This Texas Beach Home Makeover Shows Us the Power of Paint

This Texas Beach Home Makeover Shows Us the Power of Paint

At first, designer Marie Flanigan's clients were set on building their dream beach house—an ultramodern getaway on the water—from scratch. But then they came across this 3,000-square-foot Galveston, Texas, home, which came with its own boat slip and a pool. "When the chance to transform this house on the bay presented itself, they quickly decided they were up for the challenge!" says Flanigan. There was definitely much work to be done. The residence was overloaded with decorative details—too much beadboard trim, painted terra-cotta tiles—in dire need of an edit. "Our end goal was to update and streamline, creating a fresh new gathering space for their family that pays homage to their contemporary sense of style," Flanigan explains. Easygoing textures and a refreshing palette of grays, creams, and tons of white—with the requisite sea-inspired touches of blue and green—did just that. "The home is now an inviting escape where the family can breathe deeply and decompress," the designer notes, and it's proof that smart upgrades make all the difference. Read on to see what we mean.

Those new countertops look like concrete, but they aren't. "The counter slabs are fabricated out of Neolith, a virtually indestructible material that can endure busy grandbabies and dinner parties alike without the maintenance other surfaces often require."

Finally, acknowledgement that we use every corner of a kitchen island differently. "Split countertop heights create a more functional division between cooking and entertaining."

Balancing out the open-concept space did wonders. Flanigan switched out the stout original upper cabinets with double-stacked versions that reach the ceiling and can stand up to the towering fireplace across the way.

Lesson learned: Bigger isn't always better. "The original fireplace came up short in comparison to the high ceilings, and its busy rock façade protruded deeply into the surrounding seating areas." Flanigan's solution: Both elevate and recess the fireplace and chimney to make them less prominent. Now, a modern concrete hearth is topped by the white shiplap that covers the walls of the entire living space.

There's so much out there beyond the 8x10 rug. "The expanded furniture plan, anchored by an oversize (23 feet long!) Perennials rug, embraces the scale of the room instead of chopping it into smaller, isolated segments."

Behold, the wonder that is the random nook. A tiny sitting room off the original master bedroom was underused space. Flanigan switched out French doors for a compact sliding one, then tore out the wall of built-ins to make room for a day bed with a pull-out trundle "chosen for the future grandkids."

A minor adjustment can make a serious impact. "We rotated the original catty-corner tub by 45 degrees, which opened up the floor plan significantly."

Seriously, consider Neolith. "Neolith slabs in a Calacatta colorway form the new countertops and frame out the mirrors, offering the illusion of marble coupled with the peace of mind that is much appreciated in a salty, humid climate—virtually nothing short of a hurricane could damage this material!"

Original article and pictures take www.architecturaldigest.com site