A Classic Renovation by Heydt Designs and Benjamin Dhong Interiors

A renovated cottage to delight you...

Renovating a traditional style home for today's living is all about balance, it may mean adding more character to the exterior and opening up the interior for today's lifestyle. If you want to keep the character and charm of a cottage then keep traditional with your interior style but mix it up with more modern pieces. New kitchens are usually opened up and become a focal point where family and friends can gather. Bathrooms may be a mix of classic and modern. Overall a mix of both modern and classic style is what you should be trying to achieve. Gone is the look of dark floors and heavy furniture. Light toned or mid toned wooden floors make rooms feel spacious and help to keep it light. It is all about balance and both the architects, Heydt Design and the interior designer, Benjamin Dhong Interiors, have achieved this balance perfectly.

2. Above - Previously this home was a mix of old and new styles which didn't blend seamlessly in my eyes, whereas the new look is classic and timeless

3. Above: The kitchen is traditional Hamptons style. The marble gives the kitchen a look of luxury. Here modern and classic work together. The orb light is a real statement piece looking fabulous suspended above the island

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5. Modern and classic, side by side in the breakfast nook off the kitchen

6. Above: A traditional fireplace has been retained and given a more modern look. The TV hidden behind antiqued mirror doors is a clever idea

7. Above: Modern patterns mixed with traditional materials and some rustic wood add warmth to the predominantly white background

8. Above: A neutral family area for relaxing in front of the TV

9. You won't feel 'blue' when using  the right tone of blue. Soft blues can be soothing, yet uplifting

10. Above: The living room is open to the main staircase. Opening up walls is by far the greatest way of making an impact with a renovation

11. Above: At first glance you may think this is a console but it is actually a clever use of  a piece of furniture for a basin

12.Above:  Classic in style, this bathroom retains a cottage look. The bath is modern yet it's curves reflect the shapes of yesteryear

13. Above: A delightful twin bedroom using pink, orange and green for a modern look combined with traditional style furniture

Photography by David Duncan Livingston.

I hope you enjoyed this lovely home, my favourite piece is the stunning orb light above the kitchen island. Did you notice the quirky chair in the breakfast nook with hoofs? There is a lot of white in this house, however it has been balanced with lovely wood floors (very similar to my beach house). The introduction of some pieces of natural wood furniture add further warmth. When you have a predominantly white background then you need to add warmth with natural woods and that is exactly what Benjamin Dhong has done with his interior design.