Our Florida house renovation is moving along quickly. Want to see the progress? We do too. We haven’t visited in person yet, so all the photos here were sent by our contractor over the last two months. Please excuse some slightly blurry shots or differences in angle compared with our original “before” photos — we’re just grateful to have any images at all. Once we finally move in (we’re hoping sometime next week, but no firm date yet), expect a flood of pictures and videos. Consider this a teaser.
This post highlights major progress in five rooms you saw in the before tour. If you haven’t seen those original photos or the video tour, viewing them first will make this update easier to follow. The house won’t be completely finished when we move in — most work has focused on making it livable: a functioning HVAC system, repaired plumbing, replaced drywall where water damage occurred, and fixing floors. While everything was opened up, we made sensible upgrades, like adding recessed lights in the kitchen and vaulting the kids’ bedroom ceilings.
The Kitchen
This space has changed a lot since the early February before photos. For a phase-one remodel we kept the existing layout, appliances, and base cabinets so we can live in the house before committing to a larger renovation. That allowed us to focus on essential updates: removing the soffit, upper cabinets, and the peninsula — which was key because the HVAC ducts and floor work required access. Lucky we removed the peninsula, since the floor didn’t run under it.
Here’s how we addressed the room’s biggest issues:
- Soffit removal. We rerouted HVAC ducting into the walls while replacing the system and drywall, which made the soffit unnecessary.
- More light. We installed six recessed can lights to brighten the space and cleared overgrown shrubs that had been blocking natural light.
- No more popcorn ceilings. Replacing all downstairs drywall let us finish with smooth ceilings instead of textured ones.
Removing the upper cabinets exposed a lavender-mauve paint that matched the old laminate countertops — a hilarious little time capsule. With new drywall, recessed lighting, and floor repairs underway, the kitchen already feels much brighter in person than photos can convey.
For phase one we’ll paint the cabinets, add shelving, and address the countertops ourselves. That will tide us over until we plan a more extensive remodel.
Our Bedroom
We’re converting part of the wall between the kitchen and the former formal living room into our bedroom. This location is ideal because it creates a natural spot for an ensuite while keeping us on the same floor as the kids. To make this work we closed a five-foot opening between the rooms, giving us a full wall that fits our bed and nightstands.
The new wall also leaves room for a small seating area in front of the kitchen zone. It’s hard to judge scale without furniture, but the layout gives more flexibility than the original floorplan. On the bedroom side the double doors will eventually lead to the ensuite. Closing the old opening also removed an awkward angled post and mirror, which we’re oddly delighted about.
The freshly sanded floors are already showing progress. Once paint and finishing touches go in, this area will feel much more intentional and comfortable.
The Laundry Area
The original laundry hook-ups were in what will become our son’s bedroom, so we relocated the laundry to a deep closet at the bottom of the stairs. We prefer side-by-side machines with counter space above, and this closet proved large enough to accommodate that layout. It also had an odd pass-through into our daughter’s bedroom, so we framed and blocked that entry and added proper hookups in the widened doorway.
The space progressed from demo to drywall and now has new doors. We plan to add upper cabinets or shelves and a folding counter, similar to setups we’ve used before. We also insulated the back wall to help muffle laundry noise in the adjacent bedroom. While it’s technically a laundry closet rather than a full room, it’s a practical trade-off for downsizing and fits our needs here.
The Bathroom
The house originally had one non-functional bathroom: active plumbing leaks and a failed septic system left it taped off. Since closing, we connected to sewer and began repairing leaks. What started as a vanity replacement turned into a full refresh when we discovered additional leaks, a failed toilet valve that soaked the room, and a tub surround that needed removal. With the decision to replace all downstairs drywall, the bathroom work expanded quickly.
We chose a playful porcelain tile floor for this bathroom — a nod to the colorful tiles we used in other projects — paired with a warm wood-toned vanity. The green in current photos is water-resistant greenboard used for moisture-prone walls; the final walls will be white. We installed a new drop-in tub and classic white subway tile around the shower to balance the patterned floor. Aside from mirror, art, and towel hooks, this will be one of the few rooms fully completed before we move in.
The Kids Bedrooms
I saved my favorite update for last. When planning the renovation we realized the kids’ bedrooms had no second floor above them and the roof slope made them good candidates for vaulted ceilings. We cut small inspection holes in both rooms to confirm there were no structural obstacles. The attic was essentially empty space with a non-structural drop ceiling, so after relocating a few HVAC ducts and doing light electrical work, we added insulation and opened the roofline.
Instead of drywall, we installed white-painted wood planking on the sloped ceilings and will add painted beams for contrast. The effect is dramatic: the small rooms feel larger, brighter, and more special. We’ll keep the ceilings light to avoid closing in the spaces and will use natural pine floors and warm wood accents for balance.
Seeing this idea come to life has been incredibly rewarding. We can’t wait to bring the kids home and show them their vaulted rooms in person.
BONUS: The Upper Deck
We’re holding back a full exterior reveal until we can take photos ourselves, but here’s a sneak peek. The large deck off the upstairs family room has been rebuilt: we replaced the rotten railing with a horizontal style that better suits the house’s modern, beachy aesthetic and installed Trex decking in a warm Havanna Gold color. We removed the old pergola for safety and to repair decking, and we removed the chimney that caused leaks in the bedroom below. The chimney removal also supports a future plan to convert the fireplace to gas.
While repairing siding rot, we took the opportunity to paint the entire house white. The light exterior complements the metal roof and surrounding greenery, and it feels like the right finishing touch to tie the whole look together.
We’re hoping to move in within the next week or two, after which we’ll take plenty of updated photos ourselves. It’s been a dramatic transformation so far, and we’re excited to see the finished spaces in person.