Beach House Renovation Update: Major Kitchen Progress & Coastal Style Revealed

What an incredibly productive long weekend at the beach house! Arriving with an extensive to-do list, we managed to conquer a significant portion of our kitchen renovation. After four days of diligent work (thanks to the kids enjoying a school break on Monday and Tuesday), it was immensely satisfying to lock the door, knowing we’d made substantial strides in transforming our dream kitchen.

While the journey continues, the progress is undeniable. We’re still awaiting a refrigerator and dishwasher, planning to install elegant floating shelves around the stove, and will soon add a charming backsplash. The finishing touches like toe kicks and quarter round along the cabinet bases are next on our list. Furthermore, the island will feature a larger counter, complete with a sink and a 12-inch overhang, perfect for bar stools. Yet, the sheer joy of having our perimeter counters installed – even if they await final screwing and sealing – is immense! We also have fully functional drawers (awaiting hardware) and a hood expertly hung (the visible white is merely a protective film, soon to reveal gleaming stainless steel). This significant leap in our kitchen’s transformation is truly exhilarating, especially considering its recent past.

The Unbelievable Kitchen Transformation: From Demolition to Dream

It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come when you’re immersed in the daily grind of renovation. Just a short while ago, this space presented a vastly different picture, resembling a scene of active demolition.

And when we first acquired this charming beach house last fall, the kitchen was a blank canvas, patiently awaiting its transformation.

Indeed, progress!

Visual Tour: A Comprehensive Walk-Through of Our Beach House Progress

For a more immersive experience, we’ve prepared a detailed video walk-through, filmed just before our departure. This tour provides an in-depth look at our latest achievements, future plans, and a comprehensive overview of the entire house’s progression since our last update in October. Get ready for explanations of design choices, renovation challenges, and the vision for each space.

Note: If you are viewing this post through a reader, please click through to the actual article on our site to access the video. Should you encounter any loading issues here, the video is also available directly on YouTube.

A video truly captures the essence and details that countless photos sometimes miss, offering a dynamic perspective on our renovation journey. However, for those unable to watch the video – perhaps you’re at work or in a public setting – we’ve included a selection of photos to keep you fully updated.

Bedroom & Bathroom Revitalization: Crafting Coastal Comforts

Front Bedroom: Cozying Up Our Coastal Retreat

The front bedroom is making excellent progress towards becoming a comfortable coastal retreat. While the headboard couldn’t fit in our packed car this trip (it’s next on the list!), and curtains will soon frame the window to ground the bed, the room already feels incredibly cozy. A touch of magic occurred when we introduced side tables from the back bedroom and unrolled our new 8 x 10 rug. This rug, currently 20% off at Serena & Lily, is wonderfully soft and its indoor/outdoor versatility means easy maintenance – a crucial feature for a beach house where durability is key.

For those curious about other design elements, a comprehensive mood board with links to bedding, lamps, and more can be found at the end of this post. We’ve also received numerous requests to create a dedicated “Shop Our Beach House” page, similar to the one for our main residence. We’re actively working on this and hope to launch it within the next month or two as more spaces come together beautifully.

Guest Room Charm: Balancing Warmth and Coastal Blues

Our guest room now features this inviting 5 x 8′ rug, also currently on sale for an exceptional $258. Its lovely sandy hue and durable hemp/cotton blend perfectly evoke a relaxed, beachy ambiance. We often find ourselves gravitating towards various shades of blue – a natural inclination given our coastal setting, and simply because we adore the color. To ensure a harmonious balance and prevent the house from feeling overwhelmed by blue, we’re consciously incorporating warm tones through the refinished wood doors and floors, our unique pink stove, and the beautiful texture of this new rug. This thoughtful approach helps us avoid a monochromatic “I’m Blue Abadee Abadaaa” situation (anyone else remember that wonderfully nonsensical song?).

Downstairs Living Area: The Great Rug Debate

Continuing our exploration of blue tones, the downstairs living area currently hosts this expansive 8 x 10′ rug. It boasts a beautiful silvery gray-blue shade, particularly vibrant on sunnier days (our apologies that the video was filmed on an unusually gray day!). Interestingly, we’re now contemplating relocating this rug to the back bedroom. This consideration stems from our sofa’s deep denim blue hue and our desire to introduce a slightly warmer, less blue element into the main living space to maintain design balance and avoid an overpowering blue scheme. Despite the debate over its placement, this rug is undeniably plush and soft underfoot, with a subtle yet distinctive X-detail around its border that gives it a much more expensive appearance than its all-wool, large size would suggest. As for other elements in this space, we’re still working on a top for the coffee table and plan to paint and reupholster those eye-catching green chairs soon – fingers crossed!

A Rug That Didn’t Quite Fit: Learning from Design Choices

Not every design decision is a perfect fit right away. Such was the case with this particular rug. Upon unrolling it, our immediate reaction was its surprising darkness and a somewhat chaotic visual impact within the room. While the online photo suggested a more subtle and subdued pattern, in person, it felt significantly busier than even the accompanying picture conveys. The delicate diagonal lines of the pattern were lost, creating an effect more akin to a rag rug with irregularly placed dark blue bumps. When combined with the existing blue doors and the master bathroom’s blue tub, the result was an overwhelming saturation of blue, with clashing tones that simply didn’t harmonize with the space. We lived with it for a few days, hoping it would grow on us, but ultimately, the decision was made to send it back. Returning a large rug can feel like an Olympic feat for a 5’2″ individual, but ensuring the right aesthetic for our beach house is paramount.

This experience has led us to consider bringing the X-border rug from downstairs up to this area, as its lighter silvery-gray hue would provide a much-needed contrast. We are now on the hunt for a suitable rug for the living room. Conveniently, all three major rugs required for this house are 8 x 10 feet, offering excellent flexibility for swapping and rearranging – a habit I admit I indulge in a little too often!

Hall Bathroom: Nearing Completion

The hall bathroom remains one of my favorite spaces in the house. We even found the perfect mirror for it, though it too awaits installation in our next trip. This visit, however, saw the successful hanging of a shower curtain and the meticulous caulking of all tile edges – a significant milestone as all showers are now sealed! With just a toilet paper holder, a few towel hooks, and some minor decorative elements remaining, this room is on the verge of completion. We’ll also be hanging art and adding window treatments soon, replacing the temporary cardboard coverings that, while functional, don’t quite exude the desired elegance!

Master Bathroom: Embracing Light and Openness

Despite being captured on a particularly gloomy, rainy day with the lights on, the master bathroom showcases a monumental achievement: the long-awaited glass shower enclosure! This was a moment of true celebration. We initially harbored concerns that this shower might feel somewhat confined, but by opting for a sleek glass panel instead of a traditional, bulky wall, the space now feels remarkably bright and open. It surprisingly rivals the perceived spaciousness of the larger hall shower, which is actually about six inches wider – a testament to how visual elements can cleverly trick the eye. Much remains to be done, including adding a warm wooden stool by the tub, incorporating other wood accents for warmth, installing window treatments, and hanging towel hooks. Slowly but surely, this master oasis is coming together.

The Heart of the Home: Our DIY IKEA Kitchen Journey

Let’s return to the star of this update: the kitchen! Assembling this kitchen felt akin to solving a massive puzzle, piecing together countless components. Though it wasn’t quite 4,567 parts or a single allen wrench, it was certainly a DIY marathon of snapping, drilling, hinging, hooking, and leveling, meticulously completed over our four-day working holiday.

Why IKEA? Affordability Meets Style for Our Coastal Kitchen

Our decision to choose IKEA cabinets for the beach house was a well-considered one, driven by both positive past experiences and budgetary pragmatism. We’ve been thoroughly impressed with the IKEA cabinetry installed in our laundry room and bonus room, appreciating their quality and functionality. With the extensive undertaking of furnishing multiple rooms and adding beds simultaneously, an affordable yet stylish solution was essential. We were fortunate to leverage IKEA’s spring kitchen event (having ordered everything well in advance) to realize additional savings. The entire kitchen, encompassing cabinets, counters, and sink, came in at an astonishing approximate cost of $3,000 – a truly remarkable value for a complete kitchen renovation.

Our kitchen design was relatively straightforward, featuring just eight cabinets compared to some larger IKEA installations that can involve 25 or more. This simpler layout, combined with our choice of Veddinge white cabinet fronts, was intentional. We wanted the vibrant vintage pink stove and the house’s charming original architectural details – such as the back staircase and the old glass-paned doors – to truly shine as the focal points of the space.

Addressing Details: The Back Door and Countertop Installation

Regarding the back door, visible in the video, its eventual painting is definitely on our agenda. While we adore the chippy blue door leading to the mudroom, the back door’s current state tends to look increasingly worn as the kitchen comes together. Crucially, we also need to install weatherstripping to seal a small gap. The way light reflects off the floor can make this gap appear significantly wider than it is, often prompting concerns about unwanted animal visitors. Rest assured, the gap is merely a sliver, far too small for any critters, and addressing the weatherstripping will be a straightforward fix!

The installation of our IKEA butcher block counters was, surprisingly, the swiftest part of the kitchen assembly. With a meticulous “measure ten times, cut once” approach, and by taping off the cut lines to minimize splintering, we achieved perfection on every single cut. Each of the four custom-sliced counters fit flawlessly into place. While they still require screwing into position and sealing, and the island design is yet to be finalized, we are incredibly relieved that our first venture into cutting our own countertops was a smooth and successful one. For more comprehensive insights into our kitchen planning process, the specific items ordered, and our rationale behind choosing butcher block, please refer to this detailed post.

We couldn’t be happier with the color of our butcher block. It beautifully complements the warm tones of our heart pine floors, and we anticipate an even closer match once they are properly sealed. Currently, they appear slightly drier and less lustrous than the floors, but the overall harmony is already striking.

Beyond the Kitchen: Additional Accomplishments and Future Plans

So, there you have it – a glimpse into our latest endeavors at the beach house! Beyond the kitchen, a few other notable tasks were checked off our list. The kitchen table, acquired along with its charming chairs for a mere $65 on Craigslist (the table boasts unique legs not fully visible here), will eventually see its free chairs swapped for white ones to brighten what currently feels like a dark corner. The chandeliers will also be lowered by approximately 10 inches; they were initially installed higher to prevent accidental damage during the house’s refurbishment and floor refinishing. Our shopping list still includes a dishwasher, a drawer for the space beneath the microwave, a much larger island counter with an integrated sink, and, of course, a collection of art to adorn the walls. But look – we now boast a significantly functional kitchen, a truly exciting milestone!

On the “smaller but satisfying” front, I spent considerable time meticulously scraping stickers off all the windows with a razor, followed by a thorough cleaning – resulting in sparkling, “SHINNNNY!” panes (imagine the crab from Moana singing that!). I also indulged in a spackling spree, diligently filling every ding and dent across the house. If you look closely at the video, you might even spot some of my patches, eagerly awaiting their sanding and painting during our next visit. A small ding appeared in the ceiling when the hood was installed, prompting an immediate (and slightly daring) hop onto the counter to address it. Parkour, beach house style!

I’ll leave you with this inviting view of the kitchen from the doorway – a transformation that truly warms the heart. Gone are the days of towering piles of IKEA boxes, silently mocking our sanity and time management skills. This space is finally taking on its intended beautiful form.

Beach House Decor & Lighting Sources: Your Guide to Coastal Style

As promised, here are our comprehensive mood boards, featuring sources for our chosen decor and lighting elements. We’ve included our original selections along with new additions.

General Decor & Furniture Sources

1. Living Room Art / 2. Kitchen Stool (similar) / 3. Chair Version of Kitchen Stools / 4. Front Bedroom Art / 5. Walls (SW White Heron) / 6. Downstairs Trim (SW Stone Isle) / 7. Upstairs Trim (SW Pure White) / 8. Tub & Pocket Doors (SW Riverway) / 9. Foyer Mirror / 10. Hall Bath Tile / 11. Hall Bath Vanity / 12. Downstairs Bath Mirror / 13. Downstairs Bath Vanity / 14. Master Bath Mirror / 15. Master Bedding / 16. Master Bedside Lamps / 17. Master Bedroom Art / 18.Master Bath Tile / 19. Master Bath Accent Tile / 20. Master Nightstands / 21. Hall Bedding

22. Leather Ottomans / 23. Hall Bedroom Art / 24. Extra-Long Waffle Shower Curtain / 25. Downstairs Bath Art / 26. Glass Shower Pane / 27. Pink Downstairs Lamps / 28. Hall Bedroom Blanket / 29. Front Bedroom Blanket / 30. Blue Front Bedroom Lamps / 31. Kitchen Counters / 32. Wood Benches / 33. Front Bedroom Pillow / 34. Kitchen Cabinets / 35. Front Bedroom Rug / 36. Living Room Rug / 37. Middle Bedroom Rug

Beach House Lighting Sources

1. Front Porch / 2. Downstairs Bath / 3. Kitchen Island / 4. Porch Numbers 5. Foyer (similar) / 6. Bedrooms / 7. Kitchen Sconces / 8. Living & Master Bath 9. Mudroom / 10. Clear, Soft White LED Bulbs / 11. Dining / 12. Master Bath 13. Hall Bath / 14. Hallway & Small Upstairs Rooms / 15. Under Stairs

An Unexpected November Dip: Beach Life at its Best

And now for perhaps the most surprising news of all: on November 5th, we were blessed with an utterly unseasonably warm 70-degree day, prompting an impromptu family trip to the beach – and yes, we all went swimming! It was truly surreal; the water felt incredibly refreshing, a stark contrast to the typical chill of early November. Of course, now we’re back home, and this morning brought a brisk 40 degrees, reminding us that those warm beach days are indeed a rare treat!

Psst – For a comprehensive chronicle of our entire beach house adventure, which began over a year ago, explore our dedicated category here.

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