Our Florida renovation is moving along quickly. Want to see the progress? We do too. We haven’t had a chance to visit in person yet, so all the photos in this post were sent by our contractor over the last two months. Please forgive a few blurry images or slightly different angles compared to the original “before” photos — we’re grateful for every update. When we finally move in (no exact date yet, but we’re hopeful it will be soon), we’ll share a flood of photos and videos. Consider that a promise.
This post highlights major progress in five spaces you saw in the original before tour. If you haven’t seen the before photos or video tour yet, check those out first — it will make this update much easier to follow.
We’re prioritizing livability for now: functioning HVAC, repaired plumbing, safe floors, and other essentials. During demolition we discovered widespread water damage that required replacing all downstairs drywall, so we took the opportunity to make practical upgrades while the house was opened up — like adding recessed lights in the kitchen and vaulting the kids’ bedroom ceilings.
The Kitchen
The kitchen has changed a lot since the early-February photos. For this phase we kept the existing layout, appliances, and lower cabinets so we can live in the house and decide later what a full renovation will look like. It made sense to remove the soffit, upper cabinets, and the peninsula while the HVAC and drywall work was underway — and it turned out the floor didn’t even run under that peninsula, so we were glad to take it out.
Key fixes:
- Removed the soffit. We rerouted the HVAC ducts into the walls while the system and drywall were being redone.
- Brightened the room. Six new recessed lights were added and overgrown exterior brush that had blocked sunlight was cleared.
- Smoothed the ceilings. Since all downstairs drywall needed replacing, we opted for smooth ceilings rather than popcorn texture.
Removing the upper cabinets exposed an old lavender paint that matched the laminate countertop — a funny reminder of how bold finishes used to be. After the recessed lights and new drywall, the space is already noticeably brighter, even in contractor photos and FaceTime calls.
We’ll finish this phase ourselves: paint the cabinets, add shelving, and address the countertops while living with the house for a while.
Our Bedroom
We’re converting part of the old formal living room into our bedroom by closing a 5′ opening between the rooms. This creates a wall that fits our bed and nightstands and leaves room for an ensuite bathroom. It also puts us on the same floor as the kids, and we love the idea of waking up to a wall of French doors.
Closing that opening gives us a better layout and a doorway that will serve as the main entrance to the room. It also removed an odd triangular post with a mirror that used to sit in the space — goodbye awkward outfit-check zone.
The floors are being sanded and are already looking promising. There’s also space for a small seating area near the kitchen, so this zone will feel more open and versatile once furniture is in place.
The Laundry Area
We relocated the laundry because the original hookups were in what will become our son’s bedroom. We prefer side-by-side machines and counter space, so a deep closet at the bottom of the stairs became an obvious choice. That closet used to have a strange pass-through into our daughter’s room, so we reframed the back to block access and created a proper laundry nook.
The doorway was widened, hookups were added, and the space was drywalled. New doors were installed recently, and the nook already feels organized and functional. We’ll add upper cabinets or shelves for storage and a counter for folding, similar to the layout we loved in our first house.
We also added extra insulation on the back wall to reduce laundry noise in the adjacent bedroom. It may not be perfect, but it should help, and late-night laundry might become our new lifestyle goal.
The Bathroom
The house originally had one bathroom that was non-functional due to active leaks and a failed septic tank. Since closing, we connected the house to sewer and began repairing plumbing and water-damaged areas. The bathroom turned into a larger project than expected: a rotted vanity, a second hidden leak that required removing the tub and surround, and even a failed toilet valve that flooded the room during installation.
We chose a colorful porcelain tile floor for this bathroom — a playful touch we enjoyed in another project — and paired it with a warm wood vanity and classic white subway tile for the shower. The green-looking walls in contractor photos are moisture-resistant greenboard; the finished walls will be white, with a white waffle shower curtain so the patterned floor can shine.
Between the new tub, tile, vanity, and plumbing fixes, this is the one room that should be fully completed by the time we arrive. Just a few finishing touches — mirror, towel hooks, art — and it will be done.
The Kids Bedrooms
This is my favorite change. During planning we realized we could vault the ceilings in both kids’ bedrooms because there’s attic space above and no second floor. After cutting small inspection holes, the contractor confirmed the drop ceilings were non-structural and found only lightweight ducting and wiring that could be relocated.
We added insulation and chose wood planking for the sloped ceilings instead of drywall to give the rooms texture and warmth. The transformation is dramatic — the small rooms instantly feel larger and more special. We’ll paint the vaulted ceilings white and add beams to keep the rooms bright and airy, and the floors will be natural pine to complement the light ceiling treatment.
Seeing this idea come to life was thrilling. We can’t wait for the kids to see their vaulted rooms in person.
BONUS: The Upper Deck
We’re saving the full exterior update for when we can take our own photos, but here’s a sneak peek of the upstairs deck off the family room. The rotting railing had to go, and we replaced it with a horizontal-style railing that suits the house’s clean, modern lines. We swapped the old wood decking for Trex in a warmer Havanna Gold color and removed a rickety pergola for safety. We also removed the chimney because it caused a leak into the bedroom; we plan to convert the fireplace to gas later.
While repairing siding rot found in the inspection, we decided to paint the entire house white. From the moment we saw the house we envisioned a clean white exterior to complement the greenery and metal roofing — it feels like the right look for this home.
We hope to move in within the next week or so and then take our own photos. These updates have made a remarkable difference, and we can’t wait to see the house in person and share the finished rooms with you.