Inspiration

Elaborate Renovation Transforms Abandoned Property into Stylish Villas

If you missed Monday’s post, pop over here to read the backstory on designer Sara McDaniel’s latest project involving a massive renovation of eight small villas. Built in 1931, the group of villas in Sara’s hometown of Minden, Louisiana, pulled at her heartstrings.

No one is sure why the villas were abandoned, but the landscape was overgrown and the historic structures were rotting and crumbling with each passing day. Sara gathered a talented team and, with a tight budget and eager sponsors, she transformed the Spanish-style structures into stunning rental properties.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at a second villa which features Barn Light Electric lighting. This villa, named Laura, is one of the two larger buildings in the compound with 750 square feet of space. This includes a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and dining nook.

“I wanted each villa to have its own personality,” Sara says. “And I wanted to retain as many of the original architectural details as possible. I kept the floor plans basically the same and I saved all the arches.” She adds that the villa named Annie, featured in Monday’s post, exudes a mid-century vibe while Laura is more like “an upscale, coastal Grandmother house.”

The color scheme for Laura is heavy on blues so Sara chose Barn Light’s Delphite Blue finish for the lighting. The living room is highlighted by a Primary 4-Light Schoolhouse Chandelier. This American-made fixture is customized with small opaque glass, a 12″ stem, and triple painted bands of Delphite Blue.

In the bedroom, a similar schoolhouse fixture, but with straight arms, offers plenty of soft illumination. The Primary 4-Light Straight Arm Schoolhouse Chandelier features the same small opaque glass, 12″ stem, and triple painted bands of Delphite Blue.

The dining space in this villa, as in the Annie, is long and narrow. Sara chose the Primary Schoolhouse 2-Light Chandelier with the same customizing options for this space.

“These spaces are elongated so I wanted the light to basically span the width of the dining table,” she explains. “The dimensions of this light are absolutely perfect. It fills up the space but also symmetrically balances the room with the dining table.”

In the nearby kitchen, a Primary Schoolhouse Pendant Light adds a soft glow. This pendant complements the other fixtures with the same small opaque glass, Delphite Blue finish, and triple painted bands. A standard white cord adds a subtle touch keeping the eye on the soft blue details.

“I chose these pendants to tie together the entire design scheme for both of those villas so that it all looks cohesive and flows,” Sara notes. “They are so classic and timeless and look like they could have been present in those villas in 1931.”

Even the bathroom gets a dose of schoolhouse charm with the Primary 2-Light Schoolhouse Vanity Light. This fixture is customized with small opaque glass and a powder coat Black finish to match the tile.

Barn Light Electric was thrilled to be part of this amazing renovation of The Villas at Spanish Court providing handcrafted, American-made fixtures that played such a pivotal role in the overall design.

“I wanted to make a statement so that when people walk into the villas, the lights will be absolutely loud,” Sarah says. “I can’t tell you the number of times that people have come in and always comment on the light fixtures. They are amazing and are absolutely the statement pieces I envisioned.”

Photos courtesy of Simply Southern Cottage and Hector Sanchez