragmentation. So, they changed the window style to make the room brighter and more spacious. And they chose rattan chairs to make the space feel beachy.

Sunroom

Before the renovation, the space leading from the living room to the back room did not reveal the view of Choctawhatchee Bay. So, Lisa Marie installed French doors with trapezoidal windows above them. The transparency allows you in this area to fully experience the relaxing beach life. Two loungers by the door offer you a sunbath at any time. The indoor double sand hair is covered with linens and pillows, and a small tea party in this area will be very enjoyable.

Nearly every door leads to a wraparound outdoor walkway, and the entire family (including the son, Logan, 12, and the pet) hang out in these areas throughout the year. "Almost every morning, we have coffee at this table," says Lisa Marie, "and we already have parties with 60 people here."

The Kitchen Before Renovation

There was a half-wall in the middle of the old kitchen, and it had no distinctive layout, with ugly linoleum floors and poor-quality cabinets. Lisa Marie and Scott did a lot of work in this area.

The Kitchen After Renovation

The new kitchen has an island equipped with a stove and a seating bar, as well as a marble countertop that Lisa Marie bought at a discount from the distributor. The cabinets are made of economical maple. Lisa Marie says, "If you are using this type of wood, throw in some glass front doors, so your cabinets don't look too cluttered. The backsplash above the countertop is 1-foot-by-1-foot-long travertine and blue glass board from the Home Depot.

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