BEACH & BAY COTTAGE TOUR SNEAK PEEK #6

Renovation turned into Dream House

This peaceful, welcoming home has quite a story. It began as a prefab home on the Coastal Highway advertising Nanticoke Homes, the only modular builder in Delaware at the time. In 1985, it was re-assembled on a lot in a small Bethany Beach community. Thirty-four years later, the owners bought the home as a rental property.

It wasn’t long before the home’s story took a dramatic turn. The owners loved the community with its variety of home styles and its proximity to the beach, their church, downtown Bethany Beach, and tennis.  As they reasoned, “You can change a home, but you can’t change its location.” Looking past the home’s small footprint and deteriorating condition, the owners imagined their future home.

Moving from a large, colonial-style house to a small, dated cottage might give some people pause, but the owners embraced it enthusiastically. Rather than raze the house and build anew, they created their “coastal modern” dream home through renovation. Wanting a first-floor open concept for entertaining, they moved the kitchen from the back of the house to the front to create a larger space for prep, cooking and conversation. The unstable Florida room inspired a great room with many windows and a higher ceiling for a spacious, airy feel.

The owners also wanted the first floor to be self-contained, with a primary suite, laundry room, and screened porch so they could age gracefully in place. The second floor would have an office/bedroom, second bedroom, and a Jack and Jill bathroom for family and guests. This beautiful, uncluttered home is testament to a “less is more” philosophy filled with ingenious space-saving and storage features and designed without sacrificing what was important to them.

This is just one of the outstanding properties that will be viewed by those who purchase tickets for the 33rd Beach & Bay Cottage Tour. This week’s home is one of the 7 homes on the 33rdTour that will be available for in-person tours by holders of Combo tickets. And, like all 10 homes on the 2025 tour, this home will also be available to be seen virtually by holders of both Combo and Virtual tickets. Each of the 10 homes will feature a professionally produced video which will offer Tour patrons an opportunity to view each home as often as they want from anywhere during the three-week virtual tour period. Special features include bird’s-eye drone video footage and the ability to view the Tour on any internet-enabled device. Hostesses for this week’s home will be furnished by the Salt Air Gardeners, the Reserve’s Beach Gals and the Barefoot Gardeners.

The 33rd Beach & Bay Cottage Tour is proudly presented by Leslie Kopp and The Leslie Kopp Group, and this home is also sponsored by Platinum Sponsor 84 Lumber.

Combo tickets are $50 and Virtual-only tickets are $35. Combo tickets are limited and may be used either day of the tour, with a single entry permitted to each home. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit the Cottage Tour’s website at beachandbaycottagetour.com.

The Cottage Tour is produced by the Friends of the South Coastal Library. All net proceeds directly benefit the library’s operations.