Many months ago John shared the beach house downstairs before-and-after photos in another post. It included a bunch of angles we’d never shown before. It took us longer than expected to gather the upstairs before-and-after photos — how has it been eight months?! — but we’re finally sharing the full second-floor tour so you can see each comparison. The top floor looked rough at the start, but the transformations were dramatic. Let’s head upstairs and take a look.
UPSTAIRS HALL & OFFICE
Here’s the upstairs hall looking toward the front room that we turned into a small storage room and office. The entire top floor had extensive water, mold, and termite damage when we bought the house.
From the same angle now: the walls are smooth and the ceiling no longer cracks. It makes a big difference.
Walking a few steps toward that doorway, here’s the room as it looked when we bought the house:
And here it is now after we converted it into an office with simple wall shelves supported by brackets and a basic suspended desktop. Going vertical added a lot of function to the small space.
FRONT BEDROOM
The front bedroom was a blank slate when we first saw it, though the original floor showed real potential once refinished.
Now the room is furnished and welcoming for guests. It gets excellent light, so it’s a favorite for friends and family who stay with us. We love this space, but without an en-suite bath we keep the smaller back bedroom as our own.
One of my favorite details is the original chimney we exposed after removing drywall, paired with a dresser, sconce, and mirror vignette. The inlay dresser was an excellent Craigslist find.
To show how far we went to repair this house, here’s a photo taken from a similar angle after we stripped back to the studs to address water damage and structural issues. We patched holes in the brick as we rebuilt.
MIDDLE BEDROOM
The original layout forced you to walk through the middle bedroom to reach the back bedroom, so privacy was nonexistent. We added a central hallway so the middle bedroom became a private sleeping space. Before renovating it had a rotting foosball table full of roaches, a ceiling that was crumbling in places, and even a large hornet’s nest (not pictured).
Here’s the central hall we added. It improved the flow and functionality of the upstairs. We kept finishes light so the space feels open. Small industrial ceiling lights in a neutral putty color worked perfectly for the hallway and closets.
The middle bedroom is small but cozy, furnished with soft upholstery, warm wood tones, and brass and oil-rubbed bronze accents.
BUNK ROOM
From the middle bedroom doorway you face the bunk room. It was one of the worst areas when we bought the house: walls rotten enough to let light through, floors so damaged they could have collapsed, and animals living inside, leaving debris and mess everywhere.
After removing and rebuilding that side of the house from scratch, the bunk room is clean, cozy, and livable. We try to save historic elements when we can, but this section had to be rebuilt for safety.
We built the bunk beds from scratch and added a wood ladder that ties into the original heart pine floors. We salvaged, refinished, and reinstalled those floors where possible.
HALL BATHROOM
From the bunk room looking toward the hallway you can see where the ceiling was open and animals were entering. While rebuilding, we realized the long skinny bunk room didn’t need to be that deep and were able to squeeze a full bathroom with a shower into the same footprint. It’s a functional and welcome addition.
You reach this bathroom from the central hallway next to the bunk room and middle bedroom. We added a bold blue patterned wall tile for personality.
All the upstairs wood doors are original. We stripped and waxed them so they look refreshed while retaining original hardware and unique turned wood and ceramic knobs.
BACK BEDROOM
When you climbed the back stairs originally, you entered straight into the back bedroom with almost no privacy.
We didn’t change that wall much, but refinishing the floors and repairing the walls made a big difference. You can also see one of the original doors and its distinctive wooden doorknob.
Before, the stairs dumped you right into the room. We solved this with pocket doors that can be open during the day to let light through and closed at night for privacy. They feel original and have changed how the space functions.
A quick note about fans: they’re great in vacation bedrooms for white noise and a gentle breeze. We added attractive, quiet ceiling fans to all of the beach house bedrooms and have been very happy with their performance.
EN-SUITE BATHROOM
The attached bathroom was one of the worst rooms when we moved in. The floors were brittle, the tub nearly fell through to the floor below, and the ceiling was collapsing. Structurally it was unsafe, so we removed and rebuilt the entire space.
Rebuilding allowed us to reconfigure the layout: we moved the tub to the right under a window and added a freestanding shower to the left. We also laid a small hex tile floor by hand, creating little blue flower patterns tile-by-tile. It took a long time, but the result is charming and perfectly beachy — one of our favorite details.
THE BACKYARD
The yard we inherited was small, overgrown, and full of poison ivy. It didn’t offer much at first.
The after might be one of our favorite updates. Clearing brush and adding hardscape, lighting, and furnishings turned it into an outdoor living space we use constantly when we’re in Cape Charles.
That initial clearing was done within weeks of our purchase, but it also gave John a serious case of poison ivy. Over time we added a hot tub, paver patio, a shed, planters, and string lighting. Together these elements created a cozy backyard oasis.
We originally planned the backyard work for fall 2017 after the interior was finished, but another project delayed us. For the first few months living in the finished house, the backyard remained unfinished. Eventually we completed the design and it became one of our favorite spots.
We reconfigured the shed so doors open out of the dining area, added a charming planter box, and placed the hot tub opposite an outdoor shower. The contractor used a durable vinyl outdoor shower kit similar to one installed at our duplex, and it’s unexpectedly popular.
The back door is the same original door but repainted in a cheerful color (SW Pale Patina) to match other accents on the property. We also replaced an unsafe awning that we removed early on.
Finally, here’s a before-and-after of the side yard and fence. The new fence matches our neighbors’, provides privacy, lets our dog Burger run free, and even swings open double-wide for future parking needs like a golf cart. Over time the fence will weather to blend with the neighborhood.
We hope you enjoyed this upstairs before-and-after tour of the beach house. If you want paint colors and sourcing for furniture and accessories, we compiled those on the Beach House shop page. There are many more linked resources in that collection and additional posts showing downstairs before-and-afters and other projects.
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