You don’t need a beach house to evoke the splendor of the shore. A little decorating magic will do
If you love the beach but owning a second vacation home is beyond your wildest dreams, take heart. A little decorating magic can turn any abode into beachfront property that captures a casual, summery style and celebrates the beauty of the ocean and the shore.
People like decorating in this theme because the beach evokes summer, fun and happy memories.
This is a style that’s definitely not pretentious or trying to impress. Ornately carved furniture, luxurious upholstery, and elaborate window treatments don’t really fit in here. Seashells, dried starfish, jars of beach glass, driftwood and other treasures from the sea are more in keeping than china, crystal or antiques and are as close as your nearest shore.
For many Northeasterners, a beach house connotes blue and white, cabana stripes, weathered wood, bare floors, sheer window treatments, and nautical motifs, such as maps, ships, antique compasses, and oars.
Say what you will about the charms of Nantucket, Cape Cod or the Hamptons. There are those of us who like our waters equatorial. The trade winds seem to be blowing through the home furnishings industry, resulting in a plethora of products that enable you to transform any room into a miniature island paradise. While beach still means whitewashed, pickled woods, and blue and white, people are now using more traditional island designs in their interiors, darker woods, dark wicker, cane and rattan, white or natural linen accents, and ceiling fans. This British Colonial style mixes the opulence of traditional British estate furnishings with the natural materials and handmade items indigenous to the now independent states that were once part of the British Empire. British Colonial allows you to combine antiques with handmade, ethnic items to create rooms that are stately, exotic and laid-back—all at once. |
However, Cathy Still Johnson, homes editor, Coastal Living magazine, says different regions have varying definitions of the beach look: Art Deco in Florida, surfer chic in California, and tropical motifs in Hawaii.
Whatever the region, designers and homeowners find inspiration in the hues found in nature, says Johnson, such as "pale blues of the sky, turquoise greens and blues of the sea, sage greens and browns in grasses, vibrant colors of sunrise and sunset, soft whites from clouds, and sandy browns."
Beach style isn’t just atmospheric, it’s practical, too, she adds, and frequently incorporates "natural textures which are usually easier to care for, such as woven fiber furniture, sisal rugs, washable canvas slipcovers and indoor/outdoor fabrics."
One precaution to take when decorating in a beach-house style is not to go overboard. The cool colors and airiness that are so appealing in the summer may lack coziness when autumn arrives.
Your home can evoke the allure of the beach without being ultra-summery. Decorator Lucy Diamond gives an example of how she brought a warm, cozy beach look to one home in the Hamptons by covering one canvas sofa in a blue chenille slipcover and the other in a red, yellow and blue damask. A Persian-style wool carpet kept the room looking warm for winter, yet its creamy white, light blue and pink color scheme was light enough to be appropriate for summer. Framed Audubon prints of water birds are in keeping with the theme without being too rustic.
Sheer Delight
Nothing says summer like the sight of a sheer curtain billowing in a warm breeze.
Sheers have always been a popular option for summer. Now many people are choosing to leave their sheers up year-round.
Part of this trend is simply due to the ever-swinging fashion pendulum. After years of dressed-up windows wearing fussy window treatments, many decorators are gravitating to windows that are barely dressed at all.
Sheers are also a practical option, enabling people who live in areas where the houses or buildings are close together to bring softly diffused sunlight into rooms while still retaining some privacy.
Sheers can stand alone or be part of a layered window treatment. They are available in everything from classic unadorned white muslin to velvet burnouts that bring a look of Old World elegance to a room. Looks aside, you can even choose polyester sheers that are machine washable and dryable.
If you’re concerned about how much can be seen through a sheer, test sheers in the store by holding them up to the light. This will let you judge how see-through they are before purchasing.
