As promised, I’m sharing a collection of the photos and inspirations guiding our new Florida house. Our vibe is unapologetically beachy — lots of white, natural textures, brass accents, and leafy outdoor rooms. Over the years we’ve collected art, decor, and memories that all felt like a slow march toward living near the water, and now it finally makes sense. Below I break down the exterior, outdoor spaces, interior rooms, and some of the items we’ve already chosen or ordered.
People have pointed out little clues from our past homes — blue walls, woven rugs, capiz chandeliers, and even a giant ceramic clamshell we’ve owned forever — that hinted at this move. It’s funny to see those threads come together now, but exciting too. We’ll share a full before photo set and a video walkthrough soon, plus a floor plan post showing how we’ll tweak the layout for our family.
The Exterior
We wanted a crisp white exterior — similar to the way white sand reads against the sky — and the house we bought has a more modern silhouette than our previous homes. One of the best existing features is a newly installed metal roof and exposed rafters, which fit our aesthetic perfectly. Expect horizontal white railings and clean, modern lines once we’ve painted the siding and finished the trim.
Despite being much smaller than our current house, this property offers tons of outdoor living opportunities. The lot isn’t huge, but it’s packed with usable outdoor “rooms” that will be comfortable year-round in Florida’s climate.
Outdoor Spaces
Right off the front door there’s a covered dining area that’s begging for string lights and long summer dinners. We picture a cozy, casual setup for meals and games. Upstairs, a second-floor deck will become a lounge zone — shaded, breezy, and perfect for a hanging chair or porch swing overlooking magnolia and live oak canopies.
A formal living room will be repurposed as our bedroom, opening through multiple glass doors to a private patio. We love the idea of a small, lush refuge where we can relax after the kids go to bed. There’s also a side yard with enough room for a modest pool and a small guest casita. The kids are already planning oversized flamingo and pineapple floats, and we’re excited to add a hot tub, too.
The guest casita will likely be compact and functional — a room or two and a bathroom so visiting family and friends have a private spot to stay.
The Interior
Inside, original painted wood paneling and vertical wall planking give the house charm. The pine floors will be sanded and sealed with a clear, water-based finish to tone down orange hues and produce a warm, consistent floor throughout. Our interior inspiration leans into warm wood floors, white walls, woven textures, greenery, and brass details.
Lighting and finishes will favor brass and woven materials for a relaxed, beachy feel. We already ordered a set of brass door levers and matching hinges, and we’re planning brass curtain rods, hooks, and other hardware throughout the house.
The Kitchen
The layout gives us two large multi-functional areas: the downstairs space that will serve as kitchen, dining, and casual lounging, and an upstairs loft for living and working. Instead of an island plus formal dining table, we’ll opt for a single, well-placed dining table as the main eating spot. We’ll likely keep the existing cabinets initially and give them a fresh paint treatment, saving a full kitchen remodel for a later phase.
This time we’re leaning toward non-white cabinets to add tone against the white plank walls. We’d like to panel the dishwasher and reuse strategies we applied in past projects to keep the kitchen cohesive and efficient.
Upstairs Loft / Living
The upstairs loft is a single large, light-filled room with a high sloped ceiling and a big deck outside. We’ll create a primary living area with a TV and sofa, a sunny work nook, and a kids’ art corner. Placing these functions upstairs keeps bedrooms quiet and separate and creates a bright, airy hub for daily life. We’ll add beachy, low-profile furniture and multifunctional storage to keep the space comfortable and tidy.
The kids’ art supplies will move upstairs into the loft; having their creative zone tucked away from the entry keeps the main welcome area calmer and hides the inevitable craft chaos.
Our Bedroom
The formal living room will become our bedroom. It opens to the outdoors through six glass doors, and it has a fireplace we’ll convert to gas. Our vision is relaxed and airy: light wood furniture, a simple slatted headboard or woven caned pieces, and functional under-bed storage to suit a smaller house. Brass accents — curtain rods, hooks, and hardware — will add warmth and personality.
Kids Bedrooms
Both kids’ rooms are modest in size but will feel roomy compared with the bunk setup they shared all summer. We’ll maximize function with built-ins and smart storage, and add playful murals or wall treatments to keep the bedrooms cheerful. We discovered we could vault the ceilings in both rooms, and immediately did so — the planked vaulted ceilings and added beams have already made a dramatic difference.
We’re weighing options like a two-toned bunk, a natural-toned daybed, or a storage daybed with drawers. One child is excited about drawers, which helps narrow choices — but we’ll decide once we see how each room feels in person.
The Bathrooms
The house currently has a single shared bathroom, and we plan to add an en-suite by converting a covered porch. We also had a contractor repair a leak in the existing bathroom wall, so that room will be move-in ready. Our aesthetic here follows the house: white walls, light wood vanities, brass fixtures, patterned porcelain floor tile, and lots of plants. We splurged on a light-wood vanity with a thick white sink for durability and style, while keeping other elements simple and budget-friendly.
That’s a peek into our plans and the feeling we want to create: bright, relaxed, and layered with texture, wood tones, woven materials, brass accents, and lots of greenery. We’ll post before photos and a walkthrough soon, plus a deeper look at floor-plan changes and the phase-by-phase remodel plans. Thanks for following along; we can’t wait to show you how it all comes together.
P.S. We love making inspiration posts like this and comparing them to the final results — it’s always fun to see which details evolve and which remain true to the original vision.