The calendar may say October but don’t let that force you into a color scheme of brown and orange. Equally rich but not nearly as expected is the pairing of pink and wine. Like a great cab served with a perfectly seasoned filet, spice up your fall with this interesting and autumnal candy-colored combo.
David Hicks for Lee Jofa’s La Fiorentina fabric is a great geometric pattern for pillows like this one from Arianna Belle on Etsy.
Labor Day weekend is one last excuse to hit the stores and snap up some last-minute summer goodies for yourself. If you didn’t have the nerve to take the plunge and buy that eenie meanie bikini, how about some pretty dressing for your house? Here are some favorite places to shop ’till you drop.
Surf Bazaar located at the Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY, curates “the best of local artisans, designers, vintage finds, and all items that are inspired or inspire us of our surrounding environment.” In addition to gauzy tunics by brands such as Lemlem, the store carries Turkish towels and beach blankets exported from Central America.
Shabby chic may be a term of the past but elements of its style are not forgotten. Keep the elegance of the french caned furniture and simple, white, slip covered furniture and painted floors but switch it up by substituting the floral, frilly and sometimes frou frou look with warm rustic wood, classic striped fabrics and industrial vintage finds to define a new style affectionately called Beach Country.
This North Carolina lake house was renovated by its owners with lots of flea market purchases and their own elbow grease. The Craigslist caned sofa and Goodwill wing back chair were both reupholstered in thrifty drop cloth which looks a lot like linen at a fraction of the cost.
Modern design is about clean lines and minimalism. In a post-industrial era, many rejected the notion of traditional. But in a beach house setting, you can’t forget the color. Sleek and white make a home feel spacious and uncluttered but there’s surely a way to make modern more fun than sophisticated and stuffy.
Popham Design does a great job of taking geometric shapes such as the hexagon and combining them with a Moroccan touch. The cement tiles such as their Hex Target in Cabana pattern can be used on floors or walls.
One of the most popular rooms of any great beach house is undoubtedly the kitchen. Whether you’re starting off the morning with a good cup of coffee or finishing off the day with your favorite glass of wine, most activity tends to congregate in this important space. If your current kitchen seems dark and drab and in need of a little coastal rehab, consider giving it an upgrade with a few basic elements that will bring back that summer loving feeling.
For a luxury look at a bargain price, white subway tile is a relatively inexpensive but great looking solution that can be used as a clean and contemporary backsplash. Subway tile got its name in the early 1900s from New York City’s first white-walled underground transit stations. The “easy-to-clean, tightly grouted 3x6s became a hit in American bathrooms and kitchens, and they remain popular today,” according to This Old House.
Open House: Modern. Beach. Design. 