The Guest Cottage Rejuvenation

The guest cottage renovation is complete. This is not a comprehensive renovation, but enough to make it feel fresh and functional. My daughter and her two dogs and one cat made this their home for 3 years. Normal wear and tear plus pets…well you get the picture. Here is the guest house remodel reveal and I hope you enjoy the changes.

New Exterior Paint

One side of the guest cottage is constantly exposed to the brutal southern sun. The rest of the building is heavily shaded and as a result, the paint lasts longer there. With a very weathered and faded south side, it is time to completely paint the outside. Even though I spent some time wondering if a different color would be better, I realize that I love the green as it seamlessly blends in with the surrounding foliage.

The exterior siding needs some love and attention as cracks are filled and repairs made.

Here are my paint selections:

Body of the guest house: Sherwin Williams Basil SW6194 in satin

Trim: Sherwin Williams Khaki SW8067 in eggshell

The Shutters

The shutters are French, very old and apparently they have been hanging the wrong way for numerous years.Before, the shutters on the cottage were painted a dark blackish green called Black Hills SW 1189.

However, the painters inadvertently painted the shutters the body color (Basil). Actually, it is a happy mistake because I think I actually like the lighter color this time around.

The red on the doors and decorative trim is the same red on the barn and the hen house, which is Ralph Lauren Barn Red. Since these 3 structures are somewhat near each other, I want the color palette to be cohesive.

Our painters did not want to do the decorative trim paint, so I use one of my artist brushes and complete the details.

Here is the after picture of the exterior. I still need to do more landscaping and with all the winds recently, need to clean off the roof. It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint just makes everything look so much better.

New Side Door

The side door (again on the south side) leading into the kitchen has such deterioration that it requires replacement. Also, the door trim is rotted and must be removed.

In addition, the front door screen never fit correctly. My contractor retrofits it with new hinges and finally the screen door is tight to the frame.

Regarding the windows, the screens also did not fit well. Each one is planed and sanded and now is secure to the window frame. A big improvement to keep out any little bugs.

Overall Updates

All the old interior can lights are replaced with new Halo LED ones. I particularly like this brand because it has 5 color temperature options from warm (2700K) to daylight (5000K) and are also dimmable.

All plugs and light switches, which are yellowing, are changed out to bright white. What a difference these two electrical changes make to the overall updated look of the guest cottage.

The living room and bedroom have wall-to-wall carpeting while the kitchen and bathroom have hardwood floors. Just having the carpet cleaned by a professional company, Zerorez is a huge improvement. Zerorez does not use soaps or harsh chemicals. Their patented technology cleans with Zr Water® – a powerful cleaner that is non-toxic and completely safe for people, pets, and the planet. I highly recommend them.

Kitchen Updates

A yellowing, dated microwave is replaced with a new stainless steel one. Since my daughter absconds with most of the pots, pans and dishes, and flatware everything is replaced with new items. Small appliances like a toaster, Nespresso machine and tea pot are also new.

But most importantly, all the chips, bumps and bruises to the wood work and cabinets are cleaned and repainted or touched up. Even the scratches on the hardwood floor are fixed with a wood stain marker.

Every drawer and cabinet have cute shelf paper liners.

New area rugs add a bit of fun to the kitchen too! The Studio McGee Threshold line at Target does have an attractive and affordable selection of rugs. This skid resistant 5’x7′ cotton blend woven rug compliments the kitchen colors and adds some pattern to the room.

Living Room

This sofa is ancient…I believe I bought it in 1982 from Ethan Allen. However, it is well built with a hardwood frame. But as you can see it desperately needs an overhaul. If you have an old sofa with a hardwood frame, it’s worth recovering. My upholsterer is so impressed with the inner workings of this sofa, which is also happens to be a sofa bed.

With a new whiter fabric and reducing the cushions from 3 seat cushions to two, the sofa looks much more contemporary and attractive.

I’m not sure I like the glass waterfall coffee table. Since it sort of disappears, I suppose I can live with it. Tell me if you love it or hate it.

The small scale highboy provides workspace or a place to write or read.

Bedroom

There is such history in the bedroom. The Victorian bed was once owned by a famous pianist from San Francisco whose list of friends included John Philip Sousa.

Color combinations include both shades of blue and green. All new queen size bed linens and pillows just give the room a fresh update. A scallop edge matelassè coverlet is put to use as a bedskirt.

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is this green chest of drawers with Asian details, acquired in an auction. The simple round 30″ mirror is from Target for $59.99. All the woven cordless shades are from Factory Direct Blinds. They are identical to the ones we have in the pool house and I love the way they look with drapes.

Remember these curtains I got from Home Depot for a penny? I’m sure it was an error but look how fun they are in this bedroom.

Bathroom

Wear and tear on a bathroom is common. New and additional lighting helps brighten up the space.

In a previous post, I shared how we installed more hardwood flooring under the stackable washer/dryer (glad that project is complete!). It is so much easier to slide the unit in and out now.

Small but important things like soaking the shower head to remove mineral deposits, adding a towel rack, painting the baseboards and deep cleaning the walls and ceiling help make this room sparkle.

All of the interior improvements with the exception of some electrical work, are done by my husband and I. We are very pleased with the outcome and now look forward to welcoming guests to visit.

Thanks for visiting the blog today and I hope you enjoyed seeing the photos of the guest house rejuvenation.

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