It takes a combination of specific circumstances for most people to buy a house sight unseen. In the Hammonds’ case, those circumstances included a sought-after location, a fast-moving housing market and, most importantly, a Bay view. “This is the only house on this little street that has a Bay view without actually being on the Bay,” says Ashley Hammond.
The two-story board and batten house is nestled in Olde Towne Daphne. A large front porch greets visitors before they go inside. The interior is serene, complemented with pops of green and eclectic art pieces throughout. The open floor plan guides guests from room to room with ease. Just through the tall windows to the back is the Bay view, framed by large oaks with Spanish moss. This is all by design.
In 2021, Ashley and Mark Hammond had become empty nesters and were looking for a smaller home for just the two of them. An ever-changing housing market often saw homes listed and sold all within 24 hours. After seeing the house for sale on a drive around town, they quickly placed their bid. “We didn’t even tour it,” says Mark. “We put in an offer that day, and we found out the next day that we got it.” It was only after they made their offer with no contingencies and the sale went through that they were able to walk through their new home, which fortunately had no major issues to speak of. “It was kind of scary,” says Ashley, “but we were lucky.”
They lived in the 1980s house for about two years before starting any renovations. While they had wanted to downsize, the house was too small to host children and grandchildren when they visited, so the Hammonds began planning to create an addition. “There also wasn’t a master bedroom, so we thought we’d add one,” says Ashley. Mark is an architect and began drawing up plans. “Then we said, ‘Well, since we’re already going to have people here, we want to redo the kitchen,’” says Ashley. “‘And if we’re redoing the kitchen, we may as well just do everything.’” The Hammonds’ work-from-home jobs made a bigger renovation make more sense. “We worked together at back-to-back folding tables,” says Ashley. “If someone got a phone call, the other one had to leave the room. The renovation turned into a total gut job for the downstairs.”
For the interior design, they called in reinforcements in the form of Suzanne Winston. The Hammonds hadn’t worked with a designer on a house before and felt that Winston’s expertise would help make the process more seamless. “When you’ve got a whole house to consider, too many choices are overwhelming,” says Ashley. “I needed guidance and direction.”
Winston facilitated the interior design process for the entire downstairs. She began by listening to the Hammonds’ vision and learning more about the scope of the work. “Ashley really loves plants and an organic feel. She wanted the house to open up more and live more toward the view of the Bay,” says Winston. Then Winston began pulling inspiration: pictures and samples for fabric, finish, tile, paint and more, adjusting to feedback along the way. While Mark handled the overall floor plans, Winston oversaw the kitchen layout, furniture arrangements, designing the bathroom layout and the cabinetry. “It’s an honor to work on an architect’s personal home and with a professional who understands what we need and how we work,” says Winston. “Our styles were very compatible.”
The kitchen was a prime focus. “It left a lot to be desired for how they wanted to entertain, cook and live,” says Winston. The design felt outdated and the workflow was closed off, with out-in-the-open storage creating visual clutter. While the footprint remained the same, rearranging and reimagining the structure transformed the area. The stove became a focal point and the sink moved to face the window, with a wet bar installed beside it. The large island anchors the room, the darkness of the soapstone contrasting with the brightness of its surroundings. The corner with the air conditioning unit was converted to a large pantry, complete with solid cabinet doors to keep items out of sight. Removing the unit, which backed up to the main living room, solved another problem. “When the air kicked in, you couldn’t hear the TV,” laughs Ashley. “It was terrible.”
A cozy seating nook by the kitchen windows creates a place to relax while enjoying the Bay view. “Something that I do in all of my jobs is I design the spaces to relate to the view that’s outside,” says Winston. “I’m very big on that. We wanted the house to live more toward the view of the Bay.” The chairs were recommended by Winston and enthusiastically seconded by Ashley’s sister-in-law, a designer in Baltimore. “Suzie named this certain brand that means nothing to me, and my sister-in-law goes, ‘Get them! Get them!’” says Ashley. The windows were expanded in the kitchen to create more visual space, utilizing the 10-foot ceilings. Winston accessorized the windows with sheer curtains with a small flower print, adding just a hint of interest and texture.
In the living area, Winston used Benjamin Moore’s Seapearl in eggshell finish for a light refresh, making the room feel more spacious. “The little bit of reflective value wakes everything up,” says Winston. Winston and the Hammonds split up the long main room into a living room on one end and a dining room on the other. Winston then utilized the middle section for a sitting spot with a secretary and found some vintage chairs in New Orleans that she reupholstered in a GP&J Baker fabric. They can be pulled into the living room for extra seating or to the dining room table when hosting.
“It was an awkward, throwaway space and turned out to be one of the prettiest vignettes,” says Winston. The secretary between the chairs was a Winston find from a flea market in Paris. “When I opened the door, the leather inset was green,” says Winston. “I said, ‘This is for the Hammonds.’”
The dining room is the statement room, balancing the neutrality of the living room and kitchen with playful patterns and a wash of bright color. “The drapery was our statement piece that we picked early on,” says Winston. “It incorporated the green that she loves, and related to the view outside.”
While Winston oversaw most of the interior work, Mark turned his focus to the part of the house he most wanted to address: the exterior. “The style of the house lends itself to being symmetrical in the front,” he says. “In the original layout, the door was off-center and the columns weren’t even spaced the same. It bugged me from day one.” The contractor took down all the columns and rebuilt the front porch, expanding into a small carport in order to get symmetry. They also switched out the lap siding for board and batten.
“After it was done, some guy stopped and said, ‘I’ve been watching this progression for a while,’ — It took a year — and he says, ‘I just want to let you know, it looks awesome,’” says Mark. “That guy knew the door was off-center, too. It matters!” The exterior paint also stops people on the street. “People come to our door and ask, ‘Do you mind me asking what colors you use on your house?’ We’re real proud of that,” says Ashley.
The house now has a Creole cottage-inspired aesthetic with a modern twist and long-awaited symmetry. The inside is no longer disjointed but facilitates effortless flow. “Suzie was just invaluable with sourcing stuff and just having a vision and sticking to it,” says Ashley. “We’ve had numerous parties here since we’ve remodeled: Graduation parties, bridal showers, get-togethers with friends…it’s been fun.” Through it all, the Bay view from the house has been the perfect backdrop. “If you just walk a few houses down, there’s this gathering place, a little pier that overlooks the Bay,” says Ashley. “Everybody gets their glass of wine or their coffee and meets to see the sunset and you see all of the neighbors. It’s just really, really nice and quiet back here.”
For Winston, the effect of her work registered when she stopped by the first Christmas after the remodel. “I had gone over to drop something off after sunset,” says Winston, “and they were sitting there on their sofa, enjoying their house. It really looked so magical and happy and sweet. I stood there for almost five minutes, just taking it in and thinking to myself, ‘This is it. This is what we were trying to do.’ The house went from being tired and dated to fitting their personality and being just so happy and alive.”
