We’re finally on the verge of installing the beach house kitchen—our seventh full kitchen project after redoing three of our own (this bright white remodel remains a favorite), a 2014 showhouse, a 2016 spec house, a teachers’ lounge makeover last year, and a few other built-ins and cabinet projects. Even with that experience, a kitchen renovation always brings a thousand decisions: layout, drawer counts, lighting, budget, and more. It’s overwhelming at times, but also one of the most rewarding improvements you can make to a home.
From demo to near-finish: the current state of the kitchen
Last week the space finally began to feel real: lights are up, trim is getting painted, and the floor holes are patched with reclaimed pine that will be sanded and sealed before installation begins. That’s a huge change from the early demolition and planning photos we took when this project started.
Planning the layout
We created initial floor plans in Photoshop during early design stages, but those drawings weren’t to scale or detailed enough to order cabinetry. Once we decided to use IKEA cabinets, we moved into their free 3D kitchen planning software to plan precise cabinet sizes and configurations. The IKEA planner isn’t perfect, but it’s a practical tool when you’re buying their products and want to know exactly what to order.
We experimented with several layouts in the software—upper cabinets or open shelving? In the end we chose no uppers. The room felt visually heavy with cabinets on that long wall, and we wanted a lighter, more balanced, casual beachy vibe. Since the house will function as a weekly vacation rental, we still have plenty of storage options, including additional cabinets flanking the back door.
Before ordering, we also mapped clearances in real life with simple stand-ins for the island and cabinets to make sure walking paths and work zones felt right.
Finishes and mood boards
Digital renderings don’t always convey texture or scale well, so we made mood boards to lock in finishes and lighting. Our final palette centers on casual, unfussy choices: flat-front cabinet doors for a clean look, butcher block countertops for warmth and ease of repair, and plenty of open space so the eye can move around freely. Flat-front doors felt unexpectedly right after collecting inspiration photos—we wanted something relaxed rather than formal.
We selected oak-veneer butcher block countertops from IKEA because they’re affordable and refinishable—important for a rental where surfaces will see heavy use. We ordered extra material so we can make floating shelves from the same product to keep the look cohesive. We’ll share details on sealing and maintaining butcher block once they’re installed and in use.
Hardware options and inspiration
We haven’t chosen final hardware yet; we want to see the installed cabinets and countertops before deciding. Leather pulls are on our short list because they pair nicely with flat-front drawers, and we’re also considering wood knobs to echo some of the house’s original wood details. We plan to test a few samples in the finished space to make the final call.
Appliances and cost
We picked compact appliances that fit the space and the vintage aesthetic we’re chasing—one of our inspiration kitchens used the same small white fridge we were considering, and seeing it in context reassured us it wouldn’t look cheap. We placed our cabinetry and countertop order during an IKEA kitchen sale, which saved about 20% and brought the total for cabinets, counters, the sink, soft-close hardware, and a pull-out trash drawer to roughly $2,600.
Lighting: functional and atmospheric
Lighting was a major design and functional decision. Because the kitchen and adjacent dining area have high, dramatic ceilings, we wanted to avoid recessed can lights that would create a modern look inconsistent with the house’s character. That meant our pendants, sconces, and other fixtures needed to provide both ambient and task light. To maximize light distribution we eliminated solid-shade fixtures so every bulb could cast light in all directions.
We mockuped multiple pendant and sconce options to test style and scale. Small schoolhouse shades we liked were too tiny in proportion to the eight-foot island, and many traditional designs felt too formal when paired with our pink vintage-style range. Ultimately we chose 15″ wide clear-glass pendants for the island and wire-mesh shaded sconces for the perimeter. The clear glass and mesh shades let light flow freely, keeping the space bright and welcoming without overwhelming the historic character of the house.
Dining area and final touches
For the adjacent dining area we’re installing two smaller capiz pendants rather than a single large chandelier. Two fixtures will help visually balance the space relative to the living room and tie into the beachy aesthetic. The capiz pendants will hang lower once the dining table is in place so they feel properly grounded.
What’s next
We’ll be back soon to finish a few remaining repairs—restoring an upstairs tub, finishing a back-stair railing, and completing final floor repairs—before sanding and sealing the reclaimed pine floors. Once that’s done the kitchen install can begin, and we’ll finally clear out the IKEA boxes that have been living in our garage. We’ll continue to share progress and photos as the room comes together and as these finishes are used in a real vacation rental setting.
Read more about our beach house progress in the project category.
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