Having a house by the beach is a dream that many people have, but the price for a property with views of the ocean is not affordable for everyone. It is lucky then that the concept of a beach style home can be applied to any house, anywhere. All you have to do is think about the ocean, and match the furniture and decorations accordingly.
To me, the perfect beach house assembles all the elements that I enjoy when I go to the beach. It makes use of the colours that are found on the coast; the shades of blue from the ocean and the sky, white from the clouds and the breaking waves, green from the palm trees and the surrounding vegetation, coral and pink from the reefs and the shells, and beige and brown from the sand and the driftwood.
Above: The Coastal collection from Boyd Blue. www.boydblue.com
The beach means different things to different people, so it is important to isolate the elements of the beach that you want in your home. My ideal beach house has light walls, white or beige, with single walls in darker shades of blue, or brown. Blue and brown might not be the most common combination, but together they capture the warm, deep mood of the sea and the sand. The white gives an airy and fresh feeling, and it allows you to match with colourful decorations.
In my ideal beach house the lounge is white or beige, with plenty of cushions in soft shades of blues and pinks, inspired by the water and the shells on the beach. I would choose a dark timber for all the wooden features in the house, and it gives a more unique beach feel if picture frames are handmade from driftwood. Feel free to use natural decorations found on the beach when decorating your home, such as shells, rocks, and pieces of wood. Play with the images you have from the beach, so choose a carpet in a sandy colour, and a palm tree to have in the corner. Choose art work inspired by the sea, anything that has to do with waves always belong in a beach house.
By Johanna Grahn, intern at Luxury Home Design magazine
