Nothing compares to waking up to a breathtaking ocean view, surrounded by palm trees and fine white sand. Without a doubt, having a beach house is a dream come true. If you're here and looking for ideas so you can renovate your cottage-like haven, aren't you one lucky fellow! You're living the dream, although right now, it may not feel like it because of worn-out exteriors, outdated décor, and the almost boring appeal of your beach house.
Whether it's a vacation house you own by the beach or a permanent residence you've somehow forgotten to maintain, it's still a beach house. There are so many renovation ideas you can try if you want to refresh and upgrade the value of your property. You'll be surprised by how an already relaxing place could transform into a dreamier, cozier, and more charming abode for you and your family.
A Beach House Makeover
What's good about having a beach house is that there are already enough outside elements to create a rustic appeal. On your end, you need to make sure your beach house décor is always in style. You want the airy space to complement the property's overall aesthetics so you can effortlessly achieve a soothing and laid-back vibe that all beach houses seem to exude.
If you're ready to give your home the makeover it deserves, here are some tips and ideas you might want to consider:
- Turn Your Kitchen Into A Retro Eye Candy
- You've seen it in the movies—retro kitchens are making a comeback, and it's not going away any time soon. Adding fun and playful personality to a focal point of your home is something you can easily pull off if you have enough tricks up your sleeve. You won't even have to worry if the rest of the house features an entirely different style since the kitchen is a space of its own in more ways than one.
- Think kooky details, pastel surfaces, vibrant appliances, and colorful melamine accessories: an eye candy that you won't easily resist. If you're having difficulty figuring out which colors to mix and match or what patterns would look better, fret not. There's only one word you need to live by if you want a retro-inspired kitchen—fun. Paint the cabinets in yellow, sherbet pink, checkered black, and white, pastel blue, or avocado green. A playful mix and match of colors can do a lot to bring your kitchen to life.
- For a friskier vibe, you can create a diner-themed space where you can throw in a chrome-edged table with mismatched high chairs and bar stools. Make sure the tabletop is in a vibrant color that contrasts the chairs and other kitchen elements.
- Extend Your Dining Space
- Do you like entertaining guests? If so, you probably wish you have a dining area with enough space to accommodate everyone. Now that you're renovating, this is your chance to do something about the situation and extend your dining area. If your kitchen stretches to the back door where there's still plenty of space to work around, converting it into an outdoor area might be a great idea
- If you don't have enough room at the back for extension, you can use a corner terrace or an existing veranda. All you need to do is add outdoor furniture to make the space look relaxing and indulging enough for people to stay for lunch or dinner. You can hang fairy lights to enhance the pleasant ambiance. The dinner table could also use a little upgrade if you want to create a cozy and intimate vibe. You can have cozy dinner parties with the sea breeze and the waves as your background music.
- Upgrade Your Furniture
- If your beach house has been around for years, chances are the furniture is already outdated, worn out, and may even be broken in some ways. For sure, the space could appreciate modern and more beautiful accent pieces that can highlight the interior design you want to have for your home. Luckily, you have more than enough options should you decide to shop for new furniture and accessories.
- If you gave the retro kitchen a thumbs up, you could consider going for a vintage-themed interior for the living room. The contrast it'll create as compared to what your kitchen already has is stunningly unique. If you're worried that it might make the beach house feel restricted or not too cozy, you can always choose furniture and accessories that are both elegant and comfortable. For example, couches with golden carvings and edges can still be comfy if you'll match them with fuzzy rugs or carpeting.
- Make sure you incorporate accessories like golden-framed mirrors and crystal chandeliers to achieve the vintage feel you're aiming for. Top it up with floor-to-ceiling curtains made from light fabrics and materials so you won't have to worry about natural light not being able to get through.
- Make The Most Out Of The Beachfront Feature
- All beach houses have one thing in common—they all have access to the beach. If you have a beachfront feature that you can directly access from your porch, front door, or backspace, that means better chances of having the house renovated and turned into something you've never even imagined before. The beachfront is considered the hotspot of your property, and making the most out of it is the best thing you can do.
- How do you do that, you may ask? Well, one idea is to build a gazebo, pergola, or porch that faces the sea. You can use this area to entertain guests or as an outdoor dining area.
- To achieve this, you could make the necessary renovations as soon as your time and budget allow. Start with building the gazebo, pergola, or porch. After that, make it comfortable with warm lights and cozy furniture. Make sure to use furniture that can withstand inclement weather, the sun, and the salty air of the beach. Some of the materials you can consider for furniture are rattan, bamboo, steel, and wood.
- Build An Outdoor Kitchen
- Since you've already started creating an outdoor haven, keep going and add another focal feature. A fully functioning outdoor kitchen would surely be another prized possession of your beach house that you can be proud of. Next time you're having a night affair with family or friends, you no longer have to go back and forth to the home kitchen to check on the meal you’re cooking. You can cook outside and mingle with guests at the same time.
- To make sure your outdoor cooking space will be serving its purpose, create a list of features that it should have. To start with, of course, there needs to be worktops and countertops where you can slice, chop, wash, and prepare your ingredients. A grill is an excellent must-have, too. Then, you need kitchen appliances such as an oven, refrigerator, side burners, range, and ice maker. If you could splurge some more, throw in a small wine cooler there, too.
- If you've already built an extra outdoor space, such as a gazebo, porch, or pergola, you can maybe consider connecting the kitchen to those spaces. That way, cooking, and dining won't be a hassle for you. You can also add a fire pit in one corner for a complete outdoor experience if you must.
- Renovate The Bathrooms
- If you've done renovating almost all areas of your beach house, don't forget to include the bathrooms in your checklist. You can incorporate your interior theme into the restrooms if you want, in case you're already running out of new ideas for a bathroom transformation. Alternatively, you can mix and match the fixtures and features inside the room if you don't want it to have a distinct theme.
- To make your bathrooms more relaxing, you can add some indoor plants. You can choose from various plants that can grow beautifully in humidity, which makes them perfect for areas like the bathroom. Examples are golden pothos, aloe plants, calathea rattlesnakes, snake plants, alocasia, English Ivy, air plants, and monstera.
- Another idea is to install a skylight over your bathroom roof to let the natural light in. Depending on the size of the room, you can choose a skylight type, shape, and size that'll match your preference and the specifications of the restroom.
Conclusion: Your Dream House Made Even Dreamier
So many beach house renovation ideas are just waiting to be explored and tried. Having property like this one usually remains just a dream for many. You could bring your beach house to its full potential by renovating it into the home of your dreams. Work on your budget, figure out how to make the time for it, and get started with your makeover project.
Everything listed above are suggestions of where to start, but you can go at your own pace. You can start from the smallest renovations and go all the way up when the time is right. What matters is you're working on it and making the most of what your beach house has to offer.