See How a 1970s Atlanta Lake House Became a Modern Haven

Sean and Sara Santoro undertook the ultimate pandemic project in 2020 when they decided to leave a small condo in downtown Atlanta and purchase a sprawling 1970s lake house in the suburbs that needed a complete renovation. The end result was a custom lakeside home with 2,000 square feet of space with plenty of room for entertaining both inside and out.

When Sean and Sara met, she lived in a tiny 500-square-foot condo in downtown Atlanta. Downtown life was lively, but it meant Sean was commuting several hours a day. It also meant there was barely any room to turn around in their small home.

In early 2020, they realized they needed to move closer to Sean's job, so they began looking to get out of the city to an area that would give them equal commute times. Their search led them to the Atlanta suburb of Roswell and to a sprawling lake house that dozens of people were interested in.

Sean and Sara found themselves in a bidding war on the day the lakeside split-level home hit the market, and they struck gold when their offer was chosen.

It was clear, however, that the 1970s home would need a total overhaul to make it functional and give it a modern look. The entire home was plastered with floral wallpaper and dark wood paneling that made the space feel small and dark, and the main living area was completely cut off from the kitchen by a large wall. Thankfully, Sean had a background in home remodeling from working with his family's business.

The Santoros kept the exterior of the house largely the same, but they went for contrast, painting the brick white and the board-and-batten finishes darker.

"We really wanted to keep the charm and the midcentury modern aesthetic," Sara explained.

The home's exterior gave serious Brady Bunch vibes before the renovation, but the interior seemed frozen in time with dark wood trim, shag carpet, original 1970s fixtures and floral paper wallpaper. They had their work cut out for them.

Bedrooms in the lakeside split-level are upstairs. The hall to access them and the main bathroom had more dated floral wallpaper, wood paneling and carpet.

After the renovation, the area at the top of the stairs became bright and modern with white walls, an updated railing and display table.

The primary bedroom had a fireplace and potential, but it needed a ton of work. Outdated wallpaper and dark wood made the room feel small and tired. During the renovation, they removed the mantel from the fireplace, added built-in shelving on both sides and painted the brick to match the home's exterior.

White walls and white linens with small pops of color made the room feel brighter and less cramped.

The bathroom in the main bedroom literally had no door, leaving a serious lack of privacy.

"While one person may be laying in the bed, they could see into the primary bath and even wave as someone was on the toilet," Sean explained.

Sean and Sara sacrificed one of the upstairs bedrooms to expand the primary bathroom and ensure that there was ample privacy to enjoy the glass shower and soaking tub.

The original shower was small and cramped and surrounded by wallpaper that's not been popular since the Carter administration. The brass-colored door dated the room even further.

The new shower is all tile and glass and none of the frosted-glass claustrophobia.

Sean and Sara wanted to turn the segmented main floor into an open concept entertaining space, but they quickly ran into a problem as demolition began: lead paint on the walls and asbestos in the ceiling. Expensive, professional remediation derailed the renovation by a week. The end result, however, made the delay and expense worth it. “Even though parts of it were very stressful, I think we would both do it all over again in a heartbeat," Sara said.

At some point after the home's construction, the kitchen had been updated with modern appliances and newer cabinetry, but it was still small and cramped. It was also closed off from an adjoining breakfast nook.

The original kitchen windows were kept in place as Sean and Sara created a bigger kitchen by removing the original breakfast nook and installing a large island. Sara loved picking out the kitchen fixtures and lighting — they were actually the first features she selected during the renovation and then used them as inspiration for the rest of the house.

Sitting in the home's small, dark breakfast nook provided a view of the back of the kitchen cabinets.

The heathered marble for the countertops was actually a remnant that Sean and Sara found, and there was enough to do a waterfall effect for the island. They selected a textured backsplash tile to complement the marble. Picking neutral finishes throughout the house was no mistake — Sean and Sara wanted to make sure that the real draw of the house was the lake and the outdoors.

Prior to the renovation, the formal dining area and living room were the same space, but it was closed off from the kitchen, which interrupted the flow of the house.

With the interior wall between the kitchen and living area removed, the backyard and lake are visible from anywhere on the main level of the house and make a great backdrop for their six-person dining table. Sean and Sara were so dedicated to showcasing the view of the lake that they raised the pitch of the roof to install a series of 7-foot windows overlooking the backyard and water.

Hardwood floors can be really expensive, but Sean and Sara saved money by collecting scraps and remnants from their flooring supplier's other jobs. Once the flooring was installed, it was sanded down and stained the same color. The support beam in the living area is covered with floor remnants as well.

“I think it gives the floor a lot more character. It feels a little bit eclectic and especially when wrapping the beam — having the different widths of board makes it visually a lot more interesting," Sara said.

The lakehouse has the perfect outdoor space, but it needed a complete overhaul to take care of the old, weathered wood and outdated railing.

Sean and Sara — along with the help of Sean's dad — tore out the old deck but kept the original footprint to update their outdoor area. The end result was a large deck with lounge and dining space overlooking the lake behind the home.

Before renovating the outdoor living space, the patio space needed a refresh to get rid of outdated tiles and bring life back into the worn brick.

The renovated patio features tiling that mimics the primary bathroom, while the adirondack chairs and brick were painted to match the home's new exterior.

Sean and Sara agree that the end result of the seven-month renovation was worth the time and effort. “I just love the full experience of living there and how it caters so well to our lifestyle. I never wanna leave. This is my vacation now.”