You’ve always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it by yourself.
—Glinda’s words to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, 1939
When the phone rang in designer Mindy Laven’s office, it was from the party she had hoped would call. It had been several days from their first contact, and it was Mindy’s hope that she had provided the family with the assurance that she was the person who could turn what they called their half-century-old “hodge-podge” home into a twenty-first-century contemporary cottage. From the voice of the owner came the words she was hoping to hear, “Mindy—we were excited when it became apparent to us at our recent meeting that of all the designers we have interviewed you understood best our desire to retain the classic look of the original cottage and to build on that look. You seemed to understand best the fact that we wished to retain something that reflects the essence of the original house—its soul—and to honor its structure. You understood us. The project is yours!” After the call, Laven couldn’t help but reflect on her life in central Ohio. “I wanted to be an artist or art teacher but my Dad, with no disrespect for careers in art or education, told me that I was just too smart to teach and I had the power to achieve,” she notes. “But in a way I really have learned much by myself and have become a teacher of sorts—by helping clients understand that the most compelling design is one that incorporates the best elements of the past with the comfort and functionality of the present.”
Laven has done that with Shores Redux, in collaboration with the current owners. The half-century-old structure has provided her with a perfect palate upon which to build a twenty-first-century cottage. The owners, who are multilingual and have traveled the globe, noted, “The house is in an established and venerated neighborhood and prior to our purchase was owned by one family for all of those years. We were looking to infuse it with new life while maintaining the solid bones upon which it was built.”
“We told Mindy that her first task was to reconfigure the internal footprint—from a hodge-podge gathering of unrelated rooms to a footprint both logical and livable. We wished to reestablish our home as classic with a contemporary twist and most important, a relaxed vibe. We are old school in many respects and were insistent with Mindy that we not disturb or overplay the home’s presence in the established neighborhood but complement it with a new and updated sense of charm.”
The owners agreed with Laven that the exterior of the cottage should be refaced around the existing wood-peaked roof as a homage and connection to the home’s past, including a series of wood-paneled chevrons beginning with the garage and continuing with the front fence and gate. A Dutch door was added to complete the classic entrance.
The chevron woodwork is Mindy’s homage to the former cottage as it was transformed into a contemporary cottage.
Flush with natural light, the interior dances with classic and whimsical touches, adding color to the broad white palette of its walls. The main room’s fireplace has been constructed with board-formed concrete to exude strength and minimalism while the tile used throughout the kitchen has been hand formed in imperfect shapes to add a hint of unpredictability and honesty to the interior. Of particular interest is a collection of tribal and cross-cultural tribal warriors assembled by the Costa Rican-raised owner, all of which add a sense of gravitas to the otherwise light and warm-hearted cottage.
“We have three very active kids and they have many good friends—all of whom are welcomed at our home—just as our friends were welcomed at our homes as my wife and I were growing up. As for the grown-ups,” they add, “we were looking to create a warm and relaxing cottage with a natural feel and Mindy has made it happen with the use of wood floors, a bold concrete fireplace, hand-formed tiles and natural fabric furniture. At the end of the day we sought to create a beautiful home—not one that was showy or overdone. Most of all it needed to reflect a lived-in feeling—no shoes—no shirts—no problem!”
A few weeks after move-in, the owners hosted a celebration of sorts with neighbors and friends and invited Laven. Said the owner, “The party was to celebrate the newly designed cottage but also to celebrate the accomplishment of a fine designer who had listened to us and had quietly worked with us to achieve our goals and objectives.” Circling around the large kitchen island that was added for family events such as this, both owners raised their margaritas, a version for which the husband was famous in the neighborhood, and in unison exclaimed, “To Mindy—who has honored this structure—and captured its soul—we honor you—and we thank you!”
The colors, fabrics, textures and patterns are reminiscent of the lively colors of legendary Costa Rican artists Jorge Gallardo and Rafael Angel Fernandez Piedra.
Custom wood cabinetry complements the chevron-patterned bathroom floor.
Black, white and custom wood cabinetry lends perfect pitch to the bathroom.
The acorn represents strength, stability and nobility.
The polygon black tile completes the black and white bathroom.
Rock-a-bye, baby!