This is How the Save My Reno Team Creates the Ultimate Beachy Oasis for Baby

With a baby on the way, Leilani’s life was about to change completely – so her cramped living space needed some major changes, too. Using smart saves and a little DIY ingenuity, designer Samantha Pynn and contractor Sebastian Clovis transformed Leilani’s crowded home into a beachy dream for her new family.

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white and blue nursery with white crib and blue rocking chair

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New Baby, New Baby Home

Time was not on homeowner Leilani’s side. With her husband set to arrive in two-and-a-half months and her baby due in just four months, Leilani wanted to transform her cramped home to accommodate her growing family – but her previous attempts at renos were far from successful. Luckily, Leilani could call on her best friend Cheyenne and the Save My Reno team to work their magic with her $50,000 renovation budget.

beige kitchen with patterned floor and brown cabinets

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Kitchen Nightmare

While Leilani’s home actually had more than enough space for her new family, it wasn’t laid out to make the most of it. A prime example? The kitchen was dark, outdated and disjointed from the living and dining spaces – far from the airy, island-inspired feel that Leilani was going for.

modern white kitchen with hickory wood floors and stainless steel appliances

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Let There Be Light

Sebastian and Cheyenne gutted Leilani’s kitchen, installing bright white cabinets and new countertops to create a light, airy feel. To help keep the budget in check, the team kept Leilani’s stainless steel appliances for the revamped kitchen design.

white dining area with shiplap walls and a glass dining table

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Just Passing Through

To connect the kitchen and dining space, the team opened up the once-miniscule cutout to create an open pass through – letting light flow from the sliding glass doors straight into the kitchen. Tying it all together, new white shiplap walls brought texture to the dining space, while Leilani’s old round dining table was repurposed to suit the new space.

white living room with a blue rug and wicker accents

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A Smart Swap

One of the biggest-impact design decisions the team made was to flip the dining space and the living space. Placing the dining area beside the kitchen enhances the flow through the home – maximizing space.

white open concept office and living space with light-wood floors

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From the Ground Up

To keep the airy island-inspired feel flowing throughout the main living spaces, the team used
hickory floors with a touch of a white wash in the kitchen, dining area, living room and office.

crowded office area with boxes of files on floor

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Over Worked

As a teacher, Leilani needs a functional workspace – but her previous office area was literally holding her back with shelves and files trapping her in the corner.

office space in open-concept room with white desk and green cabinet

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Work From Home

By simply reconfiguring the furniture, the team created a more efficient, useful office area for Leilani that flows perfectly with the rest of the room.

brown spare bedroom with bookshelves, a purple bed and photos on the wall

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Making Space for Baby

Upstairs, Leilani’s spare room was destined to become her baby’s nursery – but a mix of excess furniture, dark colours and a blocked closet made it hard for her imagine it as her little one’s new room.

corner of white nursery with blue rocking chair

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Island Inspiration

White walls, turquoise accents and smart storage transformed the spare room into a totally tranquil, cozy nursery that echoes Samantha’s island-inspired downstairs decor scheme.

white and blue nursery with turquoise curtains and a white crib

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Bright and Airy

To make the most of the compact space, Sebastian also hand-crafted a space-saving changing station that attaches to the crib when it’s needed – and hangs on the wall for storage when it’s not.

white nursery with crib and green palm tree wall decal

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Beachy-Keen for Baby

Another special DIY touch? Using leftover wallpaper, Samantha and Leilani DIYed a custom wall decal in the shape of a palm tree – bringing the beachy downstairs theme into the nursery.