I’m thrilled to be writing the announcement of my family beach house build! If you’re new here, my parents have owned a second home within the Delaware beaches for years, and recently sold to build a new one nearby. They thankfully included me from the start in the Fall, hired me as their designer (did they reallly have a choice? 😉) and have allowed me to share the plans, current state and future designs to take you along!
In this post, I’ll cover a little bit of the initial process in case you’re looking at new build options, photos of the house as of a few weeks ago and what to expect to see next. SO much more to come here and we can’t wait to take you along for the ride!
The Decision
Years ago, my parents decided to purchase a sizable townhome to decide if this was really the place they wanted to dedicate their time to. We all fell in love with the area and knew this would be our beach town for life! My parents were having issues with their current place due to it’s age, and knew they wanted something newer that came with less stress. A flood led to deciding to look sooner, and it was really kismet as they found the ideal lot for all of their needs, luckily snatching it up before they quickly sold out! For privacy, I won’t be sharing specifics of location, but the outskirts of the main beach town allow for a quick 10 minute drive, many stores for convenience and access to other activities. We are all so lucky and thrilled to have this retreat.
The Floor Plans
They knew they wanted a lot with a view of the golf course, which unfortunately led to less options of models within the builder’s offerings. However, through much help, they were actually able to add on and get more than they ever expected! Definitely openly express how you’re feeling and what you wish you could do with the sales manager as we were able to make a few things happen with a worthwhile added cost.
First Floor
Second Floor
We upgraded a number of rooms and details, which I’ll share later on when it’s easier to visualize. The biggest being adding a bedroom downstairs, an in-bedroom bath and a bonus room upstairs. These decisions will pay off majorly in the long-term value of the home.
Progress Photos | Drywall Phase
We kicked off the process in the Fall, with the build starting in early May due to their scheduling. I’ll be sharing the start to finish process over on my Instagram stories and saving them to a highlight, so check back weekly there! However, for this post figured it was easiest to share the drywall phase for best visualization. Next week, I’ll be sharing a video walkthrough tour over on Instagram too!
Front Exterior
Entry
The entry boasts a long hall open to the main living space, with an office to the right, as well as a bedroom and first floor full bath. To the left, an arrival center within the laundry room and garage access. The two story staircase creates an airy flow throughout the home.
Looking at the front entry door, you’ll see access to the laundry room across from the steps and two utility/storage closets.
Office
Most may opt to use this space for something else, but with all 5 us having the option to work remotely, we absolutely wanted a dedicated office for important deadlines and meetings. This space gets great light and has a lot of privacy!
First Floor Bedroom
This space is off the side of the staircase as you enter the home, after the office. It’s a little difficult to shoot without a massive wide lens, but this bedroom will easily fit a queen bed and furniture, including a closet and direct access to the full bath.
First Floor Bath
Again, you can enter directly from the first floor bedroom or through the main hallway. It features a shower tub, toilet and sink.
Arrival Center/Laundry Room
Here is where a storage bench and hooks will be for ease of dropping off bags and sandy shoes. The opposite wall will house the laundry machines and we plan to build in extra storage above.
Main Living Space
This is where we’ll spend most of our time given it’s open concept layout! The space features a fireplace for gathering around the tv, opening to a large kitchen with a long island for additional seating.
The kitchen features a lot of storage, a large sink, pantry, double ovens and additional cabinetry for a bar area.
The space then flows out to the outdoor living area, with a morning room for a small dining space. We won’t have many formal meals here, so we were happy with this floor plan as is!
Back Exterior
We have big plans for the back of the house! We want to settle in for a bit, but hope to start for next Summer on expanding the deck area, pavers for a patio and entertaining. I’ll share the whole process, of course. The back of the house has a stunning view of the golf course!
Primary Bedroom
The primary bedroom is on the first floor, off the main living space. It features an extra seating area facing the back patio for a private space for my parents! The second photo shows access to the primary full bath.
Primary Bath
The primary bath will feature a wide, double sink cabinet, stand in shower and private toilet room. In the back, access to a walk in closet that we plan to customize shelving in.
Second Floor Loft
The second floor loft will be an additional lounge area with a tv, seating for gaming and serve as an additional workspace. The above photos show a few views that lead into 3 different bedrooms and a large access to attic storage that we will use for seasonal items that we don’t always need in the garage.
Not pictured is a shared bath across from the staircase.
Second Floor Bedroom w/ Bath
This will most likely be Greg & I’s bedroom. It features an added full bath and closet.
Second Floor Bedroom #2
This space is at the front of the house and the shared full bath is in between here and the bonus room.
Bonus Room
We last minute decided to add this room and can’t imagine the home without it. This won’t be a priority space as we have plenty of other rooms for now. As we hopefully expand our family, this large space will be great for multiple beds and serve as an additional play space.
What’s Next
As of now, the plan is to move in near mid August! COVID has caused material delays (still) so fingers crossed we don’t run into anything major.
From here on out, I’ll be sharing weekly story updates and releasing design boards and plans as they’re ready. So, be sure to follow along on Instagram for the latest (@megleonardco) updates!
The next big update is a video tour on Instagram, with the main living space design plans coming shortly after! Stay tuned and drop your questions below. Thanks for following along!