We are so excited about the remodel of our new home. Below are the “before” photos of the open living room, dining room and kitchen on the main floor. As I share plans and progress, these images will help you visualize the changes we’re making.
If you’re new here, we moved into our home this past fall and we absolutely love it. Beyond the beauty of the island, the neighborhood, and the views of the water and nearby islands, we enjoy daily walks on the beach and the simple joy of living here. It truly feels like a dream come true.
We invited my parents to move here with us. They sold their home in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and are designing a very small connected cottage on our main floor. It will include a kitchenette, bathroom and a combined living/bedroom suite. I’ll share more about that addition in upcoming posts.
Some of the remodeling will accommodate that new space and help make the most of the compact rooms. Everything is being planned to improve flow, layout and function so the main floor works comfortably for our whole family.
Aside from the small addition, we’ll work within the existing floor plan and preserve the home’s character while updating finishes and details to feel fresh and cohesive throughout.
A major decision we made is to move the kitchen into the current dining room at the back of the house. The present kitchen sits between the living and dining rooms and is divided by two peninsulas. I’ve never been a big fan of peninsulas, and once the kitchen moves to the dining area, both peninsulas will be removed to open up the space.
I love the current dining room; it will make a bright, welcoming kitchen. The new addition required removing one window and an exterior door to the backyard, but that change brought a silver lining: the new kitchen will get a set of French doors to the backyard, mirroring the living room’s doors and bringing in generous light.
I’ve always loved homes where you can see from the front to the back. We have water views and a charming front neighborhood, plus a cozy, private backyard. Adding French doors across the back shapes the kitchen design—leaving only two walls for appliances and counters—but we have a thoughtful plan for a comfortable, efficient layout that maintains the flow and maximizes light.
It will be worth it to have natural light pouring in from the new doors, and to be able to step straight from the kitchen into the garden. I loved the windows in our previous kitchen and the ability to walk through a Dutch door into the yard. Having roughly eight feet of doors and windows across the back here will feel just as inviting.
The new adjoining dining area will include a round table with a banquette along the side wall. We may be able to relocate the windows we don’t use in the kitchen to that wall, which would add more light and interest. That dining nook, sitting beside the fireplace, will feel cozy and more connected to the living room once the peninsulas are gone.
I’ll share the full design details and plans for these rooms in upcoming posts. There’s so much to show—from layout choices to finishes—and I’m excited to dive into each part of the remodel. I hope you’ll follow along as we transform these rooms.
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You can also find lots of kitchen inspiration on the blog to help spark ideas as we move forward with the remodel.