“This renovation was about unearthing beauty,” says Rachel Gant, recalling the hidden gems she and her husband, Andrew Deming, discovered as they redesigned their family home in St. Augustine, Florida. When they purchased it in 2021, the midcentury-modern house still had its clean lines, durable materials, and high-quality construction, having been well-built and well-maintained over the years. However, it had fallen into a rather somber state, with dated wallpaper, bulky curtains, and grungy carpeting, as its previous owners entered old age.

Before: Exterior

It wasn’t Rachel and Andrew’s first home renovation—they run the design practice Citra, and in the past they cofounded the housewares brand Yield—and they were eager to strip back the layers of paint, carpeting, and wallpaper. Upon peeling up a small section of the carpet, Andrew was excited to discover the original terrazzo floors, which were in excellent condition, along with a concrete block wall that had been concealed beneath it. “Someone had put a lot of care and intent into the design in the first place, even though it had fallen into a dark, dreary state,” Andrew says.

After: Exterior

The couple were committed to restoring and revealing the original details and craftsmanship. Their guiding principle was to respect the insight and intent that went into the house when it was built in 1955, with an addition in 1970, and to work with the house, not against it. “We were so concerned with not messing up the bones,” says Andrew.

Before: Dining Room

“The house embodies a very particular, ‘Florida’ kind of midcentury execution that works particularly well in the landscape,” he explains. “The overhangs are not exceedingly deep, but it’s designed in a way that shows the architect and builders knew what they were doing when they were building houses in the fifties and sixties, especially without air-conditioning in the humid Florida climate. Everything was done right with a level of consideration.”

After: Dining Room

Their budget primarily went toward infrastructural changes, with the addition of new plumbing and electrical lines adding up to $25,000. This was also the biggest challenge: “The house is built of concrete block, with terrazzo and concrete floors poured on slab, and essentially nowhere to hide plumbing, electrical, or HVAC systems,” Andrew says. “Every upgrade had to be carefully plotted to preserve the original character of the home.”

$530,000 Property Price	$2,500 Wall Finishes	$13,000 Flooring
$3,500 Roofing	$1,500 Hardware	$15,000 Electrical
$10,000 Plumbing	$1,200 HVAC Equipment	$9,000 Landscaping
$6,500 Kitchen & Bath Fixtures	$7,000 Lighting	$7,000 Cabinetry
$4,500 Countertops	$6,000 Appliances	$500 Windows & Glazing
$5,000 Tilework	$18,500 Furnishings & Decor	$1,000 Permitting
$20,000 Labor	$1,800 Waste/Debris Removal	$75,000 Pool & Patio Installation
$4,000 Exterior Painting	$28,000 Fencing & Drive Gates
Grand Total: $770,500

Before: Kitchen

In the north wing’s hallway, they opened a section of the dropped ceiling and used it as the primary conduit spine for plumbing and electricity. “We tucked them through a utility room, running lines outside beneath a low courtyard deck we built, and bringing them back in through concealed channels behind closets and built-ins,” says Andrew. “The process required constant problem-solving. Contractors can estimate the cost of a repipe or rewire, but they can rarely provide a detailed plan for executing it in a house with no cavities or chases.”

After: Kitchen

Over the course of the four-month renovation, Andrew was very present on-site—and he worked rapidly to finish the home in time for their soon-to-be-born baby. The couple saved money by doing all demolition, interior painting, and carpentry themselves. Every design decision—from the kitchen layout to selecting fixtures, finishes, and lighting—was handled by them as well.

Before: Living Room

They splurged on the exterior, adding gates and fencing for their dogs, as well as a reimagined driveway for $28,000, and a pool and patio that cost $75,000. The grand total of the project, including the property, labor, and debris removal, was $770,500. They also bought the two adjacent lots to preserve the natural environment surrounding the home and prevent future development that could threaten the trees.

After: Living Room

They enlarged the retro, compact kitchen and revitalized it with new Ikea cabinetry and glossy tile counters, plus a custom Samsung fridge that resembles a piece of furniture. “I wanted to keep the kitchen monochromatic because the space is so bright already, and I didn’t want to compete with the natural wood tones,” says Rachel, who guided the interior design. “We kept it light colored, but added texture instead of a lot of color or contrast.”

Before: Bedrooms

Their favorite room? It’s hard to choose—but Rachel loves the kitchen, while Andrew favors the adjacent dining room.“The wall of windows looks out onto the layered green of the garden,” he says. “We’ve hosted every holiday meal there—but also countless quiet dinners with just the three of us.”

After: Bedrooms

Rachel and Andrew’s interior projects are an expression of their design philosophy: rooted in material clarity, natural rhythm, and the Florida landscape. “The house reflects who we are and how we’ve grown—individually, as a couple, and as a family,” says Andrew. “It mirrors our values and way of living: spacious but warm, refined but unpretentious. It’s deeply functional, lived-in, and always ready to welcome others.”

Before: Bathrooms

After: Bathrooms

After: Music Room

After: Design Studio

After: Pool Area

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Project Credits:

Interior Design: Citra / @citra__collection