Keeping it Real
Author:Lindsey ShookJeff Andrews Design updates a beach bungalow in Venice while preserving the home’s original bones
“When it comes to period renovations, I like to stick to the originality of a space as much as possible,” says designer Jeff Andrews on his firm’s work inside this delightful bungalow in Venice. “I take cues from the architecture and the home’s history, then build on that for the design direction.”
Designed for a fun family with two young boys who wanted a weekend crash pad, the 1,400 square foot home built in 1910, needed a full makeover. “The house was pretty beat up and really needed some TLC,” notes Andrews. “We decided to completely renovate the kitchen (around the existing vintage stove), reimagine the bathroom and open up the downstairs room.”
The overall goal was to add modern touches throughout while maintaining the original charm. Andrews and his team began by altering the flow of the main living spaces and the home’s only bathroom, in order to create a more functional, expanded space for their kids to play and weekend entertaining. “The only bathroom was quite small with only a tub/shower combo,” says Andrews. “I stole some space from the master bedroom to create a proper shower, ditched the tub and rearranged the layout.”
“This is a weekend getaway home, so the direction was casual, cool, easy and fun,” says Andrews. “The clients had complete trust, so the design was all in my hands. I ran with the vintage vibe of a classic beach bungalow, but with some surprises with color, materials and lighting that took it to another level.”
Traditional details like wainscoting and slatwall panels were preserved throughout to further the original style while pops of vibrant tile, wallpaper and appliances make the space young and fresh. “We used these cool, Moroccan Terracotta tiles in an amazing green that really changed the vibe, but still makes sense in the overall design,” says the designer. “I really love that bathroom!”
Bold blue stripes were painted on the ceiling in the kids’ room, complemented by bright yellow beds and surfboard art, furthering the beach bungalow style.
The clients were so happy with the final result that they “use this cool place all the time with zero complaints,” says Andrews. “I can’t ask for much more when it comes to client love!”