Mary Anne and Jerry McCrea had to make a decision when they got transferred to Palm Springs, California. Should they sell their 1990s time-capsule of a home during the market downturn of 2010?

Or, should they hold on to their family’s longtime residence and update it when they move back to Omaha for retirement?

They decided to take a chance and held on to the beloved property where they had lived for so many years.

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Fast forward to 2016. My task was to remodel the entire home. The home needed to function for large family gatherings. I needed to come up with a floor plan that had a better flow (to accommodate a large crowd of kids and grandkids), was easy to maintain, and (of course) was aesthetically pleasing.

It was bitter cold in Nebraska when they hired me. So, I wanted to give them a taste of sunny California in Omaha. To accomplish this more temperate mood, I chose a light and airy palette of soft sand and soothing blues and greens.

In the kitchen, I changed the layout to open the space to an adjacent family room. All of the golden oak cabinetry was replaced with a crisp white Shaker-style cabinet. White quartz with a splash of warm tan lightened and brightened the space. The blue-gray glass subway tile added a beautiful reflective quality to the kitchen. Sleek stainless steel and massive glass pendant lights added contemporary flair. The dated tile that covered much of the main floor was replaced with gorgeous 4-inch plank hickory. The floors were finished with tongue oil rather than polyurethane to give them a durable low-maintenance matte finish.

One major transformation happened in the master bath. Although the footprint of the space was large, it felt very dark and small. The floor was covered in dark cobalt-blue ceramic tile. The tub was 8 feet long and took up a large area of the room, yet was never used. The shower—which was used every day—was shoved in the toilet area in the back of the room. First and foremost, I reworked the layout to allow for a very large walk-in shower. The space where the old shower was became the perfect spot for beautiful custom cabinetry. Clever use of niches, grab bars, and no curb made this zero-entry shower totally accessible for the couple to age in place with a luxurious master bath.

The McCreas couldn’t be happier with what feels like a brand-new home. I couldn’t be happier that I was able to give them a little taste of California they can enjoy during the long Nebraska winters. 

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