Behold the refreshed middle bedroom at the beach house—finally finished and already proving to be a game changer. The new board & batten paired with soft, watercolor-like peel-and-stick wallpaper looks so good against the original heart pine floors and doors. Those doors and floors are 115 years old, and while the wallpaper photographs a bit brighter and busier than it reads in person, it’s muted and gentle up close. I’ll take something that looks better in real life over one that only photographs well.
For the past two and a half years the room had a queen bed and looked lovely, but it was mostly unused. The big bed dominated the space, and we rarely slept more than one person there. It essentially became a storage spot for tools and paint rather than a room anyone used. So we decided to downsize to a smaller daybed and reclaim the space for actual activities—and what a difference.
Swapping the queen for a rattan daybed opened up so much room for crafts, reading, and hanging out. The daybed gives the room a relaxed, beachy feel while the board & batten adds architectural interest and height. The wallpaper above the battens draws the eye upward, making the small room feel taller and airier.
We’ve experimented with this room before—back when you had to walk through it to get to the back bedroom before a central hallway was added during a major renovation. That hallway made all the difference in how the house functions and how each room feels.
This update was intentionally modest and budget-friendly: board & batten for roughly $194, peel-and-stick wallpaper for about $85, a rattan daybed purchased on sale for $275, and an affordable desk to solve an ongoing paper-and-craft clutter problem downstairs. Together these projects took a few weekends and made a big impact.
Downsizing the bed was the turning point. We already have a full guest bedroom next door with a queen bed and plenty of space for a pack-and-play or air mattress, so the middle room no longer needed to be the primary guest room. Removing the oversized bed allowed us to add a desk that has become a real hub for the kids’ crafts, drawing, and homework.
Now multiple people use the room on a regular basis. The kids gather at the desk to make flipbooks and crafts, a couple of kids lounge on the daybed reading, and another child builds on the floor. It’s been hugely satisfying to see the space go from ghost room to vibrant, lived-in spot.
The desk also solved a major snag: art and craft mess taking over our kitchen table. This upstairs room now holds paper, cardboard, tape, and craft supplies, which keeps the main living areas usable for meals and other activities.
We reused a lot of pieces already in the room—framed pressed-flower art, a woven rug, curtains and rods, blinds, and brass accents—so the refresh felt cohesive without discarding things that still worked. Small updates, like swapping the desk hardware for brass pulls, tied the pieces together and elevated the look.
Flexible pieces like pouf ottomans have been especially useful. They can act as a coffee table for the daybed, additional seating for crafting, or tuck under the desk when we need more floor space for a sleeping bag. Kids adapted quickly to sitting on the cushy stools for projects, and the room’s layout supports multiple uses at once.
The framed pressed flowers that used to hang over the bed now define the desk area, and simple containers keep pens and craft supplies organized. Little touches—a marble-look utensil holder repurposed as a vase, a floor lamp with a swapped glass cap—add personality without a big budget.
The daybed also functions like a small sofa for reading or snuggling with the family dog, making the room feel cozy and purposeful. Removing the oversized bed and adding vertical interest with battens and wallpaper helped the room feel larger and more inviting.
One small sentimental detail: the gold starfish towel hook on the door was a gift from a friend shortly after we bought the house, and it felt especially nice to hang it on a finished door when the renovation wrapped. Those little moments make the house feel lived in and loved.
If you’re curious about the DIY side, installing board & batten and hanging peel-and-stick wallpaper are straightforward weekend projects. The board & batten adds architectural charm and the wallpaper brings color and personality without a heavy commitment. Planning the spacing and placement ahead of time helped this room come together smoothly.
Overall, the middle bedroom now functions as a flexible space: a cozy lounging spot, a craft hub, and an occasional guest space. Modest investments and rethinking the layout turned an underused room into one the whole family enjoys. It’s proof that small changes—thoughtfully combined—can make a big difference.