An East Hampton Beach House Remodel Opens a 1979 Home
Alex and Jennifer bought a cedar-shingled house in East Hampton and started renovating right away. Built in 1979, the 2,500-square-foot home had five bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, but its divided first floor and never-renovated kitchen and bathrooms did not match the open, modern beach house they had in mind.
Their East Hampton beach house renovation centered on opening the kitchen, dining room, and den into one connected living area. Their Sweeten contractor also helped carry hardwood flooring across the ground floor, customize IKEA kitchen cabinets, redesign the open staircase, and give each of the home’s three bathrooms a distinct look.
- Homeowners: Alex and Jennifer posted their East Hampton renovation on Sweeten
- Where: East Hampton, Long Island, New York
- Primary renovation: The first floor was reconfigured into an open plan by removing a wall and multiple load-bearing beams. The remodel transformed the kitchen by adding customized IKEA cabinetry and a large island, continuous hardwood flooring across the ground floor, a redesigned glass-and-wood staircase, and updates to all three bathrooms.
- Homeowner’s quote: “Our Sweeten contractor was a reliable asset. He found a solution to every snag and never said no to a request.”
Guest blog post by homeowner Alex
An East Hampton beach house remodel opens the first floor
We purchased our cedar-shingled East Hampton house and started renovating immediately. Jennifer, a speech-language pathologist, and I, a banker, had two young boys and wanted to create the open, modern beach house we had pictured for our family. We also knew the house could work well as an Airbnb.
Built in 1979, the home had five bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. The biggest change we wanted was downstairs, where the first floor was divided into separate spaces. We planned to open it up, which meant taking on more than a simple wall removal.
The staircase also needed attention. It looked dated, and the railing left the side of the stairs largely open, which was a concern with young children in the house. The kitchen and bathrooms had never been renovated either, so they became major parts of the project.
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Removing walls creates one connected living area
Our Sweeten contractor warned us early that changing the floor plan would be the biggest part of this East Hampton renovation, and he was right. The kitchen sat in the center of the house, and the wall separating it from the foyer contained a support beam.
Creating the open layout required removing multiple load-bearing beams along with that wall. Our contractor then suggested lowering the ceiling by a few inches so the perimeter beams could be concealed. That left us with a flush, uninterrupted ceiling instead of visible structural elements breaking up the space.
Once the work was complete, the kitchen, dining room, and den were no longer three separate rooms. They became one continuous area, allowing more light to travel through the first floor and giving us the open feeling we had wanted from the start.
Continuous hardwood connects the ground floor
Opening the rooms changed another decision we had already made. We had purchased large faux-concrete floor slabs to replace the dated kitchen tile, but the new layout made us reconsider using a separate flooring material in the kitchen.
Our general contractor encouraged us to continue hardwood across the entire ground floor instead. We followed his suggestion, and the consistent flooring helped visually connect the newly opened kitchen, dining, and living areas.
It was one of several moments during our East Hampton home remodel when a contractor’s recommendation changed our original plan for the better.
Customized IKEA cabinets reshape the kitchen
We were especially excited about the kitchen. The plan centered on a large kitchen island where we could cook, gather, and entertain, along with quartz countertops, a wine refrigerator, and an integrated refrigerator.
Our Sweeten contractor customized the IKEA cabinetry with walnut panel doors from Semihandmade. Another walnut panel ran along the ceiling, giving the cabinetry a more finished, customized appearance.
The island included counter seating and a five-zone induction cooktop. Seeing it installed felt like an important milestone because the open floor plan finally had the central kitchen space we had been planning around. Sweeten brings homeowners an exceptional renovation experience by personally matching trusted general contractors to your project, while offering expert guidance and support—at no cost to you. Renovate expertly with Sweeten
A glass-and-wood staircase keeps the entry open
After reworking the first floor, we turned our attention to the staircase. Safety was the priority, but the stairs are also one of the first things you see when entering the house, so we did not want the new enclosure to make the entry feel closed off.
We chose vertically installed glass panels framed in wood. The new design enclosed the staircase while preserving the light and openness we had created elsewhere on the first floor.
The transparent panels also fit naturally with the broader direction of our Hamptons home renovation, where opening sightlines and connecting spaces had become recurring design elements.
Three bathrooms get three different looks
Each bathroom took on its own style rather than repeating one design throughout the house.
In the primary bathroom, we went with a minimal white look and large-format porcelain slabs in the shower. We especially liked the broad, smooth surfaces and minimal grout lines.
The guest bathroom brought in ocean-blue cabinetry and hexagonal tile, while the first-floor powder room received a white console sink. Black marble added contrast to the bathroom designs.
Giving each bath its own combination of finishes lets us update all three spaces while still making them feel connected to the rest of the house.
Managing the remodel from Long Island City
The biggest challenge for us was distance. East Hampton was about a two-hour drive from our home in Long Island City, so much of the project had to be managed from afar. On many weekends, we made same-day round trips to see how the work was progressing.
Having a contractor we could rely on mattered even more because of that distance. Our Sweeten contractor was a reliable asset. He found a solution to every snag and never said no to a request.
He was also available when we had questions, and throughout the project, we felt that he wanted us to be happy with the result.
After months of planning, seeing the finishes go in made the project feel tangible. The house came out the way we had hoped, and we were happy with the decisions we made along the way.
Thank you, Alex and Jennifer, for sharing your East Hampton beach house remodel with us!
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Renovation materials
Living space resources
- Wall paint in Bakery Box, #BL-W9: Behr
- Fireplace mantel tile in Realta II: Cement Tile Shop
- Custom glass doors: Crystalia Glass
- Living room built-in cabinetry: Custom millwork by Sweeten contractor
Entrance and hallway resources
- Rhye wallpaper in hand foil: Custhom
- Montara 28.5-inch mirror: Serena & Lily
- Console: West Elm
- Closet Dove shelves in brushed chrome finish: California Closets
Staircase resources
- STUDIOC WOW drop tiles on risers: Crossville Studios
Kitchen resources
- Cabinets customized by contractor: IKEA
- Walnut panels: Semihandmade
- Pental quartz countertops and backsplash in Avenza
- Refrigerator/freezer: Fisher & Paykel
- Wine refrigerator: KitchenAid
- Dishwasher: KitchenAid
- Microwave/oven: KitchenAid
- Five-burner induction cooktop: Samsung
- Meurice chandelier: Jonathan Adler
- Carlisle Metal counter stools: Threshold
Primary bathroom resources
- 4-inch Hexagon Fosso marble floor tile: Nemo Tile
- Stone Calacatta black smooth porcelain wall tile: Florim
- Hardware: Kallista
- GrohFlex Essence dual-function thermostatic shower fixtures with control module: Grohe
- Glass shower doors: Custom by contractor through Crystalia Glass
- Mason Apothecary single-sink vanity: Pottery Barn
- Infinity rectangular wall mirror: CB2
Guest bathroom resources
- 4-inch Hexagon Griglio Cielo marble floor tile: Nemo Tile
- Stone black smooth porcelain wall tile: Florim
- Hardware: Kallista
- GrohFlex Essence dual-function thermostatic shower fixtures with control module: Grohe
- 60-inch Kendall blue bathroom vanity: Houzz
- Infinity rectangular wall mirror: CB2
Second-floor landing resources
- 30-light chandelier: Lumens
Frequently asked questions
What are the characteristics of an East Hampton beach house?
Some common characteristics of an East Hampton beach house are cedar-shingled exteriors, open living areas, and interiors that make use of natural materials and light finishes. In this renovation, continuous hardwood floors, an open first-floor layout, walnut cabinetry, and glass staircase panels helped create that relaxed, connected feel.
Is it expensive to renovate a beach house in East Hampton?
Yes, renovating a beach house in East Hampton can be expensive, especially when the project involves structural changes, multiple bathrooms, new flooring, and kitchen updates. Since costs depend heavily on the scope and existing conditions, speaking with an experienced contractor from a trusted network like Sweeten can help homeowners better understand what their renovation may require.
Are IKEA cabinets good?
Yes, IKEA cabinets can be a good choice for homeowners looking for flexible, reasonably priced cabinetry that can also be customized. These cabinets can be durable with proper care, and in this East Hampton remodel, the contractor paired IKEA cabinets with Semihandmade walnut panels to create a more customized look.
