Thanks so much for all the sweet and enthusiastic comments on Instagram and Facebook about our beach house project (if you missed it, see our original post to get up to speed). As promised, here’s the rundown on the floor plan and what we’re planning so far. Warning: we often change our minds, so consider this the plan thus far. This house is a giant iceberg that floated into our lives, and we’re just at the tippy top, excited and poking around.
Before we show floor plans, here’s a short walk-through video from our first visit after closing. You’ll see the remnants that conveyed with the house and a lot of rough-but-inspiring spaces. We made a few fun discoveries during our first archeological digs, which only added to the excitement.
Sherry asked me to mention the Invisalign elephant in the room: you’ll hear her slightly altered voice because she’s wearing aligners. If you’re curious about that, we’ve covered it on a couple of podcast episodes (Episodes 20 and 21).
NOTE: If you can’t see this video (for instance, if you’re reading in a reader), click through to the original post to view it.
Now that we’ve walked the house, let’s look at the layout. Below is an approximate floor plan we made in Photoshop. It’s about 1,800 square feet and currently has two official bedrooms, though there’s a third space that’s essentially just missing a closet. We also labeled some rough enclosed porch areas as “bonus rooms” even though they have openings to the outside and aren’t truly finished. Much of the house isn’t heated or cooled yet and lacks plumbing and functioning wiring, so countable square footage is a generous term for now.
The existing plan works, but we want a better kitchen and more sleeping space. Ideally we’d create room for two families to stay comfortably—our family plus guests—assuming kids can bunk together or use air mattresses. That’s part of the fun of a beach house.
Before we made our offer, we toured a nearly identical renovated house next door. Based on what the neighbors did, our first idea for updates looked like this:
Key proposed changes:
- Mudroom. Instead of reverting the enclosed side porch to open, we envisioned using it as a mudroom to catch sand and store beach gear, with towel hooks, shoe baskets, and a small utility closet for a stacked laundry unit and water heater behind bifold doors.
- Open Floor Plan. The wall between the kitchen and dining room is already partially removed, so we planned to take down the rest (it’s not load bearing) to create an open, airy main level.
- Shifted Wall Upstairs. Moving a long wall a few feet allowed the neighbors to finish an upstairs bonus room into an extra bedroom; we considered the same here.
- Main Bedroom with En Suite. Converting a front storage room into an attached bathroom and enlarging the closet felt like a smart move.
That layout felt right at first but revealed a few drawbacks:
- Kitchen Wall Space. We had limited wall space in the rear because of the back door, a back staircase we want to keep, a low window, and a bathroom door—so kitchen design became tricky.
- Plumbing Costs. A plumber estimated an extra $4–5K to add a bathroom at the front of the house since plumbing isn’t present there. We needed two full bathrooms upstairs, so he recommended placing the new bath closer to existing upstairs plumbing.
- Pass-Through Bedrooms. The original plan meant occupants would have to walk through other bedrooms to reach a bathroom. Adding a hallway solved privacy issues but risked wasting space and making rooms feel darker.
Then a neighbor with a similar house invited us over—and her layout changed everything. Her upstairs has a hallway exactly where we were considering one, and it felt bright and functional rather than cramped. That “A-ha!” led us to the revised plan we’re now moving forward with:
Breaking it down by floor, starting upstairs—the hallway idea is central to the changes. Existing plan on the left, new plan on the right:
Notable upstairs changes:
- Hallway. Adding one new wall through the old Bedroom 2 creates a comfortable hallway while leaving adequate bedroom space.
- Hall Bath & Bunk Room. The upstairs bonus room becomes two practical spaces: a hall bathroom placed adjacent to existing plumbing and a bunk room that can fit two built-in twin beds—perfect for kids and guests.
- Closet Adjustments. To make a flat wall for the bed, Bedroom 2’s closet is removed. We plan a wall of closets along the long side of Bedroom 2—likely using an IKEA system—to compensate. Bedroom 3 may get a wardrobe or alternative closet solution.
- Small Front Room. The small room at the front could be storage or a cozy reading nook, depending on what we need most.
Now downstairs—current plan on the right, revised on the left:
- Kitchen / Dining Swap. We’re moving the kitchen to the middle of the house where there’s a long wall for cabinets and room for a large island. The dining table will be tucked toward the back in a cozy breakfast area, potentially paired with a bookcase filled with games and books.
- Kitchen Design. We haven’t finalized the exact layout, but the sink on the island would let you look out three big windows rather than stare at a wall.
- Utility Closet. The mudroom will house a stacked washer and dryer plus a water heater, concealed behind bifold doors.
- HVAC. An HVAC pro suggested locating the first-floor unit under the stairs where there’s existing storage—neatly out of the way and preserving mudroom space.
We’re now in the pricing phase, getting estimates for foundation repair, a new roof, plumbing, and wiring. Please cross your fingers that the costs stay reasonable. We’re hopeful this plan will make the beach house functional, fun, and welcoming for family and guests.
P.S. If you’re shopping for holiday gifts, we’ve shared gift ideas and a curated list of home decor and accessories on our site for easy browsing.