Bryan and Catherine Williamson are the husband and wife renovation team behind the Beginning in the Middle blog. They are mastermind pros when it comes to turning boring houses into charming and beautiful homes.
One of their most impressive projects is the Chesterfield Cottage, where they transformed this old house…
Into this beautiful navy blue cottage…
Pretty amazing, right? They removed the dated awnings, wrapped the ugly metal posts with PVC trim, painted the exterior in a gorgeous navy blue, and replaced the door. Even the home numbers were replaced – it’s the fine details that make this home really stand out.
Through the front door, you’ll enter the home’s simple and cozy dining room.
Catherine and Bryan refinished the cottage’s original hardwood floors and added a decorative fireplace as a unique focal point. “Painting the walls and ceilings white helped disguise the imperfect ceiling/wall lines that so many older homes have, and also made the room feel open and airy,” they say on their blog.
The bathroom was completely gutted and redone from scratch.
The husband and wife team opted for white subway tile that goes to the ceiling in the shower, and a fun black and white pattern for the tile on the floor. The storage ladder near the toilet was made from two cedar 1x2s and a few metal strips. Hanging the shower rod near the ceiling makes the small room feel much bigger.
Just off the living room is the Chesterfield Cottage’s elegant and bright kitchen.
The kitchen was another room in the home that was completely stripped and redone. The Williamson’s added white, shaker-style cabinets with pewter handles, exposed shelving, and a farmhouse sink. They also swapped out the old flooring for herringbone-patterned vinyl planks.
From another angle, you can see the home’s custom-built coffee and breakfast bar.
The kitchen’s previous layout didn’t have a fridge, so Bryan and Catherine had to get creative when it came to where they would put one. “Previously, there was no fridge in the kitchen, so it was a challenge trying to figure out where it should go without taking up too much space or looking awkward in a corner by itself,” they explain.
Upstairs, you’ll find the home’s attic bedroom.
After debating whether or not to add built-ins, widening the room, or creating a reading nook, the couple decided to keep it simple and just do a cosmetic makeover. They wanted to make it feel cozy, open, and full of character.
Catherine and Bryan removed a drop-down ceiling to expose the original beams.
“Exposing the beams and bringing the tongue & groove planks up to the peak was a lot of work, but very much worth it. They not only add character to the space, but they also make the room feel larger,” they say. The couple added beautiful pops of color by adding bright pillows and a bold-patterned vintage rug. There is also a bit of greenery to add some freshness to the open space.
To learn more about this renovation, including where you can find the furniture and decor, head over to the Beginning in the Middle blog for more info.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
