Inspired By: Coastal Massachusetts
When you are born and raised in coastal Massachusetts, as I was, the sea and salt air are in your blood. While I have lived elsewhere and been city-based for many years, the Atlantic Ocean has my heart and always seems to draw me back like a compass that a sea captain uses to guide himself home. There are many things that I love about the ocean, not least of which is its mighty nature, the unforgiving way that the waves batter the rocky New England shoreline. I love the natural rhythms of the tides, the way that, once in a while, the waves subside and the water stills, emulating glass with thousands of diamonds spilled over it glinting in the sun.
I particularly love my beloved small, coastal Massachusetts town in Autumn, when the tourists have departed back to their primary residences in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. One of my favorite things to do is to bundle up in a perfectly worn-in flannel shirt, pick up a hot coffee and a warm blueberry jam filled donut and walk the beach, embracing the chilly wind coming in off the water as it hits my cheeks. To me, the beach is to be enjoyed throughout the year, not just in summertime when temperatures break 90 degrees and I have to coat myself in SPF 30 every hour.
Coastal New England design is all about comfort, durability, and creating practical spaces that can be enjoyed throughout every season of the year. I, for one, am one of those people who constantly has sand from the beach in their car, no matter if it’s July or February! So, naturally, any beach house I design has to be able to be really lived in, tracked-in sand and soggy beach towels flung over the porch railing and all. Designer tip- when selecting textiles, including rugs and window treatments, my preference is to select pieces that are machine washable for ease.
Clockwise from top left: Wevet, Schoolhouse White, Dimpse, Blue Green, Blue Ground, Lulworth Blue. All Farrow & Ball.
For the past few years, rattan has been making a big comeback. While rattan can look bohemian in many settings, harkening back to its ‘70s roots, I think there is something very coastal about the texture and color of this pedant light, almost like sea grass. This particular light fixture is sizable enough to make an impact, while still maintaining an effortlessly cool vibe that suits a beach house so well.
Blonde wood that looks nearly weather-beaten is the perfect material for a coffee table, which will do double duty as a focal piece for the living room as well as a great surface on which to play cards, serve wine, or do a puzzle when the weather outside just isn’t cooperating.
My “off season” cozy essentials include a soft waffle knit throw and a multi-use tray. In the morning it can balance my coffee and kindle, during the workday my laptop, and during happy hour some wine and cheese.
Investing in pieces that are equal parts comfortable and sturdy is a must in a beach house setting! Undoubtedly, furniture, fittings, and accessories will be getting a lot of wear in your home. Take your time picking out pieces that really speak to you. If you can, go to a brick & mortar store and test out benches, sofas, and dining room tables. Oftentimes seeing and feeling pieces in person will make all the difference when outfitting a home!
