We’ve been in our beach house for several months now, but I realized I never shared an official “before” tour. Here are the photos we took before moving in, so you can see the layout and get a feel for the home before we begin remodeling.
You may have seen pieces of the house before, but I found additional images of upstairs spaces and other areas I hadn’t shared. We bought the house furnished, so you might notice furniture we later gave away or kept. Please excuse the protective plastic still on the carpet in some photos — those were taken during the open house.
These are beach house before photos not because anything is unattractive, but because over time we plan to make changes that will reflect our style. One of the things that drew us to this home was how well cared for and charming it already felt. It’s livable, welcoming, and we love being here.
That said, we do have projects planned. Soon we’ll add a small main-floor primary suite off the back of the house for my parents. While that work is underway we’ll remodel the kitchen and install hardwood flooring throughout. As we settle in we’ll discover more ideas and updates we want to make.
If you missed it, I recently wrote about our first six months in the new beach house and why it means so much to us.
Enjoy the before tour below!
At the top of the stairs is a room that immediately sold us on the house. The view, built-ins, and ceiling give it so much character. It’s hard to capture in photos how special this room feels, but the shape and light made it feel instantly like home.
We’ll add hardwood flooring and personalize the space over time, but the built-ins already make it perfect for my books, and the dogs love the window seat.
From that room you can go downstairs to the entry, living room and kitchen, or continue upstairs to the primary suite, laundry closet, and guest bedroom and bath. We removed the protective plastic from the carpet and can’t wait to install hardwoods and add a runner on the stairs.
I have plans for the stairwell and hallways — new light fixtures, flooring, and personal touches will highlight the stairwell’s personality.
At the top of the second set of stairs is a compact laundry closet — it’s perfect for the two of us. We’ll have a second washer and dryer downstairs for my parents when their suite is built. I love this little hallway and think hardwoods and updated lighting will make it shine. I’m still deciding paint colors and whether to add paneling to walls or ceilings later.
This hallway leads to a guest room and bathroom. The house is compact with two bedrooms plus the upstairs bonus room, but it feels cozy and comfortable.
The guest room has windows on three sides and a small peek of the water from one angle. It currently serves as my parents’ room until their main-floor suite is completed. There are a few layout ideas for making this space double as a guest room and work-from-home area that I’ll share later.
The guest bath is charming and will be a fun room to personalize in the future.
Down the hall is our bedroom. The view from the hallway took our breath away the first time we walked in, and it still delights us daily. We often point out the ferry passing by — it never gets old.
This bedroom fulfilled a design idea we’d been dreaming about: French doors to bring in more light and access to a small patio, plus an updated primary bathroom. Our new room is even better than we imagined, and we feel grateful that this dream came true.
I’ve shared updates about the bedroom progress on the blog, including simple changes that make a room feel like a winter sanctuary.
This is our bathroom. I love its bones and the potential it holds. We’ve already added an antique black chinoiserie cabinet that fits perfectly here; I’ll share updated photos showing how we use it soon.
Back downstairs, the stairwell and small spaces excite me. New hardwoods, updated lights, and our art will make these areas feel even more personal. I’m collecting these before photos so we can look back as the house evolves.
Our entry has already received a few updates, including a new lantern-style light fixture and a few decorative touches at the door that make it welcoming.
We love the built-ins and the bench in the living room — they’re perfect for enjoying the view and provide useful seating and storage.
A brass wall sconce on the bookshelf adds cozy lighting without hardwiring. Simple fixes like this make a big difference in how these rooms feel.
We adore the ceilings and French doors in the living room. This space will get a fresh look once the new flooring is installed and as we bring in more of our furniture, though the blue sofa is a favorite for now.
Both front porches are lovely. One is covered, so it’s enjoyable in any weather. We even experienced a big snowstorm during our first Christmas here, which made it feel extra cozy.
We haven’t made major changes in the living room yet, so watching it transform with new floors and some furniture swaps will be fun.
The view toward the kitchen and peninsulas will change dramatically. We plan to remove the peninsulas, create a new kitchen at the back of the house, and put the dining area between the kitchen and living room. That addition will also provide the small main-floor suite for my parents.
Relocating the dining room will open up the living and kitchen spaces so we can spread out while still enjoying open, adjoining rooms — ideal for family gatherings.
The current kitchen is cute, but we’ll transform the dining room into the new kitchen. We’re hoping to add windows along the far wall and will give away existing pieces so nothing goes to waste.
I love the dining room’s charm and think it will make a lovely kitchen. I’ll share more detailed plans and progress in future posts.
The little mudroom between the kitchen and garage is cute and useful. With the addition, this area will likely become a pantry and extra storage for dishes and supplies.
I adore the small powder room with its whale wallpaper — it made me feel at home the instant I saw it.
A quick look outside: we love the backyard and the rear of the house. The addition will change this area a bit, but the new room, windows and French doors will make the outdoor space even more charming. I’m excited to share plans and the renovation process, along with garden ideas, fencing, and gates.
Thank you for following our journey to what feels like our forever home. We’re so grateful to have found this little house. I’ll continue to share updates and progress as we renovate and make the home our own.