The Amazing Before And Afters Of Our Renovated Beach Condo – Part 1
Can you tell how hazy it is? That’s because it was 105 degrees the day that I took this pic!
As you look at the befores, imagine a place where nothing resembling any housekeeping had been done, walls that had cracking paint because old wallpaper had been painted over, rusty, crusty, nasty appliances in the kitchen, mildew/mold behind the old wallpaper.
To top all of that off – imagine carpet that was dirty, filthy, sticky, icky, smelly and every other form of nasty that I can think of. You may ask why I would even consider a place so utterly GROSS? Did I mention that it. is. on. the. beach? 😀
When you enter the condo, you immediately walk into the hallway that leads to the living room and kitchen. This is what greeted us when we entered the condo for the first time…….prepare yourself.
BLECH!!!
That little black thing you can see on the couch is Diva Dog.
She insisted on making her debut in this blog post.
Step on into the living room. Diva Dog and Ferocious Guard Dog graciously agreed to put themselves on display for you.
The couch pulls out into a bed. We had it made using a 6″ thick mattress instead of the standard 4″ ones that you usually find in sleeper sofas. Now it’s just about as comfy as our bed.
This chair is so cozy. It’s a great little nook for reading, watching tv or just enjoying the view of the beach.
This is what that same area used to look like.
Turn around to look at the opposite wall…
…that used to look like this.
I refused to sit on this couch while we talked when we first looked at the condo. It was almost as gross at the carpet. They told us that all of the furnishings came with the condo. Um….no thank you.
Let me take a little pause here to tell you the major renovations that we made throughout the condo:
- removed all of the wallpaper, killed the mildew/mold, sanded and painted the walls
- ripped out the carpet and padding and replaced with laminate wood floors
- replaced the air conditioner
- replaced the sliding glass doors
- added and replaced ceiling fans
- replaced the water heater
- replaced all of the corroded doorknobs with brushed nickel ones
- added additional electric circuits to the breaker box
Turn around one more time and here’s the kitchen.
Update: Here’s what the kitchen wall looks like now that the bookcases have been added.
I love this backsplash. It’s made up of different colors of iridescent glass tile with travertine marble sprinkled throughout.
I love this little fishy canister too. So do Diva Dog and Ferocious Guard Dog because they know that this is where their treats are kept!
Found this little spit of a rug at Ikea. It’s the perfect size for my tiny kitchen.
Hold your breath…this is the before of the kitchen.
Don’t ‘cha just looove this little stencil that was above the sink? And hey – what a great place to hang your keys!
In the kitchen we:
- replaced the refrigerator and stove
- added a microwave above the stove
- replaced the laminate counters with SileStone
- painted the cabinets
- replaced the hinges on the cabinets
- replaced the sink and faucet
- added a backsplash
Now back up hallway…
At the foot of each bed, we added these little shelves that we already had. I shopped around til I found some cute little baskets. Oh – the little clip-on fans work perfectly when it gets too warm.
And lest you forget – here’s what the view back up the hallway looked like before.
And since I don’t want to leave you with an image that burns your eyes, here’s something a little cuter to look at…
This is my sweet little Miss M sitting on the deck a couple of years ago. It’s one of my favorite pictures of her.
What a great job on the condo renovation! We, too, have a tiny condo at the beach and have been pondering a renovation for a couple of years. My idea folder is huge and I am adding your comfy pullout sofa with a custom mattress to that file. Please provide more details on how you added a thicker and more comfortable mattress to the typically very uncomfortable pullout sofa bed.
Great Job! How did you paint do the cabinets? I have the same and want to update them. And what color is the yellow?
Oh my word, Suzy. This is a stunning makeover! I would have been overwhelmed at the before but you did an amazing job!
Hi Suzy! I love what you did with your beach condo. My husband and I are looking for a place at Atlantic Beach, NC. You have really inspired me to look at condos for sale which I had not thought of at all! My family has had a place at AB since 1986 and I just love it but am now looking for a place of our own.
Could you please share more info on the backsplash in the kitchen? I LOVE IT!
Thanks, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer. I’ve spent lots of time at Atlantic Beach! My mom used to own a place in Salter Path before everything became so built-up. The backsplash tile came from Home Depot’s website. They didn’t have it in the store, but I was able to order a sample of it before I committed to anything. I’m sorry that I don’t remember the name of that particular style, but hopefully they still carry it and you can find it. Good luck searching for your special place! I’d love to hear what you find.
I did not find anything like yours on Home Depot but I did find one laid out similar on Lowe’s that led me to a tile brand. Does Elida Ceramica sound familiar? Through that brand I found “Emperial Coral Reef”. The only thing that is throwing me is where it looks like yellow or gold in yours. Is that because it is reflecting your wall color? Thanks for the little help you did give, it seems to have led me in the right direction!!! Can’t wait to see all the neat things you continue to do at the beach!
Sorry, but the names just don’t ring a bell. I did look at the brand though on Lowes website and the one in this link looks very, very similar and may be the same one. I’d have to actually see it to be sure. http://www.lowes.com/pd_409706-87523-CHIGLAHT81511PO_0__?productId=3761329&Ntt=elida+ceramica&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Delida%2Bceramica&facetInfo= The yellow/gold color isn’t really like that – it must just be the way that the camera “translated” the colors. Some of the tiles are stone and some of those are slightly off-white. Those must be the one that the camera made look yellow/gold. Some of the glass tiles have an iridescent look to them which I’m sure are reflecting the light.
What an amazing transformation! Love what you have done with this condo. My husband and I have just purchased a condo at a NC beach. From looking at your pictures I think our condo is near your NC beach condo. Maybe across the street if your condo is where I think it is in NC. Our condo is 1200 sq ft, but the floor with the kitchen/living/dining is laid out like yours without the bunks. I love the “build in” made with the cabinets. Hope to do the same in my NC Beach condo. Thank you so much for sharing!
Suzy, this is simply fantastic! What an unbelievable before and after….and all that attention to detail. Love that blue in the shelving unit! It was so great that you could see the diamond in the rough under all the clutter and dated decor. So many people would have passed it by.
Thank you so much, Jenna!
ooooh the backsplash feels beachy. Great transformation. The before reminds me of Flip or Flop DIY show, they take it from the nastiness to beauty. LOL
How wonderful to have a place like this. And I wouldn’t have been able to see past the “before” – it looks so nice!
Lots of work, but well worth it. Looks so nice!
I love this little Beach Condo! How can you bear to leave it after all that work you put into it?
Thank you so much, Sandy! You’re right – after so much work, it was hard to leave, but we are super excited to have a larger place where all of our family can join us!
My family has an identical condo to yours here in NC as well! I stumbled on your blog in a search for ideas as I’m planning an overhaul of it since my mom’s passing last month. Love the entertainment center idea!
I’m glad you were able to find some inspiration! Enjoy your condo!