• Press
  • Reviews
St. Thomas Interior Designer
St. Thomas Interior Designer
  • Home
  • Services
    • Design Strategy Session
    • Designer for a Day
    • Master Plan for Design
    • Full-Service Interior Design
    • Plan Review
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Design Downloads
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Cart
  • Home
  • Services
    • Design Strategy Session
    • Designer for a Day
    • Master Plan for Design
    • Full-Service Interior Design
    • Plan Review
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Design Downloads
  • Blog
  • Contact

Before & After

Split image of Before and After a bedroom has been designed by Lagnappe
Link Enlarge

Sunset View Condo Interior Before & After: A project that was passion

PMMAdmin3 November 14, 2019 Before & After, Furnishings, Tips & Tricks 1

Interior Design Before and After: We Transformed a 2-unit vacation rental into a beautiful permanent family home

The Interior Design Challenge

Take 2 separate condo units side by side, and turn them into 1 family’s residence.

What we do matters beyond just ‘being pretty’. Design is really about people. It’s about how we can create a space that supports the lifestyle of those who live in it. I love residential design because at its best, it is caring for others in a creative way.

Interior design is the art and science of enhancing a the inside of a building, home, or space. It aims to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing and healthier setting for the people who use the environment- a welcoming place for the family to love and grow.

Our team at Lagnappe Custom Interiors have been working in residential design for island homes since 2002. Designing homes for people is my passion, and an emotional journey I share with my clients.

We listen to the desires and wishes of each family member, and ask questions to learn how they envision their dream residence. In this recent project here in St. Thomas, USVI, we transformed an outdated vacation rental into a family’s permanent home, Sunset Villa Condo.

Why I Loved this Project…

Other than the obvious creative challenge, I love welcoming new people to the island. Growing up, my family moved around a lot. I was always the new kid in school. Now I’ve been in the same place for 18 years and I always want to be a person who reaches out to new people.

The family who now live in Sunset View Condo have two young children. Helping these kids get excited about a big move and bond with their new home ahead of time was really a heartwarming privilege. This is really design at it’s best. When I am able to help my clients be more comfortable in their own homes and create what will be the backdrop for all the family memories yet to come…well that is my best possible day at work.

In order to get the flow of the space right, we had to make some pretty big changes. The goal was to make the finished product feel like it was always intended to be a single home. As this was two separate condos joined as one, there were many doubles. Originally there were two front entry doors, two kitchens, and a hotel door joining the two units. They could be rented together or separate.

“Sunset View was originally a two-bedroom unit, and a studio condo which were side-by-side. The plan was to combine the units, and they really needed updating. We were introduced to Tiffany at Lagnappe Custom Interiors by our relator, Kirsten McConnell. Tiffany had an eye for seeing the potential for each place, and gave constructive advice about how each might work for a family of four,” said the Client, current owner of Sunset View Condo.

What the family needed was one big kitchen and a large living room area with an indoor-outdoor feel. They needed two kid’s bedrooms and one master suite for the parents. After considering this design plan, we then had to add in all the other key items. Everyone needs plenty of storage, a laundry room, and other essentials in a permanent home. There are always tradeoffs in remodeling but this time, we were able to hit most all the highlights.

To make planning at a distance fun and easy, I created a 3D model online. The program allowed the family to log into on an iPad and then virtually “walk” through the space. The kids took to it immediately and were even able to share it with friends before they moved. I wish that had been available when my family moved as a kid!

“Technology has made the world move so much faster. Most people would not do this, but we bought the two units without having physically toured them. We placed a lot of trust into both Kirsten and Tiffany. We had seen Tiffany’s work in another unit and felt completely secure with her abilities. During the process we were provided fantastic photo updates as the renovation progressed. We had to make a lot of decisions based on what was sent to us via the internet. At this point, we worried we had downsized too much. Tiffany measured us and remained optimistic, and felt is was perfect for us.

A Satisfied Client
Conceptual 3d model of the project interior design layout
Conceptual Model

Entering the Home Interior, Before and After

Every family needs a place near the front door to use as a ‘landing zone’. If you live in a small space and a full size mud room isn’t an option, then a mini size version might do.

Entryway Design After

Quite the transformation from this . . .

Entryway Design Before

Master Bedroom Design

A fabulous Master suite was on the wish list. When you live somewhere year-round, not just vacation there, you need space for all the “stuff” of life. We’ve all got stuff, but when we design a place for it all, we don’t feel the space has been overtaken. I believe when we live with less clutter, we can relax a little more

Master Bedroom Design After
The Master Bed before, was actually a kitchen!

Master Bathroom Design

A standard vacation rental bathroom was transformed into a gorgeous place to share a morning bathing ritual. The parents wished for a double sink, with quartz countertops, and selected fashionable marble tiles. An open-concept shower expresses the couples’ comfort and ability to relax while preparing for the day together.

Master bathroom After
Master bathroom Before

Porches

Opening up the porches was so worth the effort. That really banished the last bit of feeling as though it was two separate places. Porches are an integral part of an island home, as people relish their time outside. Not only did we enable a larger balcony area for the family to enjoy, but we added updated amenities. We replaced outdated tiles with new porcelain flooring. For furniture, we added a big comfy day beds in navy blue, accentuated with colorful cushions.

Porch Before

Porch After: Shot from the opposite side of the porch, but I think you get the idea!

Living Space

This is one of the most gratifying before and afters ever. It’s hard to even see how this is the same room… basically, we just opened it up to let the breeze and light flow. It’s now a great spot for family togetherness. With plenty of cabinets, the family has ample storage space for serving sets and appliances, plus snacks and cooking essentials. We took a simple vacation kitchenette and transformed it into a full-size kitchen.

Living Space After
Living Space Before

“Tiffany brought her own experience with island family life into helping her identify what would tie into our family’s needs. The use of the computer graphics (link to https://www.lagnappe.com/effective-collaboration-and-communication-when-designing-your-dream-vacation-home/) was such a help and was true to the final product when we finally saw it.”

Another Satisfied Client.

When I first showed the family their finished home, my heart felt warm when I saw the looks of joy in their eyes. Expressions of apprehension from the two young children became smiles of comfort. The place they became familiar with on their iPads had come to life.

“The girls were absolutely awed by their rooms. Everything they had said they wanted was there and had come to life in their rooms. Our 10-year old said she wants to work with Tiffany when she is older, and she will make sure all her projects have stainless steel appliances!” the Client smiled. “I was just so pleased with the final product, and knew I would never have been able to pull off such a well-thought out design by myself. My family and I are so proud to show off our new home, Sunset View Condo. It has become the benchmark for other owners who are considering a renovation of their units.”

This project was one of my favorites because it was designed custom for the family’s needs. The framework taken from a joined, 2-unit ,generic vacation rental became one gorgeous, big home. Being able to turn my clients’ visions and ideas into reality is the most beautiful part of what I do. Sunset View really demonstrates the values of Lagnappe Custom Interiors, and our initiative to create beautiful, custom, designs tailored to the dreams of each client.

Bathroom Before and After

Before: The things you find under an old bath vanity –YUCK!!!
After: Refreshed and ready for a new family’s story:

Turtle Bedroom Before and After

Before: This bedroom was a little scary even for me…
After: Now it’s perfect for its young occupant.

Mermaid Bedroom Design

Before: This bedroom too was dark and dingy.
After: A New Bedroom layout with colors that pop, give the space a new life.

Eclectic Bathroom

Before: A dark and narrow chasm.
After: It’s taken on a new sense of life, post makeover!

Lagnappe Custom Interiors is a full-service interior design firm, specializing in bringing the small niceties to a home or commercial space that make it memorable, functional and yours. Based out of St. Thomas, Lagnappe [LAN-YAP] is led by Tiffany Cassidy who enjoys working with clients to create a home that reflects their style and needs. Tiffany marries her artistic and scientific sides together to bring the residents of the Virgin Islands and continental U.S. an interior decorating service that manages the complex and turns it into beauty. Her goal is to not only make a home prettier, but in doing so, make your life better. Visit www.Lagnappe.com for more information.

Link Enlarge

Before and After: Family Condo with Great “Rentability”

lagnappe May 13, 2019 Before & After, Tips & Tricks 0

Looking for an escape from their stateside jobs and school schedules, a lovely family with four children hired Lagnappe to renovate and design their island oasis condo. 

When the family isn’t vacationing here, they will utilize it as a short-term rental property to share with other families looking for the perfect island getaway. Later on, it may be used long-term as a place to enjoy retirement.

The best part of what we do as designers is supporting our clients in creating the life they want to live in their homes.  In this case, it’s creating space in a 3-bedroom condo for a family of 6 to relax and enjoy, making the space work for them now, then making this a space that will transition well for them over the years from rental to retirement.  Creating that balance between personal luxury and rental durability is a special kind of balancing act.  We believe strongly in the value of doing things just once and doing them all the way, really right.  The mindset of “just get something cheap and quick” doesn’t feel like value for our clients and it sure doesn’t seem environmentally friendly!  We believe in the value of things chosen well rather than often.  When a space is remodeled to stand the test of time, the effect on the lives of the people who live there is wonderful, and means more time with family, less time shopping and shipping!

Enjoy this before and after journey! If you’d like us to take a look at your space and see how we could make a transformation in your own home, please contact us.

Expanding the area that will become the kitchen.

More kitchen expansion

Kitchen coming together…

A complete, functional, beautiful kitchen!

A beautifully connected space allows for conversation.

Reconfiguring the guest bath

Fully functional and beautiful bath

The garden guest room now features a queen bed and twin trundle.  Plenty of space for everyone to get a good night’s rest!  We used durable, machine washable fabrics and a classic seagrass rug for a beachy look that will stand the test of time.

The space that will become the master bedroom.

We love the calm relaxing feel in this master bedroom.  There’s even a pull-out chair for little ones who need to be close.  Designing to stand the test of time means more than just the furnishings.  Our choice to add the white washed cedar planked ceiling is not only a beautiful look, it is resistant to moisture and bugs (It’s the tropics, after all!).

Soon-to-be master bathroom…

A modern vibe with a feeling of energy.  This tile makes us think of the sea with it’s wave like pattern and Caribbean turquoise color.


If you’re traveling with 4 kids you might want a quiet private spot for your morning coffee!

An ocean-front bedroom with fantastic outdoor space will appear soon…

I love this mix of colors and patterns.  It’s both classic and lively at the same time.  Sometimes when I tell other designers that I use Subrella fabrics for drapery and bedding I get some worried looks. In the island environment, the performance fabrics are the way to go, especially for rentals.  In this photo you’re looking at Sunbrella drapery, dust ruffle and headboard!  The rug is an indoor-outdoor too.  Technology has come such a long way now that the performance fibers really feel luxurious.

Texture, color and accessories come together to create island magic.

A guest bath with an easy-access closet.

Cool and calm, ready for guests!


About Lagnappe Custom Interiors

Lagnappe Custom Interiors is a full-service interior design firm specializing in bringing the small niceties to a home or commercial space that make it memorable, functional and yours. Based out of St. Thomas, Lagnappe [LAN-YAP] is led by Tiffany Cassidy who enjoys working with clients to create a home that reflects their style and needs. Tiffany marries her artistic and scientific sides together to bring the residents of the Virgin Islands and continental U.S. an interior decorating service that manages the complex and turns it into beauty. Her goal is to not only make a home prettier, but in doing so, make your life better. Visit www.Lagnappe.com for more information.

living-A
Link Enlarge

3D Rendering: What is it and Why is it Important?

Nicole Shields October 13, 2016 Before & After, Uncategorized 0

Calypso House Before
Calypso House Before

What does interior design have to do with 3D rendering? If you’ve ever seen shows like Property Brothers on HGTV you have seen this feature they offer homeowners: a unique walk-through of what their house will look like after a remodel before any of the work is done.

Technology is changing our lives at a rapid pace and in most ways it’s for the better.

Calypso House After
Calypso House After

Computer technology has entered the design world as well as every other corner of our lives and is helping us communicate our vision as designers with our clients in new and better ways.  For those of you who don’t know, “3D rendering is a creative process that is similar to photography or cinematography, because you are lighting and staging scenes and producing images. Unlike regular photography, however, the scenes being photographed are imaginary. So many clients hire a designer because they express a concern about being able to “see” how the completed space will come together in the end.  In a long-term and extensive remodel or build project this service can be invaluable to them as a tool to facilitate decision making.

Read More
St. Thomas Interior Designer
Link Enlarge

The Gull Reef Club

Nicole Shields August 9, 2014 Before & After, Furnishings 0

I never do this. I never share my home in a public forum.  Over all, we are a very quiet and private family.  This past winter we purchased a condo here in St. Thomas and opened up our lives, our search for a new home, and our remodel project to the HGTV show Beach Front Bargain Hunt. Let me first say, it was a great experience!  The crew was so patient (we’re not exactly naturals in front of a camera!) and they made it fun!  Most importantly to us this was an opportunity to portray St. Thomas as a lovely place to raise a family.   The process of retelling the story of how we came to live where we do, gave us the chance to really remember what we love about the island and see it with fresh eyes.  megan-and-jasonThe view point of those who don’t live here day in and day out is an important one to remember!  Now that the filming is done, and by the time this posts the show will have aired, I thought it was time to share some of the background of our project, when the episode was filmed we were part way through a big remodel project.   As a designer, I help guide clients through their projects and often share the before and after pictures of those projects.  Over the next few posts I will share the before and after’s from my own project step by step!

Thanks to Kerstin we found the worst fixer upper in one of our favorite communities. Kerstin McConnell of Sea Glass Properties has been a friend for years, it’s a small island and our children were even in preschool together.  We’d been looking for a place off and on but not seriously for about a year, just kicking around the idea of maybe buying.  When she called me to say she had a place in our area for sale that needed a ton of work, I said that sounds perfect for us! Long story short, very short, we got it for a price that would allow us to strip everything out and start over.  I’m sure you’ll be able to see why I was so excited, and it gave my husband a headache;)!!

the-viewOut with the old! We hired longtime friend and colleague Bill Tynan as our contractor. Since we’ve worked together on a number of projects He pretty much already knew what I had in mind for the place. Lose the popcorn ceiling, nice open kitchen, modern lighting… my favorite blend of clean modern and comfy beach cottage. But there was a long way to go.

The new master bedroom and bath is small by most standards but perfect for us. It’s undergone some big changes in the past few months!

To fully appreciate the after you’ve got to see the before!  On 12/20/13 this was the look.

master-vanity-1024x686 master-bath-686x1024

Now on 1/15/14 the demo had begun.  It really doesn’t even look like the same place anymore.master-bath1-686x1024    master-vanity1-686x1024

Now a month later on 2/15/14 we were less than 2 weeks away from TV cameras arriving and still not really ready to be the subject of pretty TV!!  I was excited all the same because at this point I could see my concept sketches becoming a reality.  For me, this is the design buzz, I get really excited to see the pieces coming together that have existed in my mind for all this time!

master-bath3-686x1024                    master-vanity-wall-1024x686

Today the space is just about ready to live in. We’re not moved in yet. Friends and neighbors ask when we’ll be moving in.  I’m sure they’re wondering what the hold up could possibly be! We’ve waited for the end of the school year and a few finishing touches, like kitchen counter tops which go in this next week. After madly rushing for 2 months we just decided to take our time a little …Island time I guess you’d say.

This is our new look! I really love it!  The colors are so soft and there’s just enough space.  My favorite part is that when I’m standing in front of the bathroom mirror I can see the reflection of the boats moored in Cowpet Bay.  I think it will be a great way to start my day!

front-bath-vanity-elev-451x1024                  dsc_0226           

You may be wondering at this point why is this titled Gull Reef Club? Have you read Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk? I read it many years ago when I first moved to St. Thomas and while it was a good tale then it has taken on a whole new meaning over the past 12 years. It is a tale of small business ownership, renovation projects, and the island dream experience. Although the end of the book is a bit tragic, our own experience in island dreams continues to grow, onward and upward!

Recent Posts

  • 2021’S Colors Of The Year
  • St. Thomas Christmas Traditions
  • A Remote Christmas Holiday
  • Seasonal Living Magazine’s Virtual Showhouse
  • How to Design the Perfect Kitchen
  • Bathrooms
  • Beach / Caribbean
  • Before & After
  • Color
  • DIY
  • Furnishings
  • Interior Design
  • Kitchens
  • Lighting
  • Niceties
  • Outdoor Living
  • Portfolio
  • Press
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Uncategorized
  • Window Treatments

Our Studio (by appointment):

Address: 6300 Estate Frydenhoj
Compass Point Marina
St. Thomas, VI 00802

Phone: 340-643-7289

Our Mailing Address

Address: 6500 Red Hook
St. Thomas, VI 00802

WE ARE SOCIAL


© 2010, Lagnappe Custom Interiors.
Web design

Top