We’re excited to share the finished photos of the two compact but mighty sleeping nooks at the duplex, plus a closer look at two of the hardest-working storage areas: the linen closet and our locked owner’s closet that guests don’t access. These small spaces pull a lot of weight for us—providing practical sleeping options and smart storage solutions—so we wanted to show how they came together.
Each side of the duplex already has two larger bedrooms with closets and dressers, so these compact areas function as “bonus sleeping nooks,” a common accommodation in Cape Charles and other beach towns. They meet local building and rental inspection standards and are set up specifically for short-stay guests who want a cozy place to crash after a day at the beach. We outfitted each nook with thoughtful comforts: a ceiling fan, light-blocking blinds, a sound machine, and wall sconces you can switch without getting out of bed.
These nooks aren’t intended for year-round living, but they’re perfect for weeklong vacations when most of your time is spent around town or outdoors and you just need a comfy place to sleep. Our main decorative move was installing removable murals, which add tons of visual interest and personality without permanent commitment. The murals were a big part of how these rooms came together.
During planning we considered many layouts—bunks, two twins, a trundle, a single large bed, even a Murphy bed. After a public poll, two side-by-side twins won out. This arrangement is realistic for adults to use, easy to make, and flexible: the twins can be pushed together to create a king-size surface when needed. Built-in bunks are lovely, but two separate mattresses offer more versatility for different guest types.
Trundles and large single beds received fewer votes. Many families prefer separate sleeping spots for kids, and adults often appreciate not having to climb over each other. Two twins provide a solution that fits a wide range of guests.
If you turn around in the nook you’ll see a pocket door that saves floor space. We added a shallow wall shelf with baskets for vertical storage—great for pajamas, small garments, or a few favorite books. The shelf is only about 9″ deep so it doesn’t crowd the room, and there’s still space at the foot of the beds for a suitcase.
Because in-room storage is limited, there’s a large linen closet just outside the nook—literally one step away. It’s stocked with extra towels and linens, a high chair, a Pack ’N Play, and other guest essentials, but we keep the bottom half empty so guests can stash suitcases or additional items.
A small DIY detail we love: John stores the high chair legs in the closet’s corner using labeled 3″ PVC couplings. They keep the legs visible and easy to grab instead of tucked up on a top shelf where they’d be hard to find. The couplings are cheap and effective—simple solutions like this save time and questions for both guests and cleaners.
The linen closet also holds extra bath towels (we leave a pair on each bed for arriving guests), two Pack ’N Play sheets, an iron, a hairdryer, and a first aid kit. We used a label maker to clearly mark bins and shelves—helpful for guests and invaluable for our cleaning team when they’re turning the property around between bookings.
Some labels also provide gentle guidance—for example, we ask guests to use gray washcloths for makeup removal so light-colored towels don’t get ruined. Small notes like that cut down on lost or stained items and make life easier for cleaners.
We also photographably display items like the high chair and Pack ’N Play in the listing photos so guests can see at a glance what’s available without hunting through fine print. The Pack ’N Play fits neatly between the double closets in the main bedrooms and in a few other locations around the house.
The most heavily used storage areas are our locked owner’s closets under the stairs next to the TVs. Renters don’t access these, but we’re sharing them so you can see how we store supplies for quick turnovers. Each closet houses bulk refills—bulk shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dish detergent—so cleaners can quickly top up supplies between guests.
Because the closets aren’t large, we use back-of-door wire shelving for small items like coffee supplies, tea bags, sugar packets, tissues, sandwich bags, spare light bulbs, bathroom spray, sponges, small trash bags, and travel-size soaps. We also added tall plastic garage-style shelving split across the two closets—one half on each side—to store toilet paper, paper towels, kitchen bags, and extra linens for fast replacement when needed. These extras prevent last-minute panics during tight turnovers.
Some readers may be surprised by the list of items we provide, but local practices vary widely—some rentals supply everything, while others expect guests to bring basics. We decided to offer these amenities to make stays easier for our guests. The locked owner’s closet also provides access to the tankless water heater and HVAC, and holds a hidden key for service technicians to access systems if a repair is needed when we’re not on site.
That wraps up the final interior spaces of the duplex. We’re planning a video walk-through so you can see how everything flows, and we still need to photograph the back patios—those turned out better than expected and may be my favorite part of the renovation. Fingers crossed for good weather so we can get them photographed soon.
P.S. You can find posts covering the rest of the duplex—two kitchens, the front and back of the house, four additional bedrooms, six bathrooms, two living and dining areas, and two mudroom/laundry rooms, plus details about layout planning and tile work—under our duplex project updates.
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