The Home Front

Brighter Days

The Schneider family unveils their whole-home renovations.

We fell in love with the charm of our home the moment we drove up. There was no question it would need some serious TLC, but the bones were there and we were up for the challenge!

Our house is certainly not “done,” and we’re pretty sure it never will be, and we’re perfectly happy with that! We’re happy to share a few of the transformations we’ve accomplished in our first three years in Lake Cove Pointe.

In the kitchen, we considered simply painting the cabinets and switching out hardware and appliances to update and brighten it up a bit, but after we discovered we would have to replace all of the flooring throughout the house, we realized it was now or never to reconfigure the kitchen how we truly wanted it. So we went all in. Jared did all the demo himself and we hired out the big guns to do the rest of the heavy lifting. We decided to take down a majority of the wall that separated the kitchen from the family room to open up the space and allow more light it. The difference is night and day!

I (Nicole) drew up the plans for the new kitchen and we had custom cabinets installed. We went with white cabinets, some with glass fronts, a statement range hood, and Carrera marble lookalike quartz countertops for durability. Jared tackled our subway tile backsplash himself to help keep costs down. In the breakfast nook, a new light fixture and window coverings made a huge difference. The built-in china cabinet and light oak floors added to the drastic change as well!

Since the original cabinets were still in good condition,we didn’t let them go to waste! I

painted them (SW Hale Navy), gave them new brass hardware, and installed them in our walk-in pantry (which was once floor-toceiling wire shelving). We repurposed the cabinets in the laundry room as well! We added butcher block countertops after install and they were virtually brand new! Jared built the floating shelves above the cabinets in the pantry for added storage.

AFTER

BEFORE

GOING TO THE DOGS

The do’s and don’ts of petscaping.

”Petscaping” is the new concept in landscape design that takes pets into consideration. Our dogs (or cats) use our yard as much, if not more, than we do, and they deserve to be just as comfortable and safe in it. So, here are a few tips for a successful petscape: Use paw-safe soils and surfaces. Mulch should be soft enough not to cut paws, but heavy enough that it won't be tracked indoors. Create pet-safe paths. If you have room, use borders and raised beds to help them learn where they can and can't roam. Shield tender plants with hardy shrubs and perrennials, and always buy at least 1-gallon plants to have the most success against damage from curious pets. Avoid pet-harmful plants, be they thorny or sharp like cacti or toxic like azaleas or lilies. Visit the ASPCA website for a full list of the 136 harmful plants. Keep pests at bay. Eliminate or replace standing water to deter mosquitoes, and removing leaf litter and keep grass welltrimmed to prevent ticks. If you really want to go all-out, look at how dog parks do their landscaping for inspiration.

Wes & Vickie Parrish These LCP residents know their landscaping. Each has spent years studying the science of horticulture, and previously owned their own nursery. Wes frequently travels around Florida to give seminars about his passion and knowledge.

Wes & Vickie Parrish These LCP residents know their landscaping. Each has spent years studying the science of horticulture, and previously owned their own nursery. Wes frequently travels around Florida to give seminars about his passion and knowledge.