I’ve been waiting for almost TWO MONTHS to get to share this news and today it’s finally real… signed, sealed and delivered, I am just giddy with excitement to tell y’all that we have bought a little beach getaway at our favorite family destination, otherwise known as Rosemary Beach.
It’s been years in the making, and something Jeff and I have always dreamed about… even before we got married almost 10 years ago. As luck would have it, we started really looking into the 30a market about two years ago, getting serious about this type of investment and what it would look like, where we wanted to be, ideal specifics about what type of beach house we were looking for, etc.
We then met the dynamic duo of Ashlee Mitchell and Jonathan Clark via Rosemary Beach Realty and the rest is history. They were SO patient with us, as we’ve toured a ton of options each time we visited 30a, and of course my little real estate junkie Jeff subscribed to receiving daily emails on every single listing that went on the market with our criteria… so there have been LOTS of emails, phone calls, discussions and planning since we started seeking out our vacation space.
And then funny enough, our dream came true the morning we arrived on Fall Break.
To make a long story short, it was the perfect spot… a loft in the town square, centrally located to the beach of course, but also convenient to shops + restaurants + and all our favorite places within Rosemary Beach within walking distance [yes, that means many more trips to Sugar Shak, La Crema, Disco, Gigi’s, Amavida Coffee and more]. After a few negotiations back and forth with Ashlee/Jonathan and the seller’s agent [goodness we watch way too much Selling Sunset and Million Dollar Listing], we officially signed the contract and as of yesterday afternoon, we closed on our very first beach home. So, yes, lots to update you on and a fun new project coming right up!
And now… starting today, we begin renovations with a local contractor to hit the ground running and make a few cosmetic adjustments over the next 6-8 weeks… building bunks for added sleeping space [the girls are THRILLED with this addition], updating the kitchen appliances and installing new white quartz countertops, fresh new coats of paint throughout the bungalow and of course adding fun new lighting, art, accessories + furniture to make it more “our style” [and yes, thanks to my amazing hubby for letting me take the lead on this aspect since he knows I love it so much]. Basically making it a little more Hello Happiness if you know what I mean ;).
I have a feeling I’m going to get bombarded with burning questions so here is a brief Q&A session to hit the high notes and I’ll be sure to answer more along the way… you know I am an open book and love to keep you in the know!
Our Rosemary Beach Getaway
Will you be sharing the process via social media?
As if there were ever a doubt…. OH YES! This is something Jeff and I are even more thrilled to get to share… we’ll be taking you behind-the-scenes of the renovation, with plenty of before and after updates along the way. We’ve been itching to take on a new project [you know, because we have nothing else going on-haha!] so this couldn’t have come at a better time for us. I promise to keep you updated as much as possible, though I’ll be honest… renovating a beach getaway from afar is already proving to have its challenges. Thankful it’s an easy, direct flight and we have a team in Rosemary Beach who is fantastic about helping us with all our questions and giving us the best advice!
Will you be renting out your beach bungalow?
Absolutely!! We are hoping the renovations will be complete by the end of January/early February so you can stay at our place the next time you head to 30a for a little beach getaway. And we will be utilizing Rosemary Beach’s official home rental service—who we’ve used for years to rent through—so I know our guests and visitors will be in the best hands when they come visit our home sweet beach home. We have already opened up the rental online for anyone wishing to book… plenty of inspiration pics on what we are envisioning for something fun, colorful and happy when you visit!
What are you naming it?
Goodness I think this has been the hardest decision so far. We spent hours coming up with options, soliciting feedback from family and then finally deciding on RO SHAM BEAUX… it’s a favorite of our foursome. How we decide where we’re eating, how Jeff and I negotiate on household tasks and just a cheeky way to honor our little family in a fun way! I’ve already created a separate IG account for anyone that wants to follow along, as I’ll be sharing a TON of home style, décor, 30a favs and more there since we are now officially residents of Rosemary Beach! Check out Ro Sham Beaux on Instagram here.
What will the vibe be??
I’ll be honest, I know the beach is full of relaxing hues of blue, green and whites, but you also know me and I want something different. So expect Hello Happiness to put its stamp on our new beach house… white paint throughout but LOADS of colorful accents and perfect pops of cheer with furniture, lighting, décor and art… you’ll definitely know it’s our house from the moment you walk inside!
Home style, décor and design has always been a big fascination of mine and I’m excited for a new project to use that creative part of my brain and get to work with some pretty incredible brands for collaborations, like Serena and Lily, Oushak Chic, Stray Dog Designs, Brooke Lancaster Art, Joanna Buchanan, Katy Garry Art, The Happy Lamp Company, Sketch and Co, Annie Selke, Stock and Trade Design Co and more…
Here are some inspiration ideas I’ve used to start the ordering and design process:
Will you be moving to Rosemary?
Not permanently, unless I can talk Jeff into it… haha, just joking, you know I am a Nashville native and will never leave this city! No, this will be a vacation home for us when we head south and a rental for others to enjoy as well. Since Southwest has 1-hour flights directly to PCB, we can easily be at the beach within a few hours so long weekends away and weeks at Ro Sham Beaux are calling my name now more than ever!
So, now that it’s official, this gal and her better half are off to get some work accomplished while we’re here in Rosemary for a few days. Lots of packing up former furnishings to donate, meetings with our contractor to start the renovations, a few interior appointments to complete ordering and then endless runs to Target I’m sure. I just keep telling myself, the end result of all this will be SO worth it and I’m thrilled for our best family adventure yet…
imagery by the fabulously talented Amy Riley
Have you been to Rosemary Beach before? Let me know in a comment below!
Congratulations!!! How exciting! I love that area as well and have stayed nearby in Inlet Beach but we spent a lot of time in downtown Rosemary Beach area. It’s beautiful and I fell in love with the area. Cannot wait to return once travel is safer.