Inspiration for a beach house renovation.
In a town full of new construction, my family found Mrs. Hoover’s house on a snowy day last February. A multi- unit property in the Gardens end of Ocean City in need of saving and full of local history. Built in the mid 1950’s the house was part of a business that included the building next door. Hoovers advertised “clean airy rooms, 1 block to the beach, bathing from house, rooms with or without water, bathrooms on all floors, reasonable rates, and free parking on the street.” The only thing I requested when we made an offer to purchase the home, was the postcard the current homeowner had on her refrigerator advertising these rooms. Out front two small children are playing by the curb as their family poses for a photo to commemorate their beach vacation in Ocean City.
A couple weeks after settlement, a group of my daughter’s friends rode up on their bicycles. Unaware I was sitting on the deck above them I overheard one boy ask the other “what’s going on here, they live here, why is this dumpster here?” The other simply said “because that’s what her mom does, she fixes old houses.” It was then that I decided we had made the right decision, this house was like the perfect shell unearthed on a long beach walk, undiscovered by others until now.
When restoring a home I always feel it is important to cosmetically restore it to the time period from which it was built, while giving it an updated look. Sadly, this house had no remnants of the the 1950s left. However what it did have is coins. As contractors began to pull down and open up walls, rip up old flooring, and remove kitchen cabinets there were coins, everywhere. Often times, an area would be swept or cleaned, only to walk away and upon returning find a coin that wasn’t there minutes before. A neighbor told us that that was a sign of good will and a wish of prosperity to us, the new owners. But from who, Mrs. Hoover? Owners of the house next door claim to have seen her in their building, the other half of the Hoovers rental business. So, I felt a sense of obligation to complete this project for her.
Since, I had no true 1950s character to work with, I decided to create it. Design is trending toward earthy, natural elements with soft interior design color schemes that create a peaceful relaxed look. I wanted to bring the influence of our local environment into our home. Red cedar beams, purchased from an offshore forest support the newly vaulted ceiling. Reclaimed wood, salvaged from demolition process support our kitchen island, and top off the half wall in the master suite. Knotty pine taken from the third floor bedroom flanks the island as well as the kitchen backsplash. Walls were moved, hidden space reclaimed, and my most favorite find was the cedar ship lap. This was part of the exterior wall from the original portion of the house. Upon entering through the front door it is the first thing one sees, left in its warm brown tone, and trimmed with bright white molding. White walls, white cabinets, rich brown wood tones, lots of stainless steel and silver accents, industrial lighting and cabinet hardware lend themselves to an organic coastal vibe. In a reconfigured space designed around entertaining and hosting family and friends, I am hoping Mrs. Hoover would be proud.
After completing renovations, and moving my family into the largest of the three units a couple weeks back I heard something in the middle of the night. Footsteps, and then a woman’s voice calling up the stairs toward my bedroom. “Hello, hello, anybody home?” Yes, Mrs. Hoover, we are.
Maureen Schneider is resident of Ocean City, is married and a mother of two. She also is the principal at Finley & Associates, a newly created Ocean City based consulting and design firm. Maureen has a passion for beach house renovations and redesigns. She can be reached at maureen@ocnjdaily.com.
