the beach house

We shared this post a while back, and though it was worth revisiting for a little fun, summertime inspiration. Just a little reminder that not everything has to be a total gut job, to still be charming. 

We were able to travel to south Alabama this last week, and photograph this pretty little beach house on the coast. This was a project we started this winter before the world ended, and the kids were grateful for a change of scenery. So we made it into a little retreat for a week and really just enjoyed being able to mix things up a little, while capturing our work. But we’re thrilled to share these really fun before and afters today!

Note: please know this is a long post since it’s an entire house. We hope it’s a little inspiring!

The kitchen’s before {our images came from the original listing and were taken with a wide angle lens} gave off a not-so-beachy vibe. So this was a great example of what new countertops + paint + a fresh backsplash can do.

Tile: We were thrilled to pull from our own curated selection of Jeffrey Court tile which added a beautiful shade of blue. 

Lights: These are so drool-worthy, we’re smitten. We love the sweet bright finish these awesome lights will bring to their bar space. 

That entryway light for the win and another one of our faves: Tollis from Kichler!

That you can see it from the living area, as well as a glimpse of blue from the door, is a win in our book. 

Their fresh colors really brought the entire home to life. It’s amazing what paint can do for a space. 

We changed everything in tones of browns and builder’s beige to: 

Sherwin Williams Alabaster {walls} Waterscape {doors + kids/guest bedrooms} Glimmer {bathrooms} + pure white are the fresh tones you see on the cabinet colors. We also threw in some waterscape on the insides of the glass in the kitchen for more of a subtle game changer. The end look gave the entire home an easy, beachy feel. 

The house has plenty of great eating space, so indigo/green hues and more sea glass caned pieces really give it a wonderfully laid back vibe.

A new light, and some paint to lighten and brighten made a huge difference. We adore these chairs + table! For similar sources, check them all out here!

Here’s another close up of that fabulous Kichler light. So yummy, you can see me in my messy bun and t-shirt a-la photog mode. 

It’s all in the details: These fun knobs came into play to give the kitchen some polished character. 

Our client was going for tones of sea glass, and soft hues with woven, natural accents. There’s just something about the way these elements work together that give it such a great, overall feel. 

We love the way that it all turned out. 

A good herringbone pattern never fails to make us swoon.

It didn’t make sense to change the layout of the kitchen for their budget or the house, since it’s such a compact + simple space. But we did love adding character with tile all the way around, for another glimpse of that blue underneath. The countertops are quartzite and have subtle swirls of blue and grey to tie it all in. 

The living room area wasn’t actually complete at the time of photographing this, because #covidstrikesagain. It’s amazing how many deliveries/supplies/production/details this has affected, and fiery hoops we’ve had to jump through. But we were able to photograph the space anyway, sans entertainment center. We’re just glad they were able to get most of their pieces in, despite all the apocalyptical drama, and grateful that we can help create little retreats like this in a time where it’s needed. 

This is a super comfy sectional a-la la-z-boy that they already owned, brought from their own home + coffee table for a simple addition. We added color to simple neutrals.

For similar sources, be sure to check them all out here. 

Photography fail: not capturing that fabulous Kichler fan in the shot!

I only realized it after the fact but it comes with awesome controls and options for the space, and the modern feel it adds is perfect for this room. It kept us cool all week long. 

And we shamelessly added some of our own art {prints available here here}.

It’s the perfect piece for a beach house, if we do say so ourselves.

Hues of blue, metallics and soft neutrals really completed the space. 

We have to say, it definitely feels more like a beach house now! 

Their laundry closet lies just beyond these doors.

It’s a great opportunity to bring in more shots of blue, and created a small moment with color, out of an otherwise every day set up.  

This vintage-esque art is one of my favorites. {Be sure to check all the sources for this room, here. }

We worked carefully to make sure that the existing colors still worked with the elements that stayed from the previous owner. We love the way that the colors feel intentional with floors and window treatments, so that there were no unnecessary expenses. 

 

Right off of this main living area, you can find the primary bedroom.

All the simple, colorful quirky touches are such a favorite element of ours from this house.

Again, it’s amazing what some paint and fun selections for a space can do.

All the fluffy details from the bedding, with beautiful texture and color are a great option for the room. 

{For all the sources for this space, be sure to check it out here where we filled in some similar finds, too.}

This fabulous piece was from their home, and we supplemented again with fun accents and more of our art.

It came together in such a fun way for the space. 

 

This is the only before we had of their primary bath, {see: more dark wood on those cabinets} but we were able to lighten and brighten more cabinets again, with fresh paint, and new countertops. 

The soft blue in Sherwin William’s Glimmer made for a nice complement for the other paired with easy, colorful towels and accents. 

The guest bedroom might be one of our very favorite transformations. It was a tight fit {much tighter than the online photos would have you believe} and they needed space for a queen-size bed.

We found options for clever storage which still offered room for all things luggage and sleeping arrangements, so that a dresser wasn’t necessary in this space.

We also chose minimal surfaces that didn’t take up too much valuable real estate, but also offer much needed pieces for a bedroom.

We adore these charming side tables, and the fun lamps were a find by our clients.

{Be sure to check out our sources for the room, here.}

We found this great fringy pillow here, {available in other colors} which we felt tied together the rest of the bedding perfectly. 

Seriously though, how fun is this little painting? We adore all the colors. 

The tassels on these curtains are so bright and easy. Like a little punch of sunshine in the space.

Which brings us to the hallway bathroom. The MLS photography was really stretching it with that super wide lens.

But here’s the after! We love the non 2000’s vibes the bathroom gives off now. {Be sure to check out all our sources for the space here.} This Kichler bathroom sconce is perfect for the bathroom, and it goes seamlessly with the mirror. 

These colorful towels really sent it over the top and this Etsy store is one of our faves. They have every color of the rainbow and fast shipping to boot with a sale right now. {Total squirrel, I know.}

+ These simple little soap dispensers gave off a total mermaid/fish vibe. 

I say that every space is my favorite, but the bunk room may have truly ended up that way. It’s so simple and charming, and perfect for packing in kiddos at the beach. 

{Be sure to check out our sources for the room, here.}

We also filled it in with some of our own creations from the studio, with our own fabric patterns + quilts and shams from our fave bedding source: Crane + Canopy.

+ this awesome rug which felt perfect for the room. 

One of the things we adore about Kichler, is their selection of fans. They’re not your parents’ ceiling fan from the 80’s. I’ve honestly always been obsessed with chandeliers in a space, but these fans are so nice, I’m always ready to put one in a space where needed.

Because the room had bunks, I didn’t feel good about placing a full on ceiling fan in this space. Then I spied this Kichler fan at the international builder’s show this past January and the original was replaced with this. It circulates just as much air and we love the compact feel. 

Of course we loved bringing in colorful accents for the win!

The easy eclectic feel is perfect for the room. 

And any time there are multiple options for sleeping and kids and the beach… it’s icing in the cake. 

Which brings us to the back porch to wrap it all up. 

Airy and bright, this simple screened in porch is perfect for all things dining alfresco, and coffee in the mornings. We enjoyed quite a few meals out here at night and adore the simple accessories we were able to bring in for their space. For similar finds, be sure to check out all the details for sources in this post, here!

 

Of course we couldn’t resist bringing in another print. We had this one professionally printed on canvas + framed 

{Get your print, here!}

The perfect space for morning coffee!

Or evening margaritas. 

You pick.

We kept the tablescape easy with melamine plates and bright colors which makes for colorful, layered outdoor dining. 

One of our favorite additions is this plant stand. It’s a great multipurpose piece to have in any outdoor space, and serves as a towel rack and makeshift buffet, too. Such a fun addition!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by this not-so-little tour today. It’s a great testament that you don’t have to rip out things completely or do a total overhaul to make a bit difference in a home. 

It’s so good to feel almost back to normal with our space reveals! Even if we’re only pretending for a hot minute. 

As always, let us know if you have any questions or if we can point you in the right direction.

Have an inspired day!