Meet our newest project:
This announcement may (or may not?) come as a surprise, but it has been months in the making. We started actively searching (and putting in offers) on houses in January and it has been a rollercoaster ride with this crazy market. But everything happens for a reason! I couldn’t be happier about where we ended up—we officially closed on the property April 19th and renovations are already underway.
The home was built in 2008 (which means less chances of unwanted surprises and repairs, yay!) and we purchased it as a cosmetic “flip” from the second owner. It’s a spacious 3 bedroom, 3 bath with ~2450 square feet and two en-suites. The biggest selling point for me was that it’s near our home, which means we won’t have a long commute (I’ve experienced longer-distance renovations twice and it makes everything much more challenging!)
The plan is to turn the property into a vacation rental (if you’re new here, we also have the Riverside Retreat and Poolside Palms) and it will sleep up to 14 guests after we add a fourth bedroom. This will be a complete renovation and we’ll be DIYing as much of it as possible, so I’m expecting it to take us at least a year. Here’s the floor plan (after the fourth bedroom addition):
I’m embracing the Spanish-style architecture but adding in my own unique flair. I’ve been obsessing over this design style for a long time and finally have the opportunity to bring my ideas to life! Picture Amber Interiors meets Moroccan riad meets colorful Mediterranean with a taste of Florida:
via Amber Interiors 
via Casa Lecanda 
via Savvy Interiors 
via Intimate Living Interiors
I’ve spent hours upon hours saving inspiration to a dedicated board on Pinterest, if you’re curious to get a sense of my vision. While I plan to stay within these general styles, each room will have its own look and vibe (similar to the Riverside Retreat).
Without further ado, let’s take a tour and I’ll share a few ideas and plans I have for each space:
Jump to:
Front + backyard
There’s no mistaking this distinct Spanish/mediterranean influence of the exterior, and I’ll be adding even more of those details to enhance the experience.
The biggest transformation and largest chunk of our budget will be spent in the backyard.
We plan to add a pool, decking, a pergola, pavers and gravel, grill, tile on the patio, a new fence and lush greenery.
This backyard oasis will be the main attraction for guests, so it has to be a show stopper and that requires a little splurging.
Dining room
This is the first room you see when you walk in the front door, to your left. I’ll hang a large statement chandelier and two dining tables to seat 12-14 guests. One of my favorite features of this home is the vaulted ceiling in the main living space.
My least favorite? The obnoxious overly-textured walls. Skim coating the entire house is not an expense we can justify, so it is what it is.
Kitchen
Oh man, this before is pretty bad. Nothing like adding two partial walls in an open room with a vaulted ceiling.
Fortunately, these walls and everything in it are now gone and we have a blank slate to work with.
The focal point of the kitchen will be an extra long custom range hood enclosure (which we’ll DIY) and an island with additional seating.
Living Room
There won’t be a lot of space to work with in here after we add the kitchen island, but the big change in here will be a plaster-style built in fireplace we plan to DIY.
The living room/kitchen/dining room will be open to each other and form one big “great room”, and the most dramatic change will be dark wood beams and planks covering the ceiling. We plan to tackle this ourselves and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the most intense and longest and possibly most regretted DIY of our lives.
Bedroom 4
This area is currently unused/open space when you walk into the house on the right side (across from the dining room). It’s the perfect spot to add a small fourth bedroom—just large enough for two twin trundle beds against the wall.
Bedroom 1
This is the largest bedroom, measuring 16’5” x 16’11”. It has an entrance to the patio, a large walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom. It also has this super awkward off-center window slit above where the bed will go. What on earth am I supposed to do with that?! Replacing the windows is most definitely not in the budget, so I’ll have to come up with a budget solution. Any ideas?
The other dilemma is this octagonal tray ceiling, found in all three bedrooms. I can’t decide how I feel about this, and I’m not sure if I want to leave it as is. Whatever we do, it has to be budget friendly and DIY-able. Please give me all your suggestions!
Ensuite Bathroom 1
This is a pretty large bathroom, with a separate toilet room and enclosed shower.
There is so much potential here, but it would add up quickly to gut everything and start from scratch, so we will have to work with the existing floorpan (including another dang skinny window).
Bedroom 2
This is the second largest bedroom, measuring 15’8” by 13’8”. It has a large walk-in closet and ensuite.
It also has an unnecessary door that leads to the side of the house and is stuck shut. I would love to get rid of it but I don’t think removing it and patching the wall is in the budget.
This room unfortunately has no windows/natural lighting, and it also has the octaganal tray ceiling.
Ensuite Bathroom 2
A decent sized bathroom with another enclosed shower (and another unfortunate window slit).
No plans as of now to change the floorpan, but sometimes I get carried away with my big ideas so we shall see…
Bedroom 3
This is the smaller of the three main bedrooms, but still a decent size at ~13.5 x 12.5’. Fortunately, the ceilings in this house are 9’4” so that makes everything feel more spacious.
The biggest challenge in this room is that awkward off-center window that is way too low (the 4th bedroom and dining room have the same window issue).
Bathroom 3
Your typical bathroom size and layout. Minus that dang window slit that follows me everywhere!
Laundry Room
This space will likely end up as the forgotten child. I don’t think it’s worth dedicating a lot of time and budget towards (heck, we still have the subfloor in our own laundry room!) so who knows what will become of it.
So, what do you think?! We certainly have our work cut out for us with this one! I’m honestly just as excited about this renovation as I was when we built our own home. I have so many fun projects lined up and this is a chance to really get creative and experiment with new ideas. I also want your input! We have a big blank canvas to work with and so many possibilities. This project also presents new design challenges I’ve never faced, and I’d love to hear your suggestions. Here are a few questions that are top of mind right now…
- If you were staying as a group of 14, would you rather have a sleeper sofa in the living room and 2 of the 4 bedrooms sleep one couple each, or sleeper sofas in the two ensuite bedrooms and only one bedroom that sleeps two?
- DIY ideas for the tray ceilings in the bedrooms?
- What would you do with the arched windows that are off center and too low, and the off center skinny window in Bedroom 1?
- What should we name this place? I love alliterations (i.e. Riverside Retreat, Poolside Palms) and want to stick with the Spanish/Mediterranean theme. Currently entertaining Hidden Hacienda or Hacienda Hideaway… any others?
If anyone comes up with the winning name or a genius problem-solving idea, there will be a reward involved ?
What’s first on the to-do list? So far we’ve removed the flooring throughout the entire house (both the laminate and original tile underneath), completely demo’d the kitchen, and Lucas is finishing the new bedroom framing.
I’m anxious to share allll the details with you in the coming months! Get ready for a whole lotta room design plans, new DIY projects, product sourcing and budget breakdowns.
Next week I’ll be sharing the budget-friendly high end dupes I’ve been sourcing for the house. You can also take a tour of our current progress tomorrow in my Instagram stories, so make sure you’re following me there for all of the behind the scenes action. A very happy May to everyone!
Kate says
Havana House? Casa Sol? ☀️ What a fun project, I absolutely can’t wait to follow along and see what happens!
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Kate!
Nadine says
Congratulations! We all know you will make this beautiful. However for me and for safety I would not stay in a room without a window/egress.
Teri says
I’d keep the two ensuite bedrooms for the same reason Sam G stated. Solves the problem of who gets the primary suite.
Moroccan Mansion seems a little much for this lovely house but I agree Hacienda is too south of the border.
Valencia Villa, maybe?
Can’t wait to see what you do with this home!
Karyn says
When scanning for vacation properties online, hacienda makes me think of out of the country, too.
Michaela says
Definitely leave two rooms for two couples. I typically travel in a group of 3 couples and a few singles. Getting a stand alone place with room for the couples to sleep together is harder than you’d think.
I use to have tray ceilings and I always wanted to panel the bottom part with vertical wood and put a mural/ wallpaper in the top middle part to make your eye draw there.. never actually did it bc it was a rental but I thought it would look cool!
Off centered windows could be an opportunity to give it a boho eclectic Spanish style. I say embrace the quirk and don’t use a lot of symmetry… use art to balance the wall but keep it weird and almost use the window as art. As if you’re building a gallery wall and that’s your biggest painting 🙂
Jenna Sue says
Thank you for the great ideas Michaela!
Brit Mermod says
Awesome find. If I were staying there, whether just my family or a larger party. I think just one bedroom that’s sleeps one couple is just fine. I have no real DIY advice(that’s why I follow you, to get YOUR advice) lol but I do love coming up with catchy names. First off I like the hacienda hideaway. But here are a couple more …
Adriatic Address
A-bright Abode
Casa de la C(word)
I’ll keep thinking.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks so much Brit! 😀
Meghan says
My first thought in the tray ceilings was also pattern/texture like Brittany said.
Fun wallpaper, a very light Roman clay color, etc.
That skinny bedroom window is the worst and I’ve actually seen where someone just patched it up from the inside, but also painted the Sheetrock so it was white (or black, I can’t actually remember) if you managed to look through the window, and it actually didn’t look unnatural from the outside. It seems like no matter what you do you’ll lose that natural light, but still have the patio doors.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Meghan! I’m definitely leaning towards covering it up altogether. It really serves no useful purpose!
Amy says
What a great project and I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job. You could change the stuck door in the 2nd bedroom into a window. It needs to have a window/exit to be a legal bedroom anyway. So find a way to turn that door into either a window or a glass door to let in light. No one likes a windowless bedroom.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks so much Amy! Several have mentioned this idea too and I think this is the winner!
Jenna Sue says
Check your email Amy! 🙂
Amy Lietzau says
Thank you!
I can’t wait to see the transformation unfold.
Jacklyn says
I saw that ispydiy framed out her skinny, off-centered, window and did a gallery wall around it. Also you could add a cool mural or wallpaper to the tray ceilings.
Jenna Sue says
I saw that too, it’s pretty genius! Thanks Jacklyn
Jean says
1. Sleeper sofa in living room; two bedrooms sleeping one couple each.
2. Tray ceilings same paint as ceiling- just minimize. Or could fill in to simple rectangle/ square?
3. Windows are tough. After checking for wiring and pipes, for the slits I might bite the bullet and at least explore if there is a larger standard size (width and height ) (allows to adjust for off center issue) and go ahead and install those. Also put window where door is in windowless bedroom.
Arched windows – place comfortable chair and ottoman or side table next to window; get window covering/ shades that move upward or even better – perhaps can make two parts with bottom portion stationary and fixed closed – ie shutters!
Like Hacienda Hideaway.
Questions:
Closet, Spanish armoire in bedroom four?
Where is entry to closet for bedroom 2 or 3?
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Jean! The space in Bedroom 4 is tight but I’ll have to see if we can squeeze an armoire or something similar in the corner. The doors to bedroom 2 & 3 are on either ends of the hallway, opposite of each other 🙂
Elaine Griffith says
So stoked to see what you do with this!!!
Those slit windows though…. The largest bedroom, is it in the budget to just take it out altogether? If not, adding a plank wall over it and somehow having it match the style of the space? Especially if it’s that darker wood tone? I think this could potentially be an option for the tray ceilings. Or there is always wallpaper, a board and batten pattern, BEAMS, repurposed wood shiplap, paint it a different color than the walls? 🙂
I think I would pick the sleeper sofa in the living room and 2 of the 4 bedrooms sleep one couple.
The offcenter/too low window… built ins? Bunk beds on both sides to help hide the off centerness?
Jenna Sue says
Thank you Elaine! Not in the budget to remove the window but I think I’ll end up hiding it behind some art.
Sabrina says
Chris loves Julia used a Spanish style peel and stick tile for their girls bathroom from Etsy. I wonder if incorporating that in the trey ceiling would work as a focal point? Just a fun out of the box concept for a rental maybe? Of course, whatever you choose will be wonderful. Im guessing taking them out completely isn’t an option? For the name, how about Casa Lejos, which means Home Away in Spanish. Good luck and can’t wait to see this transformation!
Kathleen Harris says
Can’t wait to see what’s forthcoming! I think you need a term that is more European Spanish sounding, and “Hacienda” sounds too south of the border only—need something that makes you think more universally European Spanish, Moroccan.
For the tray ceilings (and anywhere else), I would change the old/large can lights with retrofit kits that are available—smaller profile, better light. These old ones are too prominent and dated. I think they aren’t too expensive and don’t require patching the ceiling/can opening. The tray ceilings (might require skim coating?) could each become a ⭐️ in the room—each one could be different—metallic gold, twinkle lights, mosaic “tile”, natural materials, trompe l’oeil (clouds? skyline? other?), each dependably on the room’s theme/decor.
The slit windows—maybe some kind of stained glass or similar? They’re there as some light source, so perhaps tweaking the light source so they speak to the rooms? I’d search Moroccan and other for similar small window “niches” to get ideas.
Congrats on finding a new project! ????????♂️??♀️???
Leydhen says
Spaniard here:
“Hacienda” for a building/house is a very Mexican word. In Spain “Hacienda” it’s the name of the Ministry of Treasury XDDD
In Spain we’ve got “Cortijos” (in Andalucia, Extremadura or Castilla-La Mancha), “Masía” (in Cataluña, Valencia and Baleares). All of them applies for a grand rural state in the Mediterranean area.
Jenna Sue says
Thank you for the insight, Leydhen!
Terri says
The Hacienda Haven…
Come relax, rest, rejuvenate
Sam G says
Great house, I can’t wait to follow the transformation. We often travel with 1-2 other families (12-16 of us) and it’s always awkward deciding who gets the master bedroom. My vote would be have a sleeper sofa in the living room and keeping the two ensuites for couples. Kids typically don’t care about sleeping on a pull out in the living room.
Can’t wait to see what you do with the tray ceilings. I have the same ceiling in my bedroom and we have not done anything to it. I have pinned some that have cool trim added to the middle in interesting patterns. Maybe a dark wood base with white trim in a pattern over it?
Terri says
The Hacienda Haven