Several months ago John shared downstairs before-and-after photos of our beach house, and now we’re finally showing the full upstairs transformation. It took longer than expected—eight months flew by—but the second floor came together in a big way. The rooms started out rough with water, mold, and termite damage throughout, but the results are dramatic. Let’s take a tour of the upstairs and the yard to see how everything changed.
Upstairs Hall and Office
The upstairs hall leads to a front room that we converted into a compact office and storage nook. Originally the top floor showed extensive water and pest damage, but we repaired the structure, smoothed the walls, and fixed cracking ceilings—small changes that make a huge visual difference.
From the same angle now, the hall feels fresh and solid: even ceilings and clean walls create a calm, welcoming circulation space.
Stepping toward that doorway, you can see how the front room looked when we first bought the house—basically a blank slate with great potential thanks to the original floors.
Now the space functions as a built-in office nook with simple shelving mounted on brackets and a pared-back desktop. Going vertical in a small space added a ton of function without crowding the room.
Front Bedroom
The front bedroom arrived as a blank canvas with a beautiful floor that invited refinishing. We kept the palette light and airy to take advantage of the excellent natural light, and furnished it to welcome overnight guests.
This room is so pretty and sunny that sometimes we wish it were our bedroom—except it doesn’t have an attached bath. Instead it’s become a guest room we’re proud to host friends and family in.
One favorite detail is the original chimney we exposed by removing drywall. We paired it with a vintage inlay dresser, a sconce, and a mirror to create a warm, collected vignette.
To address the damage in this part of the house we stripped walls back to the studs in places and patched the brick where needed. Going that deep ensured the structure was safe and sound before we rebuilt.
Middle Bedroom
Originally the middle bedroom was a pass-through to the back bedroom, offering no privacy. We created a central hallway so the middle room became fully private and the back bedroom could be accessed without walking through it. The renovation also dealt with a rotting ceiling and some unwelcome pests.
Adding that hallway changed the whole upstairs layout for the better. We kept finishes light so the space feels open, and added simple hardware and fixtures that look clean and cohesive.
The middle bedroom is cozy and simply furnished with soft upholstery, warm wood tones, and mixed metal accents for interest.
Bunk Room
The bunk room was one of the worst spots when we bought the house: rotten walls with daylight shining through, a dangerously damaged floor, and animal debris. It had to be gutted and rebuilt for safety.
After removing and rebuilding that portion of the house we created a clean, cozy bunk room. We also rescued and reinstalled the heart pine floors where possible, and built custom bunk beds with a wood ladder that ties into the original flooring.
Now the space is bright, functional, and entirely free of debris and infestation—a night-and-day change.
We designed and built the built-in bunk beds from scratch and matched the ladder detail to the restored floors for a cohesive, handmade look.
Hall Bathroom
While rebuilding the back half of the house we realized the original space for the bunks was longer than necessary. We reconfigured the area to fit a full bathroom with a shower alongside the bunk room, which added great functionality.
The bathroom is accessed from the same central hallway as the bunk and middle bedrooms. We used a blue patterned accent tile to introduce personality and kept the rest of the finishes classic and bright.
All of the upstairs wood doors are original. We stripped and waxed them to refresh their look while preserving character like original latches, turned knobs, and other period details.
Back Bedroom
The back bedroom originally opened directly onto the stairs, offering very little privacy. After redoing the walls and refinishing the floors, the room felt transformed. We kept and restored another original door with its distinctive wooden knob.
To preserve light while adding privacy, we installed pocket doors that slide closed at night but can remain open during the day so the window light still reaches the stairs. The doors feel original to the house and have been a favorite detail for visitors.
A quick note about fans: they’re excellent for vacation bedrooms because many people like sleeping with a gentle breeze. We installed quiet, attractive ceiling fans in the bedrooms and have been very happy with their performance.
En-Suite Bathroom
The attached en-suite was in the worst structural shape of the house: brittle floors, a tub at risk of falling through, and a collapsing ceiling. It had to be removed and rebuilt from the studs up for safety.
After rebuilding, we reconfigured the layout so the tub sits to one side beneath a large window and a freestanding shower sits on the other side. We hand-laid small hex floor tiles and created little blue floral accents tile by tile—an involved process that added charm and a custom feel to the room.
The rebuilt en-suite is now durable, attractive, and one of our favorite spots in the house thanks to those handmade tile details.
The Backyard
When we bought the house, the yard was small, overgrown, and filled with poison ivy. It didn’t invite spending time outdoors.
The transformation of the backyard is one of our favorite projects. After clearing brush and weeds, addressing the poison ivy, and a few setbacks that delayed the work, we added a hot tub, paver patio, a new shed, and plenty of comfortable outdoor furniture and greenery. Today it’s an evening retreat we use almost every night when we’re in Cape Charles.
Early on, John suffered a severe case of poison ivy clearing the yard, which became a memorable part of the renovation. Still, the yard evolved from a challenging space into a cozy backyard oasis where we entertain, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
We replaced a rusted old shed with a practical new one oriented so the double doors don’t interfere with the dining area, and we added a planter box on the front for curb appeal. Across from the hot tub is an outdoor shower installed with a durable vinyl kit—one of the most-used features of the house.
We kept the original back door but repainted it a cheerful shade to match other exterior accents. We also installed a fence that matches neighbors’ side-yard fences, which gives privacy, lets our dog Burger roam safely, and can swing open wide when needed for items like a golf cart or large deliveries.
The before-and-after progression of the house—from toxic rot and crumbling walls to a restored, comfortable beach retreat—reminds us that thoughtful, sometimes difficult work pays off. We focused on structural repairs first, then layered in design details that feel authentic, upbeat, and beachy.
If you enjoyed this upstairs before-and-after tour, you can find additional paint color and furnishing details on our Beach House project pages. We cataloged the rooms, finishes, and sources so anyone inspired by the remodel can reference the specifics. Thanks for joining the tour—we hope it sparks ideas for your own renovation.
P.S. Some lighting used upstairs is from our lighting collaboration; we’re proud to have worked on a few original pieces used in the bedrooms and bathrooms.
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