Week 9 & 10

August 11, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

Furniture is in, guest room #1 is coming together, the kitchen is looking fabulous and so much more! We have our first house guests soon and are scrambling to get everything ready in time!

Finally a room that can be slept in.  Although this probably isn't how the finished room will look, I like how cozy it came out. Can't wait for our first guests next week. — Finally a room that can be slept in. Although this probably isn't how the finished room will look, I like how cozy it came out. Can't wait for our first guests next week.

Finally a shot with the railing.  They just started installing it this week, so they haven't gotten very far but it has already changed the look of the house completely. — Finally a shot with the railing. They just started installing it this week, so they haven't gotten very far but it has already changed the look of the house completely.

Living room shot!! I took these at night before we left on a Sunday so I apologize that they are a little dark, but as you can see, everything has turned out better than imagined.

Finished product!  Just need the remaining handles put on, the hood over the oven installed and the wooden shelves on the back left. — Finished product! Just need the remaining handles put on, the hood over the oven installed and the wooden shelves on the back left.

Our dining room! Dan installed it himself.  How amazing does it look with all the contrasting rod iron, wood and white. — Our dining room! Dan installed it himself. How amazing does it look with all the contrasting rod iron, wood and white.

Week 8

July 21, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

I can't tell you how much has changed in the past weeks. I know we skipped a few posts, but honestly there wasn't much to say. We had a wedding out of town and by the time we were back, it seemed like we had stepped into an entirely new house. Take a look!

Kitchen:

Master Bedroom:

Finally a piece of furniture upstairs!  Eventually we will be turning our bed to be against the right wall but we have to remove the slider first, so for now it will sit oddly in the middle of the room.  Not sure what else we are going to … — Finally a piece of furniture upstairs! Eventually we will be turning our bed to be against the right wall but we have to remove the slider first, so for now it will sit oddly in the middle of the room. Not sure what else we are going to do in here yet...

If you can remember, we moved the door to be centered against the wall and are building floor to ceiling closets on either side.  The drywalling just went in and we can't wait to start using them. — If you can remember, we moved the door to be centered against the wall and are building floor to ceiling closets on either side. The drywalling just went in and we can't wait to start using them.

Pool/Backyard:

Can you believe it?  I can't.  The pool was truly Dan's vision, he made my dreams come true. — Can you believe it? I can't. The pool was truly Dan's vision, he made my dreams come true.

Backyard furniture all covered up, i promise to post photos of it next week.

Back of the house coming along.  Note the fencing on the left side now too that houses not only the pool equipment but a beautiful outdoor shower! (see next photo). — Back of the house coming along. Note the fencing on the left side now too that houses not only the pool equipment but a beautiful outdoor shower! (see next photo).

Deck/Stairs:

Upstairs Bathroom:

We replaced the toilet and counter/vanity in here.  If you are wondering where any of our furniture/accessories are from, in a few weeks when everything is in, we can do a post and walk you through where we got everything. — We replaced the toilet and counter/vanity in here. If you are wondering where any of our furniture/accessories are from, in a few weeks when everything is in, we can do a post and walk you through where we got everything.

Weeks 5 & 6

July 7, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

In Weeks 5 & 6, alot of things changed. Doors started to be installed, the kitchen is beginning and tile is in, woo hoo! Let's let the pictures speak for themselves...

Dad and D installing the doors.  The entire time I was holding my breath they didn't just fall over. ;) — Dad and D installing the doors. The entire time I was holding my breath they didn't just fall over. ;)

Beautiful stone grey tile, can't wait for the matching grout to go in.  Will complement the wood and white cabinets beautifully. — Beautiful stone grey tile, can't wait for the matching grout to go in. Will complement the wood and white cabinets beautifully.

Blue stone downstairs in the soon-to-be cabana room looking good!

Better view of the entire room coming together.  I cannot wait until those stairs are changed and the bar is built. — Better view of the entire room coming together. I cannot wait until those stairs are changed and the bar is built.

Pool is getting there...one day at a time.

Cannot get over how stunning the decks look, with the railing up in a few weeks, it will be spectacular.

One last photo of our stunning view.  I can't believe how far we have come.  Our house is finally starting to feel like home. — One last photo of our stunning view. I can't believe how far we have come. Our house is finally starting to feel like home.

Week 4

June 23, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

This week, Week 4, I would have to say blew me away! We only see the house each Thursday/Friday when we arrive so we are often shocked at the progress that has been made. The deck has made incredible progress and the house is painted! We finally settled on "Deep Space" by Benjamin Moore which looks stunning. It is the perfect color and exactly what were looking for. The house is really starting to take a massive turn and make us all feel confident that by August we will be entertaining outside, swimming in the pool, cooking in the kitchen and not sleeping on a couch anymore. See below!

Hi house!  All new color really transformed the outside, even with the existing deck and railing still there.  Can't wait for it to be gone, it will really open up the entire top floor. — Hi house! All new color really transformed the outside, even with the existing deck and railing still there. Can't wait for it to be gone, it will really open up the entire top floor.

Loving this zen look with the wood aligning at an angle from around the corner.  This is the back deck going around the right side of the house.  Here will most likely be our outdoor dining area overlooking the pool. — Loving this zen look with the wood aligning at an angle from around the corner. This is the back deck going around the right side of the house. Here will most likely be our outdoor dining area overlooking the pool.

The fence is almost complete.  Loving all the clean lines. — The fence is almost complete. Loving all the clean lines.

Another shot of the outside of the house, looking good!

Week 3

June 16, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

A lot of progress has been made on the pool this week! The liner is completely out and it is drained. They have started squaring off the corners and building the new stairs. We are so excited! We also built out the new laundry room downstairs. We are pretty much just flipping where they used to be and making a laundry "room" as opposed to the curtain they were hiding behind before. I also took some shots outside around the house as you will see below :)

The existing storage room behind the washer and dryer was a perfect place to flip them and enclose them. Will drywall the wall in later once we get to this room.  We are focusing on getting everything completely finished upstairs first :) — The existing storage room behind the washer and dryer was a perfect place to flip them and enclose them. Will drywall the wall in later once we get to this room. We are focusing on getting everything completely finished upstairs first :)

The backyard of disaster. Pool drained and liner gone.  See how the corners are getting squared off?  It is A LOT of extra work and money, but in the end will be 100% worth it...at least we are telling ourselves that ;) — The backyard of disaster. Pool drained and liner gone. See how the corners are getting squared off? It is A LOT of extra work and money, but in the end will be 100% worth it...at least we are telling ourselves that ;)

Here is a first look at the new deck below!!  This is the side yard, look how sleek and clean it is?  We don't think we are going to treat the wood, which means with the ocean air it will fade and weather to a wonderful light grey over abo… — Here is a first look at the new deck below!! This is the side yard, look how sleek and clean it is? We don't think we are going to treat the wood, which means with the ocean air it will fade and weather to a wonderful light grey over about a year. Where the orange temporary fencing is will be a beautiful wood fence. Coming soon!

What will one day be our cabana room, is now every selection of tool anyone could need.

In this shot you can see the stairs being built out on the left.

Week 2

June 9, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

Week 2 a lot of progress was made on the backyard, deck, picking colors for the wood on the outside of the house and getting the kitchen completely demoed for the work to begin. The pool is also being prepped for draining as we are completely replacing the liner and squaring off the corners. It is a lot to re-do a pool that was already in perfect condition, despite the green color you will see below, but we wanted it to be done right and really fit within the modern style we are trying to achieve. The deck above and below is also being torn off and redone with cedar, which will be amazing and enhance the look of the house 100%. See for yourself below :)

The old brick surrounding the entire pool has been pulled out and the pool is getting ready to be drained.  The brick you see in the backyard we actually pulled out ourselves, doesn't look like a lot, but it was 5000 bricks! — The old brick surrounding the entire pool has been pulled out and the pool is getting ready to be drained. The brick you see in the backyard we actually pulled out ourselves, doesn't look like a lot, but it was 5000 bricks!

One more look at the pool, don't you want to jump in and take a dip ;)

The downstairs deck is ready for the new cedar.  The cedar will meet the deck surrounding the pool which will be all blue stone. — The downstairs deck is ready for the new cedar. The cedar will meet the deck surrounding the pool which will be all blue stone.

This was about half of the colors we ended up actually choosing from. D went all over Long Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn to find the perfect grey for our house.  Photos coming in Week 4 of the house all painted :)  As you can see, many of… — This was about half of the colors we ended up actually choosing from. D went all over Long Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn to find the perfect grey for our house. Photos coming in Week 4 of the house all painted :) As you can see, many of them were too brown and too blue.

We are already ordering furniture, it is stacking up downstairs!

Kitchen is completely ready to go, even the old tile is broken up and ready to be removed.

This is the front door upstairs, we are taking out the tile and replacing with matching wood flooring so the flow of the upstairs is consistent.

Week 1

June 2, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

Right after the wedding we took a short trip to Miami and then over Memorial Day weekend got settled into the start of renovations. My dad was generous enough to offer to help us with the house and stays here all week while we come back and forth on the weekends, the moment we can :) In the first few weeks of renovations, a lot of the work was clearing out all the old baseboard, trim and really getting a feel for how the house would best work for us. My dad and D also did some serious demo on the kitchen. See below!

On the right is the master bedroom entrance, we are moving it slightly to the left so that the entrance has more privacy.  As it stood previously, it looked straight down the stairway to the bottom level.  All the trim has been pulled off … — On the right is the master bedroom entrance, we are moving it slightly to the left so that the entrance has more privacy. As it stood previously, it looked straight down the stairway to the bottom level. All the trim has been pulled off and the floors are getting ready for their makeover :)

The oven was not easy, luckily my job was to hold the camera :)

Can't beat the incredible view.  Once the deck is changed it will really feel like a million bucks! — Can't beat the incredible view. Once the deck is changed it will really feel like a million bucks!

Demo has begun on the downstairs "pink" bathroom.  This will be a complete gut renovation. — Demo has begun on the downstairs "pink" bathroom. This will be a complete gut renovation.

This will be coming out and is being turned into a custom built tub/shower.

About the House

May 29, 2014 Amanda LaFontaine

The current style of the house is what D and I are calling, hawaiian/swiss inspired. I think this is mostly due to the intricate detail in the railing around the deck and some of the landscaping in the front. The house is gorgeous and, as you will see below, the condition we bought it in honestly didn't require any work at all. But if anyone knows D and I, we wanted to completely transform it into the style we both love, MODERN and truly make it a home we could enjoy with our loved ones. Below are the original listing photos of the house:

The front of the house as you are walking up the driveway.  In true Montauk fashion, the house is "upside down" meaning you enter upstairs. — The front of the house as you are walking up the driveway. In true Montauk fashion, the house is "upside down" meaning you enter upstairs.

With over 3000 feet of wraparound deck, the house gets incredible natural light and has views of the lake and the ocean.

Living Room. Located upstairs next to the kitchen and dining room in a open floor plan great room.

The Master Bedroom is located upstairs with an attached bathroom.  Down the same hallway are two more guestrooms and a full bathroom. — The Master Bedroom is located upstairs with an attached bathroom. Down the same hallway are two more guestrooms and a full bathroom.

At the end of the hallway upstairs are stairs leading to the lower floor.  There you will find a completely open floor plan running the entire length of the house. The previous owners used this space as a gym, but we are planning on converting … — At the end of the hallway upstairs are stairs leading to the lower floor. There you will find a completely open floor plan running the entire length of the house. The previous owners used this space as a gym, but we are planning on converting it into a media room/workspace and sleeping space for more guests.

Another view of the room directly after walking downstairs.  This will eventually be a Cabana room right off the pool. — Another view of the room directly after walking downstairs. This will eventually be a Cabana room right off the pool.

The back of the house is going to be completely different after the renovation, including the pool, color, siding, placement of windows and doors, decking, etc.

We cannot wait for you to see what comes next!

A + D