River District Cottage

“My husband and I spent over a year searching for our perfect home, with an old Florida custom feel, efficient layout and quality finishes. We found it with Mark De Jong’s project. The thought that went into this house is incredible from the Art Deco inspired trim work, the care of restoring and matching the heart of pine wood floors, and the ultimate focus to restore and renew while still maintaining the character of our home. It’s obvious that Mark takes great pride in his work!"

– Amanda Erben

This was the case with “The River District Cottage”, a neglected and run down 1930s home. Despite its unique challenges, our team created a beautifully renewed home and preserved its historic River District charm. As we studied the design of the cottage, we realized the need to start from the street inward, updating all of the utilities and mechanical systems in addition to preserving the original personality of this home. The interior traffic flow was considered, resulting in the decision to create additional square footage, as well as reorganize the existing space. Once the floor plan was set, the design details had to be worked through. A lot of attention was given to the exterior as well as the interior. We did not want to simply discard the old, but restore and complement it wherever possible.

The home had a hint of the classic Florida Art Deco feel and we continued that theme, from custom baseboard and casing, clean line Italian cabinetry, and the strategic use of glass tile. In order to match the existing wood floors, heart pine flooring was brought in from Georgia, resulting in a richness flowing throughout the home. Energy efficient Kitchen Aid and Bosch appliances in the kitchen were set off by the stylish granite tops. Careful attention was given to delivering efficient air quality throughout this renovated home. In keeping consistent with the original design, plenty of energy efficient windows and doors were used to allow the blending of indoor and outside space, making the home light and airy feeling.

We believe the unique challenges of giving new life to this classic home have been met, including “art walls” to encourage a new set of memories for the owner of this beautifully restored home.