Beach house progress—big moves and little finishes—has been happening so fast we can barely keep up with documenting it. I did a full walkthrough yesterday and made a video tour that brings you up to speed, so this post includes just a dozen photos (we have thousands on our phones but uploading them all would take forever with the holidays looming).
Starting at the front door: we hung a wreath and placed battery-powered LED candles with timers in the windows so the house looks lived-in even when we’re not there. The front still needs landscaping and I want to sand and stain the front door, plus I’d like to paint the white blocks behind the lanterns to match the siding someday.
lanterns / wreath / house numbers / doormat / siding: SW Mellow Coral / ceiling: SW Breaktime / trim: SW Pure White
Things are far from finished but dramatically better than a year ago, when we literally had to remove and rebuild an entire side of the house. Looking back is a good reminder that wrinkly curtains and an unfinished pantry are small problems compared to rebuilding from scratch.
That sense of transformation makes me excited about the duplex project too. For now, though, here’s a video tour of the pink house that walks through every room—if you can’t see it in a reader, check it out on the blog or YouTube.
If you can’t watch the video right now, definitely come back later—video shows so much more than photos and I cover details I couldn’t fit into this post.
A recent update: after months of debate we painted the railing. The vertical balusters were already painted SW Stone Isle; the top rail and end post were “wood” but had a paint-like brown stain that hid the grain and was sticky and damaged. We tried sanding and discovered the wood was a darker, redder species that wouldn’t match the heart pine floors, so painting the rail SW Perpetual Gray—about three shades darker than the trim—felt like the best solution. It accents the post and rail without competing with the real stars of the house: the stained glass windows.
We still have plenty of original wood: heart pine doors and floors were stripped and clear-sealed when possible, so the house feels warm and wood-forward despite the painted railing.
In the living room we added a wall-mounted bookcase that instantly made the space feel like a real, lived-in room. We hung white Lenda curtains from IKEA (I remove the top tabs and pre-wash to pre-shrink), though they still need steaming and hemming. A secondhand brass grasshopper adds a quirky touch.
bookcase / blue pillow / curtains / rods / brass grasshopper
We also found a durable, antique-feeling rug from New England Loom that suits a rental living room well. The sofa is the now-discontinued IKEA Karlstad, and the chandelier is a sleek West Elm fixture that adds modern contrast to a classic ceiling medallion. Exposed brick behind the wall and the very tall windows (the room is nine feet high) are standout features. The TV is still on the floor for now while we find the right piece of furniture.
The kitchen has come a long way: the quartz island (Pearl Jasmine by Silestone) is installed and the sink works—cue the angels. We saved money on quartz in a couple of ways covered in Podcast Episode #74. The backsplash hasn’t been installed yet; we’ll add it after we mount shelves on either side of the stove beneath the sconces.
stools / quartz / butcher block / cabinets / pink stove / trim: SW Stone Isle / walls: SW White Heron
The back door was briefly blue but we repainted it SW Stone Isle so the pink stove remains the room’s focal point. Painting it twice was a pain but worth it for the final look.
Upstairs, the bedrooms are shaping up with art on the walls, layered bedding, and headboards. Curtains still need hanging, which will help the headboards sit perfectly in the windows. The front bedroom is the largest and also features an exposed brick chimney plus a fantastic Craigslist inlay dresser I snagged at a great price—more on that and how I’ll repair a few missing inlay spots soon.
rug / large art / lamp / side table / striped blanket / headboard / fan
The back bedroom, which we use when we stay there, has its own bathroom with a big clawfoot tub and a set of stairs up to the room that we find surprisingly useful. We’ve also added a built-in-style dresser in the nook behind the pocket doors using an IKEA Malm chest topped with leftover butcher block to echo the pine floors. It still needs trim, caulk, and leather pulls, but it’s already a useful storage solution that looks custom.
dresser / mirror / wood top / door color: SW Riverway
The en-suite bathroom is my favorite place to soak after DIY days. After an initial hiccup we’re all good now—the tub is glorious and the kids love it too. The hall bath remains a favorite as well thanks to a marble-topped vanity that reads like a converted furniture piece and brings warmth and personality to the space.
marble table / floor tile / accent floor tile / wall hooks / blinds / tub color: SW Riverway
We still have bigger projects ahead—built-in bunk beds, a pantry and mudroom build-out, backsplash tiling, landscaping—but progress is steady and exciting. The kids’ room art is up (half the job, if you ask me), and a “Mermaids Welcome” sign on the door made everyone very happy.
So that’s the tour as of yesterday—watch the video for more detail. Wishing you happy holidays with family, great food, and however much mermaid memorabilia your heart desires. If you have a tub deep enough to fully submerge, know that I’m very jealous.
P.S. For a complete timeline of the beach house renovation, check the beach house updates category on the blog.
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