A Darien, Connecticut Cottage Before & After

Last year, my friend bought a small cottage on a waterfront street in Darien, Connecticut. The before-and-after photos are just too good not to share, and Sunday favorites seems like the perfect place! Vickie is an artist who took an artistic approach to renovations.

The home was built in 1926 and was very dated. I met Vickie at the house in its as-is state several times before the renovations began. Over lavender tea and blueberry muffins, she talked about her plans and consulted contractors and architects. Ultimately, she designed the renovation, including the kitchen, herself, hired the contractors to carry out her plans, and renovated the 941-square-foot home from top to bottom while still respecting the past. You can read more in this article in the New York Times.

When the project was near completion, Vickie furnished it with pieces she had in storage, items she found on websites like First Dibs, art from her collection, and art that she made specifically for this home. (Notice the wall-mounted mobile in the pantry.)

It was fascinating to listen to Vickie’s plans and vision and then see them come to life over several months. I’m sharing some of my favorite spaces with before-and-after photos at the end.

The Porch

Removing the dated green indoor/outdoor carpet and painting the floor red, as well as the walls and ceiling white, brightened the space so much. The hanging lamp was replaced with a large rice paper lantern that fills the room with light.

The drop-down table was removed and repurposed for the pantry. The table and chairs were from the original dining room.

The Pantry/Kitchen

In the original kitchen, the refrigerator was in the pantry, but it didn’t fit. Vickie used the drop-leaf table from the porch, narrowed it, and hung it under the window. She replaced all the lighting with simple sconces and surface mounts from Schoolhouse Electric.

I love how Vickie rescued the little stool, painting half blue but keeping the legs original. Just beyond the kitchen door is a tiny vestibule and interior doors painted Farrow & Ball Blue Ground.

The small bathroom was made larger with the right fixtures

Vickie made the tiny bathroom feel much bigger by removing the vanity and replacing it with a small sink. The amount of space this freed up made a huge difference.

She used a medicine cabinet from Ferm Living in red. The same shade of red which she also used in other areas of the house, like the porch floor. She left the beam natural and everything else white. Thus, she could incorporate some of the past even in this small space.

The Cottage Before Photos

More Sunday Favorites

Aark Water Carbonator

Flavor Drops // Aarke Water Carbonator // Bottles // Glass Bottles

This might be one of those finds I could categorize under “best purchase ever.” If you drink sparkling water, you need an Aark Carbonator. No more buying cases of water and lugging them home, plus all those empty bottles to deal with.

The Aark water carbonator is made of stainless steel and has several finishes, so it looks great in every kitchen, pantry, or bar.

You can order extra bottles (we keep three in the refrigerator). They now offer glass bottles, which I love! I replaced one and will eventually replace all three with glass. The glass is so pretty you can use them on the table. They have flavor drops too.

We only recently discovered you can use your Aark carbonator to keep lettuce fresh too! If you are tired of slimy lettuce, try this hack! You can see it done here by the Cook’s Illustrated test kitchen.

The Sézane Spring Collection is gorgeous and available today! Think of warm colors and textures from the 1970s in the best possible way!

Serena & Lily SALE – Everything is 20% off

Teak Step Stool // Napkins // Riviera Chair // Pillow Cover // Chest // Lamp // La Jolla Basket // Towel Set// Quilt

J.Crew SALE – Currently 40% off, plus 50% off sale items

Let’s check in with Mary Ann and Cindy!

Classic Casual Home

Cindy Hattersley Design