Chelsea's Dream Renovation

I love a great renovation and funnily enough, my husband and I are in the middle of our own home remodel right now. I could go on and on about my dream renovation, but I think our big must-haves right now are a huge Florida room and a beautiful backyard. We are currently working on enclosing a 300 sqft back patio and converting it into a beautiful and airy Florida room; It will have large, side-sliding windows perfect for letting in the summer breeze, a wet bar, and French doors that open up to our outdoor entertainment area.

Outside, we have a newly poured patio with a pergola above. Each post is wrapped with jasmine and I cannot wait until the jasmine is fully grown and intertwines with the beams above to create the perfect amount of shade. Beyond the patio, we have stepping stones that lead to our fire pit and we are looking forward to utilizing it more in the winter months. I’m picturing our family now; all of us sitting around the fire, roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores. While our entertainment area is perfect for adults, we have three children and we’re looking forward to making this a space they can also enjoy. After re-sodding the yard, we have already added a trampoline and we will soon add a play set and a tire swing.

Once our Florida room and backyard remodel are complete, we can’t wait to open up this space for our family and friends to come over and enjoy adult conversation while our children enjoy themselves nearby.

MaryAnne's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Great Room: A large, open, vaulted space is ideal as it becomes the epicenter of family fun, entertaining guests, and holiday gatherings.

2. A Friendly Front: I don’t love garages facing the front of the home, but with the right paint and landscaping, I can compromise. A pretty stained or painted front door adorning a seasonal wreath is a must have at my own home.

3. Renovated Kitchen: The heart of the home must be updated in order for me to feel like it’s a clean, fresh palate to prepare meals and host friends

4. Walk In Closet: Style + fashion are huge in my household because my hubs is in the fashion industry, so big closets are a must!

5. A View: Because I work so much, I want to relax when I come home so either a view of the City, some body of water, or garden is a non negotiable.

Chai's Top 5 Must Haves

1. Patio/ Outdoor Living- I am such an outdoor person, and being in Jacksonville where the weather is always so beautiful, I find myself spending most of my time out on my patio. It's a retreat for me! Being able to enjoy nature and feel the fresh air gives me such happy energy. Whether I'm entertaining or just enjoying by myself, it's always refreshing and relaxing. It's definitely my happy place.

2. Spacious Kitchen- Generally, the KITCHEN is the most important room in your home, because it's the center of your family day-to-day living. I love to cook, entertain, and spend time around my family, so having an open space is a must. It's good to be able to chat and see people's faces while I'm cooking. I also like to have my kitchen clutter-free, so a good size pantry would be great!

3. Main Entry- It's great to have space and storage for keys, shoes, an umbrella, etc. I feel having a functional entrance creates a positive flow when coming home or leaving the home. I do love a double door and a high ceiling, it creates an open space for me. Oh, and definitely built-in cabinets to hide stuff would be great.

4. Master Suite- Having my own oasis so important to me. I think your bedroom should be exactly how you want it, and it should make you feel relaxed and happy. It's a wonderful way to start your morning and end your day. Big windows and a high ceiling would be fantastic.

5. Home Office- These days I'm working from home more than ever, so an office space with lots of natural light and facing the woods or lake would be amazing! Of course, built-in cabinets would be very functional.

Shali's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1.     Sizable Open Kitchen  – We love to entertain and have game nights with extended family and friends. It’s important that we can cook together in the kitchen, have conversations across the bar, and have an eye on the living room to watch all the little ones while the adults enjoy themselves.

2.     High Ceilings – My husband and I are both tall and enjoy higher ceilings along with unusually tall doors. Not to mention a floor plan that might be smaller on paper really can come to life and feel “just right” when the ceiling is 9ft+.

3.     A Private Entryway – Personally, having lived in apartments, it was a pet peeve when I had visitors or someone stop by, that the door was the center of the living area. There was no privacy. In our current home, it was important we have a hallway that allows for a little privacy and guest having an opportunity to take coats and shoes off.

4.     Large Closet – The bigger the better! My ideal closet would be one that is its own attached bedroom to the Owner’s suite. With a bay window, chair, and tons of shelving and shoe racks.

5.     A Game/Movie Room- My husband likes to play video games, and we LOVE movies. I would envision a movie room with a tv the size of the wall where he can retreat to, to play games as well as double function as a fun movie room with the family. Adding in a popcorn machine and mini fridge for pure entertainment and décor.

Jacki's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. A Fenced in Backyard- This is a common one, but definitely at the top of my list. I need a large area for my big dog, Tucker, to run around in and sunbathe. I also love the idea of being able to create my own little getaway spot with the potential for outdoor furniture and maybe a small herb garden.

2. Extra Storage- I need all the storage! I’ve lived in many houses where storage was so minimal with nowhere to put all the necessities let alone stay organized. I love a few large closets and a good sized garage (built in cabinets or shelving for an added bonus!)

3. Cozy Living Room Set Up- The living room is the most used and favorite spot in our house! It’s important to me to be able to visualize furniture in the space- I want it to fit well with a good layout and have the potential for a great movie night.

4. A Quiet Street- This is a new one I never knew I needed. Currently, my backyard backs up to a busy road with constant traffic noises. I’ve learned to tune it out but realize I took for granted the quiet streets I’ve lived on that are peaceful and tucked away. Definitely a must have for me.

5. Lots of Windows/Natural Lighting- I find myself hardly turning on any lights and when I have to, it just doesn’t compare. The natural lighting from a good sunny day boosts my energy and happiness overall. It also makes your space feel bigger and more open. I’ll take as many windows as I can get! 

Emily's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

Perfect timing!  My family and I are currently building our forever home in Historic Springfield so "must haves" have been frequent conversation topics the last few months. When the perfect lot + plan became available we jumped on it because it included our major wants in a home!   

1. Backyard- With a 5 and 3 year old we need a place for them to burn some energy.  They will literally run in circles for hours so we need a place to accommodate their energy levels.  We also love to entertain so a space for hanging out with friends + family is crucial for us (and I love being outside- even in the Florida summer heat).

2. Home Office Space-My husband and I both work from home, like most people in 2020, and it's essential to have a work space that is separate from the rest of the house to help maintain a work/life balance.  An extra bedroom, garage apartment, or she shed is the perfect place to make a functioning home office. 

3. Open Kitchen (bonus: an island)- Mike loves to cook and I love to eat so the idea of a large kitchen where I can hang out while he cooks, see the kids in the living room while doing the dishes, and be able to host parties (when we can again) is definitely on my top 5 list!

4. Kid Space- Before I had children my house was always clean and orderly.  Fast forward to babies and that quickly changed- seriously a clean house lasts maybe 3 minutes these days.  A dedicated playroom or area to stash the clutter is super important for my sanity.  

5. Location- There is nothing better than an early morning walk to grab a coffee from our favorite neighborhood spots.  Walkability or a quick drive to our favorite restaurants, breweries, and shops is something I can't live without!