Image: Southern Living
Whether you use your beach house as a vacation home, an investment property or your primary place of residence, there will come a time when you look at it and think, “It’s time for a change.” Regardless of the extent of the change you’re talking about, you should approach the project with utmost care and deliberation. Below are a few tips to guide the process, some ideas for inspiration and considerations for your budget.
Tips for Renovating Your Beach House
Because most people associate beach houses with whimsy and relaxation, you have a little more freedom to think outside of the box in terms of décor and design. That said, there are certain elements that are inherent of the dream beach house and that you should focus on incorporating into your home:
- Preserved Integrity: Homes, whether on the sea or in the mountains, have personality and, for many of them, those personalities were established long before their current residents took root. Honor your beach home’s history and character by working with it rather than trying to hide it.
- Natural Light: For many people, the best part of living or staying in a beach house is the view of the ocean. Whether you need to install larger windows, take down some walls or simply use lighter colors, work with an interior designer Newport Beach to increase the natural light in your home.
- Few Mechanicals: Beach homes are meant to be retreats from the stressors of modern living. While getting rid of cable and the internet are impractical solutions, you can hide wires, screens, pipes, outlets and other elements that detract from the natural aesthetics of the home.
- Water-Resistant Materials: On the beach, decorating with water-resistant materials is a no-brainer. The best Santa Barbara interior designers can guide you toward sophisticated materials that are just as durable as they are stylish.
Renovation Ideas To Inspire You
Integrity? Check. Natural light? Check. Water-resistant materials? Check. Now the question is, where do you begin? Because the sheer number of “beach home décor” ideas can easily overwhelm you, it’s helpful to have someplace to start. One place it wouldn’t hurt to start is outside.
Outdoor showers are the stuff you see in movies, but you can easily incorporate one into your beach home with the right help. An outdoor shower will instantly take your home to the next level and keep it clean of sand and salt.
Also incorporate plenty of nooks. While large gathering spaces are perfect for evenings following long days at the beach, nooks provide personal escapes on rainy and overcast days.
Another idea is to add an outdoor kitchen or, at the very least, find a way to extend your current kitchen into the backyard. A Los Angeles kitchen remodeling expert can help you accomplish both without sacrificing the integrity of your home.
Considerations for Your Budget
Before you get too far ahead of yourself, determine how much you want and are able to pay. Prioritize your needs followed by your wants, and come up with estimates for how much it will cost to accomplish each. If you don’t have enough in savings to cover the total cost of the desired renovation, look into alternative means of funding, such as personal loans and home equity lines of credit.
Remodeling your beach home can bring great personal satisfaction and add significant value. To bring your visions to life as seamlessly as possible, work with an experienced interior designer.
