Cottage Renovation: New Kitchen

The new kitchen is bright and open, with new stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and cabinets that run to the ceiling. The Cherry hardwood flooring is a nice upgrade from the crusty old linoleum floor.

Bedroom Before & After

New Wrap Around Deck

The new deck was just installed and it looks great!

Contruction Pics

Cottage Renovation: Original Interior

These are a few photos of the original interior. Although the kitchen layout was functional, a bank of cabinets completely obstructed the view of the water.

The bedrooms had limited storage, and the lake-side bedroom had just one small window facing the the water.

Here is a view of the old dinette area with the family room behind it (that's me, taking notes). These photos give you an idea of how much natural light floods in when the sun sets.

Cottage Renovation: Sunset

This picture of the sunset was taken before the project began. Notice the lack of a pier...the boat is tied to what is left of the old pier supports, not very practical.

Cottage Renovation: Original Bathroom

Technically, the old cottage had a second bathroom for guests! The old outhouse was buried behind some vines behind the old garage.

Cottage Renovation: Original Exterior

I have been working on an ambitious addition and renovation project for the past few months. I am converting an old waterfront home along the Fox River & Tichigan Lake waterway in Waterford into a more spacious and modern Cottage Hideaway. Here are some "before" photos of the front and back of the house:

The original home was built in 1940 without much regard for it's amazing setting. The house enjoys one of the best spots on the water - a spectacular west-facing view of the Fox River. The sunsets are gorgeous, and the waterway stretches on for miles. Unlike many waterfront homes, it doesn't look out at any other homes across the water - just trees, water and sky.

But in spite of the great location, the windows in the original home were small and awkward. The cabinetry obstructed the view of the water from the kitchen, and there wasn't a patio, deck or even a pier to enjoy outside. The property included a small one-car garage, but it was in such disrepair that the garage door could no longer be opened.

So the goal for this renovation is to open up the house to take full advantage of the beautiful view. We will also add a second bathroom, more closet space, and bring the laundry out of the basement to the first floor. Lastly, a new two car garage with storage space, will be built in place of the old, falling-down one car garage.

Airstream Project: Sunny Day

Isn't it cute?

Airstream Project: A Few Pics

Airstream Project: A Few Before & After Pics

We kept the original stove and the Dometic refrigerator, but refinished them to match the new cabinets. The old cabinets had limited storage behind flimsy plastic tambor doors, most of which had deteriorated substantially and were being held together strips of duct tape.

Aaron built all of the new cabinetry from Paulownia, a plantation grown wood that is incredibly lightweight and moisture resistant. Light materials were becoming important as we started to adding more cabinetry, solid surface and thick bamboo countertops to the camper.

5 Reasons to Reconsider Renovating your Airstream:

1.) You may discover things you wish you hadn't.....like the previous owner's Swinger magazines stashed under the bed (eeww). Or evidence of critters making their home in the underside of the trailer.

2.) All of the old fixtures, cabinets and panels you plan to remove are permanently fastened by fifty thousand rivets.

3.)  Everything (everything!) is curved, which doesn't make for easy cabinetmaking.

4.) The lights and turn signals never work properly. Sometimes only the turn signals work, sometimes just the running lights.....sometimes using a turn signal turns on the running lights (seriously, this has happened to us because of a grounding issue). It's an evolving mystery we have yet to completely solve.

5.) There is nowhere to hide....even our very small airstream is much to big to fit into a garage. And the silver finish isn't low profile either. For city-dwellers like us, our little project doesn't exactly blend in. Make sure you have friendly and tolerant neighbors.

Vintage Airstream Renovation

A few years ago, Aaron and I decided to purchase an old 1971 Airstream Caravel trailer. At the time, the thought of ditching our tent to camp in a warm, covered trailer was very appealing. But we were also excited to renovate the interior. For one thing, the 70's era decor - walnut brown, avocado green and gold - was dark and worn (and not exactly our style). We wanted to convert the interior into a fresh, modern space worthy of the trailer's sleek exterior.

We had big ideas for our new trailer.....and like many projects we have undertaken, an optimistic view of what it would take to accomplish our goal. But in spite of the setbacks and challenges along the way, our newly renovated trailer has been so much fun to own and use. To us, it's a grown-up version of a kid's dream fort - complete with a flat panel TV, bamboo countertops, and a zen interior.

Read on for some of the highlights (and lowlights) of our adventure in airstream renovation - enjoy!

2010 Showhouse - The Finished Product

Here are a few photos of the finished room. Thank you to everyone who came out this year to support the Showhouse!

Conversation with Patty Virnig, Showhouse Vice-chair

AC: What inspired you to get involved with the Showhouse?

I am a 10 year survivor, my mother is a 7 year survivor, I'm hoping with our efforts my daughter, and all the daughters in the world won't have to worry about breast cancer.

AC: How do you go about finding Interior Designers for the project?

Interior Designers are sent an invitation to tour the house, usually early October. Our designer list comes from a variety of sources, our best source are other designers who will recommend someone whose work they feel is exceptional.

AC: Over the years the Showhouse has become such a major fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research....how much money has the project raised to date?

We have raised almost $4 million dollars to fund research here at the Medical College. The exciting part is that $4 million is seed money, which means that researchers use that money to do start researching an idea. Once they have had progress with their project they submit proposals to other agencies, e.g. American Cancer Society, Federal Government, and private foundations for more funding. Our $4 million, actually has ended up being multiplied many times in research money. More information is on our website www.breastcancershowhouse.org

AC: What is the most challenging part of the project?

Every year presents it's own set of challenges. This year I thought it would be the economy. With furniture stores and design firms being so hard hit, I was afraid we would have difficulty getting participation. I was wrong. Our community of designers, contractors and vendors have always stepped up to the plate, and this year was no exception. They give countless hours of free service, and labor, and thousands of dollars worth of materials. If you ask them why they do it, they will tell you they do it for someone they know who has had breast cancer. I think it gives all of us a sense of power over the disease, a feeling that we can do something to fight it, and win the battle. We are very close to winning the battle. There is much hope for the breast cancer vaccine which will be tested on humans next year.

AC: It's been amazing to see this year's house come together, especially in that last week before our deadline. There are so many people to coordinate - has there ever been a year when you didn't think the house would be ready in time for the show?

Every year there are times when I think the house won't be ready. It's like having a wedding. You worry that things won't come together, but they always do.

Luxe Pillows

They say selecting the right accessories for a room is like picking out the perfect pair of shoes. If that's true, these pillows are equivalent to the finest pair of designer heels...complete with gold embroidery and copper sequins. My two year old daughter calls the center pillow "money" because it reminds her of the copper pennies she puts in her piggy bank.

New Light Fixture

It was time to retire the old light that had been dangling down into the walkway and install something a little more up to date. I found this great drum style pendant with an interior fabric shade and and a silver-gold finish. The circular motif will tie in perfectly with the gold leaf floor lamp.

Elegant Armless Chair

I found a lovely armless chair in a super-soft chocolate brown mohair, which will be a nice counterpoint to the strong and linear deco style sofa. Although the chair is a brand new piece, it has the proportions and styling of a vintage slipper chair. The low seat and wide back give it a gracious feel.

With the room's very dark wood trim and the rich copper, brown and gold color palette, I would still like to keep the room soft and bright, so I plan to use a plush ivory shag area rug. At 8x10 it will cover the majority of the wood floor and add a another luxurious element to the room.

Ottomans Have Arrived

The custom ottomans look great! They were made in a small upholstery shop -- each and every nail head was pounded in by hand.

New Light Fixture

In spite of its small size, the room has a long and awkward 2-light fixture. For those of us who are tall, it's not hard to bump into it when walking through the room (...am I the one responsible for knocking off that missing glass shade?). So as part of the makeover, the fixture is going to be upgraded to a soft and elegant pendant light with gold trim and an interior fabric shade. It will also hang a little closer to the ceiling, making the room a little friendlier to those over 5'-8". I was excited to discover the new fixture, which you will see in an upcoming post - its a beautiful compliment to the floor lamp and other accessories that will be going into the room.

Painting the Room...

This is the first step in transforming the room. Sherwin Williams graciously offered to donate all of the paint for the project. The angled ceiling creates a challenge. Ultimately I decided to paint the sloped surface in the ceiling color. To create a cohesive look I extended the color down to the same point on the adjacent walls. Next a picture molding will be installed where the two colors meet for an elegant finishing touch.