We showed our beach house style inspiration while the pink house was still beginning to come back together. Now that the duplex is at a similar stage, we wanted to share our design vision for the project — from materials and colors to room functions and features we’re considering.
It’s never too early to start making the thousands of decisions a major renovation requires. Trying to pick everything at once will burn you out, so from the moment we offered on the duplex I started a large Pinterest board to collect ideas that grabbed me over the months.
John and I have been sifting through those images to narrow down favorites so we don’t face a last-minute overload when it’s time to finalize paint colors, countertops, tile, lighting, rugs, and basically everything else. Is everything perfectly decided? Not yet. But we’re a lot more focused than when we began collecting ideas, so here’s the primary inspiration guiding the duplex renovation.
The Overall Plan
Like the pink house, the duplex’s general vibe will be relaxed, uncomplicated, comfortable, and a blend of old-meets-new. We want to avoid filling the house with too many things — it should feel easy and light, and fewer items also reduce the risk of renter-related damage. The duplex is an older home, and we love preserving original details like doors, floors, and the diamond-grille windows. We even uncovered an old brick chimney that runs through both units; we plan to expose it and create little shelved niches in each main bedroom.
We also want the home to feel beachy, fresh, and coastal. Much of the interior detail was stripped over years as a rental, so we’re taking the opportunity to lean into a lighter, beachier aesthetic than we used at the pink house. We’ll reuse old doors and refinish original floors, but pair those with relaxed colors like mint, pistachio, soft pink, blue-gray, and aquamarine alongside crisp white and warm coastal wood tones.
Because the duplex contains two separate residences, we have double the rooms to plan — two living rooms, two kitchens, two dining areas, two mudrooms/laundries, and six bedrooms with six bathrooms (four full, two half). We won’t decorate each side identically; instead they’ll be like cousins rather than twins. For example, the powder rooms might share the same tile pattern but use different colorways. It will be fun to create two mirrored floor plans with distinct colors, materials, and decor.
As a refresher, below is an updated floor plan for one side (the other side is mirrored). You can find more detail in our earlier post about the floor plan, which includes a video tour if you’d like more context.
That’s the broad plan — below are specific ideas for different areas around the duplex.
The Exterior
The home sits in a historic district, so the exterior will remain in keeping with its character: shutters, corbels, and no rooftop dormer. We’ll keep the siding white but replace rotting wood with HardiePlank in their Arctic White. To increase curb appeal and introduce a coastal touch, we’ll add operable mint-green shutters and paint the two original front doors the same mint color. With so much shutter coverage on the facade, the mint will read strongly, making the house feel lively and colorful rather than plain white. We’re also considering a soft pink porch ceiling as a subtle nod to the neighboring pink house.
We’ve been testing mint paint shades with removable paint decals and plan to paint one door first to confirm the color before applying it to all the shutters.
The Transom Window
A recent decision was to add an interior transom above the opening between the kitchen and main living area. We’ve already framed the opening wider, and our contractor believes he can modify the header to raise it and create space for the transom. It will be visible from the moment people step through the front door and will bring back an original-feeling detail that the house has been missing.
We’re considering a diamond motif to echo the diamond windows at the front and the old diamond door we found for the mudroom. A high transom will add character to the wide opening and we expect it to become one of our favorite features.
The Kitchen
We’d love to introduce color in the kitchens. One option is to paint the cabinets — perhaps soft blue on one side and mint on the other — while keeping most of the room white to maintain brightness since each kitchen only has one window. The exposed brick chimney in one corner will add texture and history.
Because two sets of custom painted cabinets can be expensive and time-consuming, an alternative is to add color through backsplash tile while keeping cabinets white or in a stock wood tone. We could vary tile patterns or colors between the two units so each kitchen feels distinct.
The Stair Railing
We opened previously enclosed stairs on both sides of the duplex, exposing new railings. While a traditional wood newel and balusters are classic, we don’t feel every detail must be historic. To balance the old touches, we’re considering a fresh, coastal metal railing — perhaps horizontal — to create a modern contrast. We haven’t finalized pricing yet, but we have a local metalworker worth exploring for custom work.
The Main Living Area
The largest downstairs room will house both a living area and a dining nook at the far end. We’re considering a molding or wall treatment (or even a ceiling treatment) to keep the long room from feeling bare. Shiplap is on the table, though we haven’t decided yet.
The Powder Room
Each side has one downstairs powder room, and we plan to have an outdoor shower for rinsing off sand. Because the powder rooms are small and will likely retain the hardwood floor of the main level (except the tiled mudroom), we can have fun with bold wallpaper or a dramatic wall treatment to make these little bathrooms feel like charming hideaways. Wall molding can be an economical way to add interest and help tie the treatment into adjacent living areas.
The Full Bathrooms
Upstairs full bathrooms are compact, so tile is a great way to make a big impact. We love playing with shapes — subtle stripes or zig-zag patterns — and may use the same tile in multiple colorways across bathrooms. Tile budgets are tight and durability matters for rentals, but the small size of these rooms might let us splurge sensibly.
There are more spaces to plan — bedrooms, backyard, laundry — but this gives a clear sense of the duplex’s overall direction: beachy colors, preserved original details like pocket doors and floors, interior transoms, and tile projects that will keep us busy. We’re excited to bring all of this to life.
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