We’re working overtime—so many trips to the beach these days—to finish and photograph every room in the duplex so we can list it on Airbnb for weeklong summer stays. We’ll make a big announcement when the listing goes live, so you won’t miss it. Even though two kitchens, two living rooms, two laundry rooms and two more bedrooms and bathrooms still need finishing, it feels huge to be completely done with the four rooms covered in this post. Please imagine every celebratory emoji here.
Here’s a tour of the two bedrooms and two bathrooms that are finished, photographed, and ready to share. Imagine that happy shoulder dance GIF right about now.
This is the completed main bedroom on the right side of the duplex. Each side of the house had different measurements and challenges; the bed wall on this side was slightly narrower, so we installed accordion sconces to make the most of the space and let guests switch lights on or off from the bed. We planned outlets carefully so each nightstand has an accessible plug for charging phones—no hunting behind the headboard.
Function was a priority, but we also preserved character by exposing the original brick chimney that had been hidden behind drywall. Adding a window behind the bed brightened the room and made it feel welcoming. Gaining historic review board approval for that window took work, but it was worth the effort. The photo below shows the framing stage; it’s wild to see how far we’ve come.
We love a bed in front of a window when done right. Choose a bed with an open or airy frame—like a metal bed—so light passes through and the frame layers into the room rather than blocking the view. That approach keeps the space feeling light and integrated.
We also added a small full bathroom off this main bedroom to make it a true primary suite. That addition required historic board approval as well, and it changed the back view of the house, adding both value and function to the duplex.
We’ll grab a few more photos later to capture every angle because the bathroom is small and a quick video might show it best. The space feels airy and bright thanks to tonal tile and greeny-gray doors (Oyster Bay by Sherwin Williams), which pair nicely with the crisp Spare White walls used throughout this side of the duplex.
Bathrooms are among the most labor-intensive rooms because we tiled all the floors ourselves, which requires time and effort. The payoff comes at the end when the final styling is fast and fun—install a mirror, hooks, a shower curtain, and a few accessories, and a bathroom goes from construction mode to finished in a day. That finishing-stage joy never gets old.
In this bathroom we installed a hinged chrome mirror that accommodates the window over the sink and still lets light flood the room. We frosted the glass for privacy, added towel hooks, leather vanity pulls, a long white shower curtain, our preferred toilet paper holder, and a few simple frames to finish the space.
We saved some quirky, original doors on this side of the house and reused them to create built-in closets flanking a large window. Keeping those doors preserved a bit of original charm that newer replacements couldn’t match. We added cubbies above the doors to balance the shorter originals and provide extra storage for suitcases and seasonal items.
Each closet contains generous hanging space and upper cubbies. We tucked wood hangers and a luggage rack into each closet so guests have the essentials. Across from the bed we added a dresser and a big mirror for more storage and a place to get ready. The rug brings a beachy, calming touch that ties the room together without overpowering it.
Walking into this finished room still feels surreal after all the work. When we bought the place it had painted plastic paneling hiding mold, a drop ceiling covering rot from a long-term leak, and stained carpet with nonfunctional baseboard heat. We completely redid the heating and cooling, electrical, and plumbing to bring everything up to code and safe for future guests.
That window in the photo above marks where we placed the door to the new bathroom addition. We also added another window by the chimney, which you can see behind the bed in later shots.
Switching to the front bedroom on the other side of the duplex: this room was previously covered in drop ceilings and plastic paneling. We discovered a window had been drywall-covered and restored it, uncovering a beautiful diamond-grilled window that brings daylight into the closet area. Lighter walls and refinished floors make the space feel fresh and bright.
The front bedroom sits on the opposite side of the duplex and features White Truffle doors and Spare White walls with Extra White trim. We furnished it with a cozy bed, soft greeny-gray nightstands with gold hardware, and accordion lights that echo the fixtures in the other completed bedroom. The nightstands are functional with three drawers each and add a subtle nod to the color palette used across the house.
There’s also a small closet in this front bedroom with a dresser for folded items. The restored diamond-grilled window floods the closet with light, making it a sweet, useful space—photos for that mini room are coming soon.
The hall bathrooms on both sides of the duplex were transformed from a single original bath into two full bathrooms upstairs plus a powder room downstairs on each side. One hall bathroom features tonal tile, leather vanity pulls, a floating wood shelf, an extra-long white shower curtain, a round gold mirror, a simple white vanity, and beachy art. The other hall bathroom shares the same vanity and accents but uses a different floor tile for variety and personality.
Comparing the two bathrooms is fun—do you prefer the bold blue floor or the pink-and-green patterned tile? John leans toward the blue; I favor the pink. When the whole duplex is finished we might run a room-by-room poll and let readers pick favorites.
People often ask if we have a favorite side of the duplex. I honestly can’t choose—both sides have details I love. For example, I slightly prefer the left-side kitchen with pink tile and blue cabinets, but my favorite twin bedroom is on the right side. It’s a true tie, and I happily ping-pong between them.
P.S. You can follow the entire duplex renovation—from purchase and planning to setbacks and triumphant progress—in our project posts covering the build and restoration process.