We’ve been racing to finish and photograph every room in the duplex so we can list it on Airbnb for weeklong summer stays. There’s still work left—two kitchens, two living rooms, two laundry rooms, and two more bedrooms and bathrooms—but it feels huge to be completely done with the four rooms in this post. Consider this a very enthusiastic celebration.
Below is a tour of the two bedrooms and two bathrooms that are finished and photographed. These rooms are ready for guests and finally feel like home.
This is the finished main bedroom on the right side of the duplex. Each side of the house had different measurements and quirks; this bed wall was narrower than the one across the way, so we installed accordion sconces that maximize light and can be turned on or off from bed. We planned outlets so they sit next to each nightstand (not hidden behind the bed), which makes charging phones convenient for guests.
We focused on function while preserving character. Exposing the original brick chimney made a big difference, and adding a window behind the bed brightened the room and made it feel welcoming. That window required approval from the historic review board, but it was worth the effort. Below is a framing shot from when that window went in—hard to believe how far this room has come.
We like placing a bed in front of a window when the bed has visual lightness—this metal frame lets light flow through and integrates with the room instead of blocking the window.
We also added a small bathroom off this room to create a true main suite. That addition required historic review board approval and significantly changed the back view of the house, but it added value and function, and it’s one of our favorite improvements.
We’ll capture a few more images or a short video to show the full layout, since the bathroom is small and photos can only tell so much. The space feels airy thanks to tonal tile and the green-gray Oyster Bay doors, which pair nicely with Spare White walls used throughout the duplex.
Bathrooms took more work than the bedrooms because we tiled all the floors ourselves, which is time- and labor-intensive. But once plumbing and tile are in, accessorizing happens fast and is fun. A few final touches—mirror, towel hooks, a long white shower curtain, our preferred toilet paper holder, leather vanity pulls, and framed art—finished the room.
Because there’s a window over the sink, we chose a hinged chrome mirror that functions well and allows light through. We frosted the glass for privacy so guests don’t worry about visibility from the outside.
Some original doors on this side were quirky and shorter than standard, so we preserved them and built closets that flank the large window. Their original character is priceless. We added cubbies above to balance the shorter doors and give extra storage. Inside each closet there’s hanging space, room for suitcases, and extra hangers with a luggage rack tucked in for guests.
Across from the bed is a dresser with a large mirror for more storage and getting-ready space. The rug adds a beachy, calming touch with a soft color palette that keeps the room serene without demanding attention.
It feels surreal to see this room finished. When we bought the duplex it was covered in plastic paneling, had a drop ceiling hiding rot, threadbare carpeting, and broken baseboard heating. We replaced heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing to make the house safe and cozy. Below is a before photo from our early walkthroughs.
The window above marks where the door to the new bathroom addition sits now; we also added a second window near the chimney to bring more light behind the bed.
Switching to the front bedroom on the other side of the duplex, the original condition was more of the same: drop ceilings, faux paneling, and a closet with no natural light. We discovered a covered-over window and restored it, revealing a diamond-grilled pane that brings in beautiful light and lifts the whole room.
We brightened the room with lighter walls and refinished the old floors. This front bedroom sits on the opposite side of the duplex, so its doors are painted SW White Truffle and coordinate with the rest of that side’s palette.
Deep renovations require tearing back damaged materials before rebuilding. We stripped badly rotted areas down to the studs and rebuilt carefully, which explains a lot of the demolition photos in between the before and afters. Below is an example of that demolition stage.
In the front bedroom we placed an Ikea bed and added two soft green-gray nightstands with gold hardware that complement the accordion lights. We only bought two sets of those lights for the whole duplex, so a couple of rooms share the same fixture, but most rooms will have different lamps.
Those nightstands add great storage with three drawers each and introduce a soft color that visually links to the green-gray doors on the opposite side. They’re a practical, budget-friendly find that adds personality.
There’s also a small closet in this bedroom with a dresser for folded clothing. The room with the diamond-grilled window is complete but we haven’t photographed every angle yet—more photos are coming.
Now to the hall bathroom on the right side: the tile here is a favorite, even though it was tedious to install. Natural accents—leather vanity pulls and a floating wood shelf—soften the space, while a long white shower curtain, round gold mirror, simple white vanity, and beachy art complete the look.
Originally each side of the duplex had only one full bathroom; now each upstairs has two full baths plus a powder room downstairs. The before photo below shows the old bathroom condition with bubbled vinyl floors and hidden water damage—another example of quick fixes covering bigger problems.
The fourth finished room is the hall bathroom on the left side. It uses different floor tile but the same vanity and accents for cohesion across the duplex.
Comparing the bathrooms is fun—do you prefer the bolder blue floor or the pink-and-green hex pattern? John favors the blue; I lean toward the pink. Maybe when the whole duplex is done we’ll let readers vote on favorites.
People often ask if I have a favorite side of the duplex. I can’t pick—each side has elements I adore. If pushed, I might prefer the left-side kitchen with pink tile and blue cabinets by a hair, while my favorite twin bedroom is the right-side room with orange accents. But it’s a close call—I truly love both sides.
P.S. You can follow the entire duplex renovation process in our project posts, from buying and planning the layout to tackling setbacks. This post contains affiliate links.