Coastal Cape Cod is an Instagram account documenting the home renovation projects of Maggie Klein, a Chicagoland resident who lives in a Cape Cod-style home filled with coastal touches. We recently partnered with her to update her doors with crystal knobs to match the historical aspects of the house. If you're looking for inspiration and insights into home renovation projects, this is your story!
Maggie started her Coastal Cape Cod account to document the transformations of her family’s fixer-upper while holding themselves accountable for finishing projects. The account is unique because it describes a style that combines coastal, traditional, and southern design, making it incredibly unique yet appealing to many people.
While a significant remodel hasn’t happened yet, some big things were completed before they moved in, including restaining the wood floors, painting throughout, etc. Everything else has been updated as they go, including many little details (like Nostalgic Warehouse doorknobs) that have dramatically improved the house already.
When asked how she chose the Nostalgic Warehouse hardware featured in her latest home update, Maggie revealed it was a very tough decision because there were so many beautiful options. However, she knew she wanted a crystal knob to coordinate with some original crystal hardware in the house and a long plate to create an elevated and customized look. In the end, she went with the Prairie Long Plate with Crystal Knob in Antique Brass because she knew it would go well with the blue grasscloth wallpaper in the upstairs hallway. She noted, “The warm tones of the brass pop against the blue and look stunning.”
Maggie’s primary goal in every project is to preserve the existing and add some additional vintage charm to the home, which made our products a perfect fit. She told us, “The pieces from Nostalgic Warehouse are unlike anything I’ve seen before. I appreciate the historical accuracy they give to creating the designs.”
One of the standout features of many projects featured on Coastal Cape Cod is the attention to detail. Installing her hardware took about two afternoons to complete. The diameter of the old knob was wider than the new plate, so Maggie sanded down the uneven spots left from the old hardware and also touched up the paint in that area. She also had to chisel the corners of the old faceplates and strikeplates to fit the new square hardware. This attention to detail is what makes Coastal Cape Cod shine.
When asked if she would use this hardware again in other areas of their home, Maggie’s answer was a resounding “100% yes!” She would love to replace all the doorknobs in the house to match the ones used in this project and is eyeing outlet covers and cabinet pulls for projects like a bathroom remodel and closet door makeover. She also shared some beneficial tips and tricks about door hardware, including looking at details like the strikeplate and faceplate shape to see if they will fit with what you already have. She told us that it was important to have the hardware they loved, and she and her husband were ok with doing all the extra touchups to make it look clean on the doors.
Maggie's design style is deeply influenced by the coastal Carolinas, especially Charleston, South Carolina. She said, “The architecture and interiors grab my attention and make my jaw drop every time. Carolinian and Lowcountry designs have so many fabulous textures—brick pavers and floors, grasscloth wallpapers, wrought iron, wicker… there’s a lot to love.”
Maggie has a soft spot for older homes and fixer-uppers. She prefers to feel no guilt about ripping out 30-year-old matted carpet rather than feeling bad for replacing something two years old simply because she doesn’t like it. Maggie also told us, “Transformations don’t have to be big or expensive to make an impact!” She suggested starting with paint because it can totally change the mood. Another tiny detail that made a significant visual difference when they moved into their current house was changing out the outlets and light switches. The covers were all mismatched, and the outlets and switches were beige or yellowing, so they changed them to have a uniform look, making the house look much more updated.
Maggie wanted to leave us with this note: “I can’t emphasize enough the quality of the hardware. I never noticed before, but the old doorknobs make a loose rattling sound when they latch. When I close the doors with the Nostalgic hardware, the sound is an oddly satisfying smooth latch and click. It sounds sturdy and solid and screams next-level.”
Next for Coastal Cape Cod is a total DIY makeover of the kids’ room. Other things on the list are gutting the guest/kids’ bathroom and possibly closing off some walls on the main floor to fix the odd layout issue. Many exciting things are happening - be sure to follow along with @coastalcapecod!
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