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Tuck in Lobster Buoys
Immediately elevate a plain porch into a coastal getaway just by setting around a few colorful lobster buoys. The exposed joists and headers on this Maine cottage’s porch provided the perfect perch for several of the homeowner’s found treasures.
RELATED: 100+ Best Places to Shop for Antiques and Vintage Online
Fashion a Clever Coat Rack
Repurpose rope cleats as the perfect coastal coat rack. To make, simply screw evenly spaced metal cleats into a painted board.
Paint Your Chairs
To give her small California cottage a large, airy feel, designer Raili Clasen had the drop ceiling removed and brightened up the dark wood with white paint. Rewired with jute-covered cord, the vintage pendant fixture hangs directly from a junction box, but the swag rope makes it look like it’s nonchalantly tossed around the beams. Surrounding the large dining table is a mix of mismatched vintage chairs which Raili gave a uniform look with happy green paint.
Get the Look:
Ceiling Paint Color: Pure White by Sherwin-Williams
Chair Paint Color: Avocado by Sherwin-Williams
Jute-Covered Cord: Jute Rope Electrical Cord Kit from Amazon
TOUR THIS BEACH HOUSE
Embrace Nautical Motifs
Add Color Underfoot
In this Connecticut powder room by designer Gaelle Dudley of GLDESIGN, blue and blue cement tiles laid in a buffalo check pattern floor lends a playful coastal vibe. Wicker sconces add to the casual, beachy vibe.
Use Washable Slipcovers
This airy living room may look well-appointed, but washable slipcovers on the deep sofa and swivel chair minimize any and all wear-and-tear worries. The weathered wood coffee table and thick sisal rug also hold up to traffic of all sorts.
TOUR THIS BEACH COTTAGE
Build an Outdoor Shower
Mix Rattan Furniture
No material feels more at home in a beach house than rattan, and, as this pretty breakfast nook in a Bahamian beach house designed by Amanda Lindroth proves, there is no such thing as too much. Cushions in soft blues add just the right amount of color in this inviting neutral space.
See more of this home in Amanda’s upcoming book, Island Dreaming: Amanda Lindroth Design.
Hang an Oar Curtain Rod
Switch out your box-store curtain rod for a patinaed paddle or oar. To install, screw the oar directly into your wall (make sure you drill into a stud), or rest the paddle on curtain rod brackets. Slip the narrow end of the paddle through the curtain’s rod pocket or use curtain rings to hang.
Accent With Brass
Drench the Floor in Blue
To give this 170-year-old Nantucket cottage a fresh update, designer Kevin Isbell first started by painting all the wood planked walls a crisp white, and then drenched the floors in a deep blue inspired by the nearby ocean. Use outdoor-rated enamel deck or porch paint to stand up to beach house traffic.
Get the Look:
Floor Paint Color: Champion Cobalt by Benjamin Moore
Focus on the View
Thanks to a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors, all eyes are on the prize in this dreamy dining room. To add softness, homeowner Marsha Ahearn had breezy tie-top curtains made from 100-year-old French sheets found at the Brimfield antiques shows. Adding to the room’s casual look, rather than a chandelier, a lightweight, but hunky lantern hangs above the generous dining table. Pillows made from vintage bark cloth fabric add feminine pattern to the mix of natural wicker chairs.
Get the Look:
Lantern: For similar, “Ricardo” by Birch Lane
Think Pink
Three words sum up the oh-so-cute kitchen in designer Krista Ewart’s California beach cottage: scallops, scallops, and more scallops. Oh, a perfectly pink retro-style refrigerator, too!
Get the Look:
Pink Refrigerator: 50’s Style Frig by SMEG
Mix Old and New
Designer Loi Thai believes in layering rooms with that just-right piece of antique furniture or collection of vintage art, but he equally embraces the practicality and accessibility of mass retailer finds. Here, in the living room of his Maine coastal retreat, he set the scene by topping an economical jute rug with a striking blue-and-white striped dhurrie rug. For the comfortable seating arrangement, he paired a factory dolly-turned-coffee table with slipcovered seating and an indoor/outdoor wicker chair.
Give a Nautical Nod
Believe it or not, this airy coastal bedroom used to be a dark hole thanks to its knotty pine surround. Crisp, bright white paint from floor to ceiling instantly transformed the small space, providing a blank backdrop for homeowner Ted Kennedy Watson’s punchy layers of sea-faring themed furnishings such as nautical flags, anchor pillows, and old lockers.
TOUR THIS COASTAL COTTAGE
Use Laid-Back Furnishings
With the beach practically at the back door, this soft and pretty living room needed to be able to stand up to wet swimsuits and sandy feet. No problem thanks to an arrangement of furnishings in a mix of durable and worry-free materials: a sisal rug effortlessly handles traffic; the well-worn wood coffee table welcomes propped-up feet and coaster-free drinks; and both the vintage bamboo chair with its washable cushion covers and the deep slipcovered sofa provide swimsuit-friendly seating.
TOUR THIS BEACH HOUSE
Repurpose a Basket
Transform your porch into a cozy place to relax with summertime staples like wicker furniture and upholstery in bright whites and natural hues. Add a colorful rug to disguise any sand guests may carry in with them. For a lighthearted touch—upturn a wicker basket to use as ceiling mount light shade.
RELATED: More Inviting Sunroom Ideas for Creating a Dreamy Year-Round Retreat
Fresh Finishes + Vintage Charm
What this small kitchen lacks in square footage, it makes up for in charm. To freshen it up, the homeowners gave the 1950s space a bright coat of white paint, replaced the linoleum countertops with warm butcher block, and traded the upper cabinets with open shelving where they could display their collections of everyday dishes, serving pieces, and colorful vintage finds.
Hang Curtains For a Breezy Window Seat
It’s summertime and the loungin’ is easy on this plush window seat, stacked high with pillows and tucked away behind pretty sea-blue curtain panels.
Jennifer Kopf is the Executive Editor of Country Living. She also covers antiques and collecting.
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