Progress at the beach house, big and small, has been moving fast enough that it’s a challenge to keep up with documenting everything. I walked through the whole home yesterday and made a video tour that brings you fully up to date, so this post only includes a dozen or so photos—but the video fills in the rest. With the holidays approaching, a quick photo roundup felt right.
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 away. It’s an instant cheer-up, though there’s still no landscaping and the front door needs sanding and staining. I also plan to paint the little white blocks behind the lanterns to better match the siding someday. The house already feels much more welcoming.
It’s worth remembering how far we’ve come. This time last year the house was in rough shape—one entire side of the house had to be removed and rebuilt. Seeing the before-and-after photos is a good reminder that issues like wrinkled curtains or an unfinished pantry are small compared to major structural work. We had to rebuild about 500 square feet from scratch, and the difference now is dramatic.
One of the recent decisions was to paint the railing. The vertical balusters were already painted, but the top rail and the end post were still wood. The existing finish was a sticky brown stain that hid the grain and showed wear, paint splatters, and spackle. We tried sanding, discovered the wood tone wouldn’t match the heart pine floors, and chose to paint the rail a deeper gray so it complements the trim without competing with the stained-glass windows. In person it looks glossy and clean, and it was a practical choice given the rail’s condition.
We’ve kept and restored a lot of original wood throughout the house—heart pine floors and many doors were stripped and clear-sealed—so there’s no shortage of warm wood tones. That balance of original wood and fresh paint helps the house feel cohesive and lived-in.
In the living room we added a wall-mounted bookcase that immediately made the space feel furnished and functional. We also hung white curtains that need to be steamed and hemmed, but already they soften the tall windows and make the room cozy. A secondhand brass grasshopper accent brings personality, and a vintage-style area rug ties the seating area together while being durable enough for a rental property.
The light fixture was upgraded from a single-bulb pendant to a taller, multi-arm chandelier that pairs nicely with an old-fashioned ceiling medallion. We also exposed an old brick chimney behind the wall, which became one of our favorite architectural features—it pairs beautifully with the room’s oversized windows.
The kitchen advanced significantly once the quartz island was installed. The Pearl Jasmine quartz is light and durable, and a functioning sink made the space immediately more usable. We still need to add a backsplash and a few open shelves on either side of the stove, but the island transformed the kitchen from a construction zone into a cooking-ready area.
We experimented with a blue back door briefly, but ultimately painted it the same gray as the trim so the pink vintage stove can remain the room’s star. Painting it twice was annoying, but the final balance of color feels right.
Upstairs the bedrooms are shaping up: art on the walls, layered bedding, and headboards in place. One front bedroom features another exposed brick chimney and a spectacular Craigslist find—an inlay furniture piece that would retail for much more elsewhere. I’ll share the restoration story soon.
At the back of the house our bedroom has its own bathroom with a deep clawfoot tub that’s become my favorite spot for soaking after long days of DIY. There’s also a small set of back stairs that turn out to be more useful than we expected; we use them frequently and they add charming, historic character.
We built a practical built-in dresser in a nook near the pocket doors using an Ikea Malm unit dressed up with molding and a butcher-block top. It’s not 100% finished—trim and caulk remain—but it already adds useful storage where there was none.
The en-suite bathroom remains a highlight for its deep tub, marble accents, and tiled floor. It’s a welcome contrast to our home bathroom projects and makes soaking after a long day feel like a true reward.
Other projects still on the list include building bunk beds for the kids’ room, finishing the pantry and mudroom, installing the backsplash, and landscaping. The hall bath’s vanity is a favorite—rounded wood drawers and marble tile make it feel like a furniture piece rather than a typical bathroom cabinet. Small wins like that add up fast.
So that’s the tour as of yesterday. If you want a more comprehensive walkthrough, watch the video tour when you have a moment—there’s a lot more detail than photos alone can show. Wishing you happy holidays filled with good company, great food, and cozy moments—especially if you, like me, are dreaming of a tub deep enough to submerge completely.
P.S. To follow the full process of renovating this beach house—from planning and demo to tiling and refinishing—check the beach house updates category on the blog for the complete archive of posts.
*This post contains affiliate links*