The home, found in the well-established neighborhood of Covington Country Club, was totally renovated from the inside out by its owners, Chris and Charlotte Licciardi. And if the high count of construction trucks trolling the neighborhood’s streets is any indication, the Licciardi’s home is one of many in the growing trend to excavate and renovate.

“Most of the Covington Country Club residents have lived here for thirty or more years, and they simply don’t want to leave the neighborhood, even when they’re ready to move to a new house,” comments Chris, who is a certified kitchen designer with the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and sales manager of Marchand Creative Kitchens in Mandeville. “Some families have kids who are moving out and they want to downsize. Others just want the look of a newer home, and they would rather modernize their own home or find another in the neighborhood to renovate than leave the area.”

It’s not hard to see why the residents don’t stray far from home. The subdivision is not only the oldest country club development on the northshore (established in 1954), but the locale boasts of oversized lots, good schools, a tremendously convenient location, and mature trees that tower high above and shade the quiet streets and lush runways of the golf course. The far west end of the development lines the beautiful Tchefuncte River, as does the quaint club house that has served as a recreational hub and meeting place for golf and water sports enthusiasts for decades. The very facade of the club house seems to parallel the feel of the neighborhood itself: just fancy enough, not a bit stuffy - and assuredly family oriented.

It’s all of these amenities, and more, that has led to the area’s increasing popularity. Folks are realizing that, while real estate is readily available north of Lake Ponchartrain, each area comes with a sacrifice. In some neighborhoods, you give up privacy. In others, you forgo lot size or a close commute. Residents of Covington Country Club say that they can have it all - for the price of renovation.

“The twenty- to thirty-year-old homes here are selling for $73 to $75 per foot and the new homeowners are investing $20 to $40 per foot to create totally brand new houses, inside and out,” says Chris, who estimates that his improvements cost about $85,000.

The home’s most startling change was in the front elevation itself, as it has been transformed from the typical ranch style of years past to the clean and welcoming appearance of a brick and stucco traditional style. Inside, the ceilings were raised from 8 feet to 10, and soffets that once cramped the feel of the space were removed. By taking out walls that once divided the house into definite areas of foyer, living room, dining room and den, the home now has an openness and flow that allows for conversation between the rooms. The deconstructed walls were replaced with impressive columns and an elegant archway, all painted in updated shades of green, with names like sea salt, oyster bay, and rocky river.

Chris’ passion for his work (his day job, if you will) is evident in the home’s lavishly appointed kitchen. Stainless steel appliances pop out against the amber color of the light cherry wood cabinets, and modern touches are found in the under mount Blanco double sink, the 6-top gas range, and the fully integrated and hidden dishwasher with an internal lighting mechanism (for those late night loads).

Little touches give the home its custom quality, such as low-volt lighting mounted under and above all kitchen cabinets, providing an inviting and soothing feel throughout the entire living area after dark. Roll-out all-wood shelving is found in the pantry, and a vented range hood, installed with infrared broiler lamps, cooks the perfect filet in just minutes.

Striving to be more energy conscious, Chris took out all of the original aluminum windows in the home in favor of vinyl, double-paned windows. The family’s energy bill dropped drastically after the change. Traditional electrical outlets were replaced with the safer alternative, ground-fault-interrupted switch plates. The entire home was then rewired to include in-house controls for the backyard and landscape lighting. And, in the interest of convenience, a central vacuum system is now available in every room.

While updating the home to include technological advances such as these is costly, Chris still asserts that remodeling was a better use of their money than if they were to purchase a new home. “I also think remodeling is more fun,” he says. “When people build new homes, they have to spread their money out in all different directions during construction, and they sometimes start cutting corners on important things.”

Conversely, those who renovate can take their time, spending money on specific areas. They also usually have the advantage of having lived in the home and neighborhood for a while and are more aware of how to remodel for their specific lifestyle and taste.

Fellow CCC residents Cheryl and Jon Schleuss seem to focus their home-buying philosophy on this point. When the couple’s two sons moved on to college after growing up in the neighborhood, the Schleusses found themselves living in a larger home than they needed. They didn’t want to leave the wonderful subdivision, however, and decided to purchase an older home positioned next door to the Licciardis. Their former home, on Country Club Drive, had been a remodeling work-in-progress itself. Cheryl laughs when she tells the story of how the family had just finished redoing the last room in their home when they decided to move.

“Jon and I like to walk around the neighborhood, and we just passed this house one day and knew it was it,” she says. “I had already started sketching some home plans, and when I walked into this house I realized that it matched my plans almost exactly!”

The Schleusses find that older homes such as theirs may be outdated in style, but they are quite well-constructed. Most of the CCC homes were custom built for families, and they stand the test of time in terms of quality. “When we started ripping the cabinets out of the kitchen, I was just sick because they were the home’s original custom-made maple cabinets. They were just dated,” says Cheryl.

They chose to replace the cabinets with cherry wood bearing a honey-spice stain. Some cabinets are glass fronted, with an interesting rice paper insert backing. The countertops now display granite, and a handsome brick enclosure was shaved down to accommodate a modern-sized oven.

An Asian theme flows throughout the 2,800 square-foot home, with grass cloth wallpaper hanging in the family room, and Indonesian import pieces placed about. The couple has done all of the redecorating and renovating with their own two hands and imagination, resulting in a much more affordable transformation.

“I joke that this home’s designers were Lowe’s and Home Depot!” chides Cheryl. “And Chris has been sort of a cheerleader for all of us.”

When she refers to “all of us,” she’s referring to the multitude of families along Tchefuncte Drive whose homes have undergone complete transformations. A pine tree that collapsed on the roof of Jim Seese’s home during a storm last fall spurred a tremendous self-remodeling job of his home’s roof and kitchen. And Chris’ neighbors across the street, Alan and Deanna Menesses, have totally altered the look of their home by changing a flat roofline into one with a more modern design and pitch.

The families are enjoying their new and improved spaces, as well as their establishment of a wise investment. The Licciardi’s home appraised for $73 per square foot at time of purchase, and $110 per square foot following renovation, so it is evident that the emergence of so many projects in the subdivision is not fueled solely on aesthetics. Whatever the motive, the result is a neighborhood burgeoning with possibilities.
“It’s like a renaissance ... ,” comments Richard Kernion, Covington Country Club’s general manager. “I get so inspired when I walk my dog around the streets and see so many improvements taking place.”

Kernion is also inspired by the swiftness of sales in the area, as homes don’t remain on the market very long. The Licciardi’s home is a prime example: they scooped it up just two days following its listing.
Not even enough time for the stake to get comfortable in the yard.

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