I love reading honest “what worked and what didn’t” posts where someone looks back at decisions, explains what fell short, and shares practical fixes that improved comfort, function, or style for their family. Since we furnished this house over two years ago (yes — fall of 2017!), I thought it would be helpful to recap the updates we’ve made since then. Here’s the full rundown.
The Front Porch
- The Change: New front porch swing
- The Reason: The old one was rotting
The original porch swing was simple and white to match the trim, but it didn’t stand up to the weather. After about 18 months the paint split and mildew appeared in many spots. We scrubbed it to make it usable, but the deterioration continued until it felt unusable — which is a shame because the porch swing is the best seat in the house.
We freecycled the old one and replaced it with a wicker-look porch swing constructed of metal wrapped in weatherproof rattan-like material. It’s already proven much more durable. It’s also padded and wider (65″), so it’s far more comfortable — we can both actually lie down on it. Removing the bulky back cushions and adding smaller outdoor pillows created a deeper, comfier seat. So far it’s been a great upgrade and feels built to last.
The Foyer
- The Change: New light and fresh paint (including hardware refresh)
- The Reason: To lighten the space and create a beachy feel
I swapped the heavy, darker fixtures and finishes for a beaded four-light chandelier that brings a beachy glow to the foyer. In our town beaded chandeliers are a tradition — many homes have them glowing in evening windows — and I wanted that welcoming, coastal feeling when we walk in the door.
Keep in mind our foyer has a 9′ ceiling, so the larger fixture fits well; on an 8′ ceiling a smaller version would be more appropriate unless it’s over a table or bed. When we first finished the renovation the door and railing looked too worn to strip back to natural wood, so they were stained dark to hide damage. That darker finish felt heavy over time, so we lightened the railing and painted the door back to brighter, airier tones. I used Rub ‘n Buff to revive the metal accents and it transformed those details beautifully.
Paint colors in this area are White Heron on the walls, Stone Isle on the trim and door, and Perpetual Gray for the railing (Sherwin-Williams). Lightening these elements allowed the elegant newel post and the restored metal hardware to stand out, and the whole entry now reads much more like the beach house vibe we wanted.
The Living Room
- The Change: New chairs, a different coffee table, and a wall-mounted TV
- The Reason: More comfortable seating and a more finished look
We finally upgraded the seating with a pair of upholstered pink chairs that feel much more loungey than the previous hard-backed chairs. After trying several options that didn’t fit the scale or comfort we wanted, these were an instant win. The chairs ended up being exactly what this room needed for comfort and style.
We also mounted the TV to the wall, which visually finishes the room and opens up the cabinet below. Hanging the TV always makes a space feel more intentional and polished. In addition, we swapped coffee tables: the darker table currently in the room is actually a temporary piece that has worked well for now. I’m considering refinishing or tiling its top down the road, but it’s functional and anchors the seating area for the time being.
The Kids’ Bunk Room
- The Change: Expanded storage and added shelving
- The Reason: To make the room more functional for books and toys
The bunks worked wonderfully all summer with both kids sharing the room. We used cube organizers for clothes and later realized upgrading to a larger 6-cube organizer provided extra storage for toys and books for about $59. Swapping chevron boxes for rope baskets created a pleasing texture contrast and filled the space more efficiently.
We also repurposed two small floating shelves from the kitchen and mounted them in the bunk room to display books and small toys. That zero-cost change made cleanup easier because everything now has a place to go. The expanded cubbies have even doubled as a makeshift dollhouse on occasion — exactly the kind of imaginative use you hope for in a kids’ room.
The Mudroom / Laundry Room
- The Change: Added more hooks
- The Reason: You can never have too many hooks
We learned that a beach house needs more hooks than you think — for towels, wet suits, bags, and more. Our original six-hook rail wasn’t enough, so we moved some artwork and added another rail to gain four additional hooks. The new hooks sit right by the side door and act as overflow for the downstairs bathroom, making them extremely convenient and indispensable for keeping damp items off the floor.
This was a low-cost, high-impact change — and if you want a DIY option, a simple hook rail tutorial can get you the same result. Ours are strong enough to hold heavy items, which has made the entry much more functional for beach life.
The Pantry
- The Change: Nearly doubled the number of storage bins
- The Reason: Much more efficient pantry organization
Spending more extended time at the beach house highlighted where storage systems needed to be improved. The pantry layout was functional but underutilized, so we added more baskets and rotated some so they sit front-to-back instead of wide. That simple change took advantage of shelf depth and roughly doubled the pantry’s usable storage.
Smaller, more numerous bins helped us group items — baking, cereal, chips, cleaning supplies — instead of lumping everything into a couple of oversized baskets. The result is a tidier, more accessible pantry that functions much better for everyday use.
The Backyard Patio
- The Change: Rearranged existing furniture
- The Reason: Keep cushions dry and make the patio more usable
After our backyard makeover we noticed the daybed cushions stayed damp because dew collected under the eave and didn’t dry until late in the day. Rather than spend money, we rearranged the furniture so the daybed sits where it dries more quickly and the wood dining table takes the spot that gets morning dew. The swap also created a proper conversation area using two dining chairs, which made the patio much more enjoyable for game nights and gatherings.
We winterize the backyard by covering the dining area with a fitted cover and storing the sofa cushions in the shed. Simple habits like that keep everything protected through the off-season.
I hope this roundup was useful — these “what’s not working, so we changed it” updates are my favorite kind of project recap because they share real lessons learned. If anything here gave you an idea for your own space, I’m happy to have helped. And remember: you can never have too many hooks.
P.S. If you want to know paint colors or sources for items you see in the photos, there’s a full source page available on our site that lists everything we used.
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