Real-life redo: Cottage makeover

Exterior before

Meredith called in Atlanta architect Brad Heppner, and the two immediately started working on curb appeal as their first project. "We made subtle but important changes to the front exterior," Heppner says, "such as painting the brick a warm, light brown to help the house nestle into the surrounding trees." Heppner also added a cedar-shingled roof, a flared awning over the front door and charming black shutters to the upstairs dormer windows, all giving the house more architectural definition.

• Listed: Remodeling at highest level since 2004
  
  
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What they did outside

• Painted the brick a more natural, warmer color: Fauna (456) by ICI Paints; icipaints.com.
  
• Replaced the roof with cedar shingles that will age naturally over time.
  
• Punctuated the house with boxwood plantings encircling a new lawn.

Source guide

Brick paint:Fauna (456)

Trim paint:French White (2005); ICI Paints

Shutter and front door paint:Mopboard Black (CW123); Pratt & Lambert

Lanterns:L306-Lantern; Period Lighting Fixtures

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Tour the space

Check out the small changes that made a big difference in the Merediths' home.

• A former bedroom, now the sitting room, opens to the courtyard via new French doors.
  
• The back porch was converted into a butler's pantry and wet bar.
  
• Removing a wall united the kitchen and breakfast room.
  
• A centered, space-saving pocket door now connects the kitchen and dining room.

Source guide

Architect: Brad Heppner, Bradley E. Heppner Architecture, LLC.

Interior designer: Wendy Meredith Interior Design Inc.; 404-351-0142.

Landscape designer: Holly Cater, Pengelly's Landscape & Garden Inc.

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Kitchen before

Inside, Meredith challenged Heppner to enhance the living spaces without enlarging the original footprint. "We wanted to retain the integrity of the house and add interior details rather than additional space," he says. The kitchen now feels larger but is actually the same square footage as before.

• Listed: Remodeling at highest level since 2004
  
  
• Bing: Backyard improvements

Kitchen after

Most of the kitchen, including an adjacent pantry and breakfast area, was gutted for maximum space planning. Heppner was able to reuse an existing wall of cabinetry — he appreciated its scalloped niches and Shaker-style doors — and adapted the wall's middle doors to conceal a refrigerator and pantry. Custom cabinets in the rest of the kitchen are slightly oversize while still having a cottage feel. "One trick of mine is to make upper cabinets 2 to 3 inches deeper than standard cabinets to allow bigger items such as platters to fit," Heppner says. For lower cabinetry, Benjamin requested drawers rather than doors to make items easier to reach.

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Kitchen backsplash

For a backsplash, wooden plank walls instead of tile keep the style of the room seamless and add old-fashioned charm.

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Vintage-style island

A small but efficient island holds refrigerator drawers and a bookcase for cookbooks. Painted deep gray to contrast with the lighter color of the cabinets and topped with marble, it feels vintage. At the end sits an antique tea table where the couple eats breakfast.

• Listed: Remodeling at highest level since 2004
  
  
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Butler's pantry

The adjacent butler's pantry was once a porch that held a washer and dryer, but it's now an important extension of the kitchen. While the room has the same wood-plank walls, it also has a few distinctive differences: The brick floor is quaint and practical, a walnut countertop brings in a new surface with patina, and open shelving offers an attractive way to display bar items.

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Kitchen source guide

Cabinetry and wall paint: Revere Pewter (HC-172); Benjamin Moore.

Island paint: Chelsea Gray (HC-168); Benjamin Moore.

Hardware: Iron knobs (81EUP6 and 81EUP7) and back plates (92U86 and 92U87); White Chapel Ltd.

Range: Cluny 1400 by Lacanche.

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Dining room before

Wendy and Cleve Meredith wanted their dining room to reference the past without being stuffy.

• Listed: Remodeling at highest level since 2004
  
  
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Dining room after

Two portraits of "honorary ancestors" date from 1810 and preside over meals. "I wish I could say they're family members, but they're actually not," Meredith says. The upper walls are painted the same gray color as the kitchen island to help connect the adjacent rooms, while creamy horizontal wood planks are found below the chair rail. Simple refinishing brought the original hardwood floors to their now beautiful state.

To keep the vibe friendly, Meredith chose a round table and antique chairs covered in simple linen and checked fabrics. A dainty scalloped edge on the chairs and table topper adds a decorative touch. A distinctive 13-arm meeting-house chandelier has been in her family for years.

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Dining room source guide

Wall paint: Chelsea Gray (HC-168); Benjamin Moore.

Wainscot paint: Acadia White (AC-41); Benjamin Moore.

Drapery fabric: Zen (46205); Nobilis.

Chair fabric: Manchester/Treacle (850002-02) by Rogers & Goffigon; George Cameron Nash.

Chandelier: Meeting House Chandelier (CH119); Hurley Patentee Lighting.

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Courtyard before

Meredith's goal for the backyard was simple: "We wanted less grass and more living space," she says. In her Atlanta neighborhood, lots aren't very large, so she decided to replace the existing small brick patio with a lush courtyard. The area is now a backyard getaway where the Merediths can relax in a garden setting while their two corgis, Lulie and Gordy, run around.

• Listed: Remodeling at highest level since 2004
  
  
• Bing: Backyard improvements

Courtyard after

A new garage/carriage house anchors the back of the yard. A picket fence, bluestone tiles and a pea gravel drive and path make up the hardscape, which Meredith softened with a green-and-white-themed garden. Filled with camellias, a tea olive hedge, hostas, hydrangeas and ferns, the backyard has something lush or in bloom year-round. Benjamin added another special touch. "In Nantucket, it's traditional to give your home a name and display it on a quarterboard that's affixed to your house," she says. "Ours, 'Glory Cottage,' represents adoration, praise and thanksgiving."

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