Chad Mellon Photographer

Cathedral ceilings with stained wood beams. Large windows and doors for lanai entry. Wood plank ceiling and arched doorways. Stone stacked fireplace and built in shelving. Lake front home designed by Bob Chatham Custom Home Design and built by Destin Custom Home Builders. Interior Design by Helene Forester and Bunny Hall of Lovelace Interiors. Photos by Tim Kramer Real Estate Photography of Destin, Florida.

Chris Giles

Ron Rosenzweig

Photos by Brian VanderBrink

open concept renovation with new kitchen and great room

Scott Amundson

Putra Indrawan

This custom living room is focused on the coastal views. Large windows and no TV allow the outside in. Trent Bell Photography

Custom Engineered White Oak Plank Flooring 5/8" x 7" with a hand wire brush application.

As innkeepers, Lois and Evan Evans know all about hospitality. So after buying a 1955 Cape Cod cottage whose interiors hadn’t been updated since the 1970s, they set out on a whole-house renovation, a major focus of which was the kitchen. The goal of this renovation was to create a space that would be efficient and inviting for entertaining, as well as compatible with the home’s beach-cottage style. Cape Associates removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to create an open, airy layout. The ceilings were raised and clad in shiplap siding and highlighted with new pine beams, reflective of the cottage style of the home. New windows add a vintage look. The designer used a whitewashed palette and traditional cabinetry to push a casual and beachy vibe, while granite countertops add a touch of elegance. The layout was rearranged to include an island that’s roomy enough for casual meals and for guests to hang around when the owners are prepping party meals. Placing the main sink and dishwasher in the island instead of the usual under-the-window spot was a decision made by Lois early in the planning stages. “If we have guests over, I can face everyone when I’m rinsing vegetables or washing dishes,” she says. “Otherwise, my back would be turned.” The old avocado-hued linoleum flooring had an unexpected bonus: preserving the original oak floors, which were refinished. The new layout includes room for the homeowners’ hutch from their previous residence, as well as an old pot-bellied stove, a family heirloom. A glass-front cabinet allows the homeowners to show off colorful dishes. Bringing the cabinet down to counter level adds more storage. Stacking the microwave, oven and warming drawer adds efficiency.

Room designed by Debra Geller Interior Design in East Hampton, NY features a large accent wall clad with reclaimed Wyoming snow fence planks from Centennial Woods.