Retirement Renovation

by Poki Hampton

RENOVATING AN OLD HOUSE is never for the faint of heart. Full renovations take vision, fortitude and lots of prayers to see the process through to the end. “Marie envisioned what the house would look like when she first walked in the door,” says Jeff McNeely, head designer on the project, of Niche Modern Home in Mandeville. Marie and Todd Gregory bought their Covington cottage in October 2020 and began the renovations in February 2021.

They, along with Jeff, immediately began putting together an incredible team of contractors and subcontractors to carry out their vision of making this Covington cottage into their perfect retirement home. “This was a total gut job, including electrical wiring, air conditioning, and the additions of the master suite and the outdoor living space,” says Jeff.

Wanting a nice large entertaining area, Marie and Todd added the back porch and pool area. The large porch area was elevated to the same height as the floor of the house. Jackson Cabinetry installed cast resin cabinets in Weathered Desert Tan with leathered charcoal-grey granite countertops. “These cabinets are water-resistant and UV stable so they are great for outdoor kitchens,” says Virginia Schieck of Jackson Cabinetry. The walls are of V-groove Hardie Plank. The backsplash is a mosaic arabesque pattern. The mahogany wooden louvered doors were created by the Woodwright Shop to match an antique cypress original back door of the house. Fixed cypress shutters and ceiling fans add ventilation. They also installed the cypress ceiling in the outdoor area. A crystal and iron chandelier, designed for outdoor use, hangs over the seating area which is furnished in Summer Classics outdoor cane sofas with sky blue cushions. The dining table is a 100-year-old antique passed down from Todd’s family. An Italian white bowl accents the table while oversized white ginger jars top the counter.

The pool was designed and installed by Pools by Joe Crowton. The hardscape of the pool area was designed by Smoketree Landscaping. “Not only were Todd and Marie a joy to be creative and work with, but the project as a whole was a special one. Our architect, Travis, did a tremendous job designing a unique and beautiful outdoor living space that combines modern touches with the timeless Covington cottage style. Not only is there much to look at and admire throughout, but the landscape affords many different plants which will provide colors and blooms at different times of the year. It’s a one-ofa-kind project and Smoketree/Wetstone, we are proud to have been a part of it,” says Kyle Driscoll.

After taking the house down to the studs and discovering there was no insulation in the walls, along with other surprises like replacing all the windows, Marie and Todd settled on the idea that it was going to be a long renovation. “Marie knew when she first walked into the house what it was going to look like in the end,” says Todd. Marie wanted a combination of old and new that would complement the history of the cottage and make it very livable. “Everything in this house has a history. Marie didn’t want the interior to look like a store,” adds Jeff. The heart pine floors throughout the house were refinished to a soft gloss. In the entrance hall, the beadboard on the ceiling, which is original, was painted white. New Orleans beadboard, with a custom chair rail, was added as wainscoting, with a textured grass cloth above. The front door was hand crafted by The Woodwright Shop to mimic the original backdoor. A “G” carved into the cypress adds a personal touch. Charleston Hardware in the Rice pattern was used in the entrance on both doors. Two white and brushed gold chandeliers, from Niche Modern Home, and double cove molding add a sophisticated touch to the rustic ceiling and create a juxtaposition between old and new. A contemporary painting, flanked by two brushed gold sconces, is hung over a large classic grey console. Another major addition to the house was the master suite complete with a roomy bath and large walk-in closet. The floors in the master addition were crafted to match the original floors in the rest of the house. The bedroom highlights textures of white linen in the bedcoverings, and crewel work accent pillows on the king bed. Faux bamboo night tables are painted grey-green and topped with gold urn-shaped lamps with white linen shades. A washed faux Aubusson rug anchors the room.

The master bath has a vanity area and his and hers sinks, with framed mirrors and contemporary sconces from Pinegrove Electric. The cabinets, from Jackson Cabinetry in Covington, are painted Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue. The marble tile floor is a basket weave in soft grey and white. These soft colors are repeated in the shower wall with arabesque-style mosaic tiles. Live brass fixtures are used throughout the bathroom.

The living room retained its original footprint. Floors were sanded down and refinished. Walls were re-sheetrocked and painted. Textures of soft velvet, crisp linen and rustic wood set a relaxed mood great for comfortable entertaining or just relaxing. A console table made of pecky cypress floated in Katrina was saved and refurbished for this house. A teal velvet high-legged loveseat with nail head trim adds a luxurious touch, while two swivel club chairs and the slipcovered sofa are covered in light oatmeal linen performance fabric. The rug is also family-friendly. The cocktail table is honed marble with a hand-forged iron base. Two round bronze metal tables with glass inserts flank the sofa.

The original stairs were narrow and steep. David Rawson of La Custom Floors refinished and matched all of the wooden floors in the house. He also tore out the old stairs and replaced the treads with wider heart pine and added the architectural bronze balusters by Northshore Ironworks.

The original kitchen was gutted, and the footprint changed to make it more user-friendly. Kitchen designers Patrick Fulton and Virginia Schieck of Jackson Cabinetry were brought on board to tackle the project. “The size of the kitchen allowed for a huge island to be added,” says Patrick. Cabinets in the island are painted Divinity white and the countertop is by Nola Boards. “We hand-selected >>

A teal velvet high-leg sofa adds a pop of color to the living room.Heart-of- pine floors run throughout the house. this walnut end grain butcher block countertop from Eastern Tennessee,” says Mandy Simpson, of NOLA Boards. “The shape was dictated by the island cabinet design.” The bead board ceiling and heart pine floors are the only original features of the kitchen. “New 54-inch wall cabinets, by Mouser Centra, have a flat center panel with small bead trim and are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Tranquility. Every convenience was included, such as mixer lifts, rollout trays, appliance garages and wooden Super-Susan in a corner cabinet,” adds Patrick. The vent hood is hand-hammered copper and sits over a Wolfe range. The countertops are white quartz and the backsplash is an elongated white subway tile. The porcelain apron sink has live brass fixtures. The pendant lights are brushed brass and glass, with Edison bulbs. The bar area is painted the same Tranquility and completed with a built-in wine cooler.

The upstairs of the house was completely redone. “There was a lot of “junkiness” upstairs,” says Marie. “Our trim carpenter, Kyle Cochrane added nickelgap shiplap walls, changed the footprint of the bathroom and guestroom and added a flex space which can also sleep guests.” The sleeper sofa is covered in a linen weave performance fabric and the two chairs are in geometric velvet.

This whole project took much longer and was more involved than we originally thought,” says Marie. “But we love the end result, and the subcontractors who worked on the house were really so skilled and talented that they made our lives much easier. We are so glad it is finally finished and we can start to enjoy our retirement home.”

The Brooke It Forward Foundation, a nonprofit focused on birthdays, was founded in 2019 in memory of Brooke Posey. BIFF assembles “Birthday Boxes,” which contain all the essentials for a birthday party. Boxes include items such as cake mix, icing, party plates and napkins, candles, an ice cream scoop, a birthday card, gifts, and treats. No box is complete without the organization’s signature cake/ice cream sprinkles.

The Birthday Boxes are currently distributed by counselors at six Children’s Advocacy Centers across south Louisiana near the time of the child’s birthday. Many of the children served are in foster care where tight budgets don’t always include a birthday celebration. To date the organization has supplied over 800 boxes. For the foundation and the children it serves, the boxes celebrate more than just a birthday. They honor each child as a unique blessing.