Redefined Rustic
This cozy cottage gets a fresh new look with statement-making upgrades
By Wendy O. Dixon
Part of the fun of living in Seaside is seeing how the town evolves and changes over the decades. These changes include the cottages, as some built in the town’s early days are in need of TLC to appeal to today’s homeowners and guests.
Some homeowners who purchase cottages in Seaside discover that they have a knack for renovating. Jim and Helen Carreker bought a Forest Street cottage in 2016, which they loved because it was a Deborah Berke original architecture design built in 1986. The Dean of the Yale School of Architecture’s Seaside work includes 13 iconic cottages, as well as Modica Market and the original Perspicasity.
Helen and Jim renovated the home and transformed it into a modern-day haven for their family to visit from Atlanta. They added new kitchen appliances, including a gas stove and fireplace, as well as new showers, a powder room and outdoor shower. Each bedroom is offset for some privacy. The original stairwell and wood floors remain. Helen also kept some of the original furniture, adding a fresh coat of paint. “I love the details Deborah did,” Helen says, pointing out the tiny bathroom windows in the cottage. The couple, who had also lived in Australia for 20 years, brought in some inspiration from their home down under. They donated some of the items from the home to Seaside Neighborhood School and Haven House, a support house in Walton County.
Satisfied with their labor, they sold the property and set their sights on other homes in town. They have upgraded three more cottages on Forest Street, one of which is their full-time residence. Another on Odessa Street is also getting a loving makeover.
“The original concept of the mid- and late-’90s was to develop wonderful beach cottages,” Jim says. “This has resulted in some great housing stock in the Seaside community. It is reaching a stage where these homes need to be refreshed and brought back to full life, or torn out to make space for a new home built in its place.”
The Carrekers have an inclination to find houses that have another 40 years of life in them with a gentle, but specific, renovation. “We add modern conveniences,” Jim says. “New lighting, floors, fresh paint on the walls, and some new artwork.”
Their Forest Street home is named September Song. An adjacent cottage, called Way Back, was the 1985 personal home of town architect Richard Gibbs, a Seaside Prize Award winner. “It was in pristine original condition when we purchased it in 2021,” Jim says. “It has the ‘pine cabin in the forest’ concept that Richard intended. But everything was dated and deserving of a refresh. We added new lighting, new furnishings, fresh ceilings, new kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and a washer/dryer. The cottage retains its cozy, cosseting charm, while now welcoming guests with a fresh appearance and expected modern conveniences.”
Way Back and another cottage, Little Lodge, are properties they rent out. On Odessa Street, Caribbean and West Indian are the next of their renovation projects. “Now that we are living here, we decided we enjoy renovating these 35-year-old cottages,” Jim says.
Helen says she loves everything about Seaside. “The sense of community harkens back to an earlier time — families, children, relaxing at the beach, friendliness, openness, safety, the neighborhood school, the amphitheater, the small town feel. It’s America at its very best.”
Check back with The Seaside Times for a first look at the latest undertakings of the Carrekers and other homeowners.
