There are often silver linings in the darkest clouds, and although we've been through a lot since Hurricane Harvey hit 10 months ago, I'm definitely seeing the brighter skies ahead! In today's edition of my ongoing renovation series, we get to talk about all of the fun planning I've been doing for our rebuilt home. I've been lucky enough to work with innovative architect Carlo DiNunzio to reimagine our living spaces.

Carlo has a unique service called Cocktail Napkin Architecture. This process allows him to help with existing floor plans when the client isn't adding any square footage. He says: "Sometimes a sketch is all you need."

I won't be adding any square footage to our 3,000-square-foot house, so this was the perfect partnership for me. I love Carlo's dynamic designs, so I couldn't wait to jump in and get started!

So what are we planning at this point? The kitchen will remain a galley, but I am taking over the sitting area and adding additional cabinetry and a longer working island, which should make the kitchen feel larger. I'm also replacing the curved wall staircase you can see above. I am sure it was fabulous in the ‘60s - now not so much!

The master bath and closet are small, so I will take in the master study to have a larger bath and closet. I'll also rework the powder and guest bath, remove the fireplace hearth and replace with plaster, and we'll update the overall traditional design with more transitional cabinetry and modern art to give it an up-to-date look.

Whew! It's a lot, but it's also exciting! Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I walk you through each room's makeover.

Warmly,

Beth