Monday, April 4, 2011

Affordable Beach House Styling


Continuing on from the Beach House Red Series I began last week, today is the living /dining room reveal at the beach cottage.  Those who have been following along will recall, space is at an absolute premium in this cottage.  The solution....storage becomes art. Fruit and vegetables are ingeniously stored in colour coordinated string bags.  Kitchen bits are hung on a vintage ladder.



A willingness to suck it see, has given these coastal edge cutters the freedom to really pull the eclectic look of this beach cottage together. This girl knows the rules and then she breaks them, creating a magnificent visual feast.

So, it just goes to show, even if the kitchen has to invade the living room, it doesn't have to be culinary chaos.  Rather, go with what you have and make it work for you. So what, if your pots, pans and kitchen utensils don't fit into the cupboard.  Hang them, gallery style, so they all meld in, to beautify the eclectic feel of your home.  It's original and a total eye catcher.

Rustic vintage furniture also adds interest.  As they say in the classics, spend money on a few timeless pieces that you absolutely love. The rest will take care of itself.  This gorgeous cabinet is from Rust, supplier of well worn interiors.  See my stories on that ab fab store here and here.


Bottle storage makes for a cute splash of Beach House Blue.


Fruit and vegetables, live or otherwise, can be stored in any little vessel that will hold them.  These cherry tomatoes and a chili plant add affordable layered texture.

As for the dining room, the key to success here is another timeless piece.  Start with a beautiful table... the best you can afford.  I would not be the  first to have snaffled a great table, road side.  So, when it's council clean up week or however your local municipality handles such stuff, get out there with the best of them and see what you can come up with. 


Now this beautiful table was not acquired that way, but you have to start somewhere.  A glass top has been temporarily installed to reduce kiddo stains.  Deck chairs sourced on ebay, add to the beachy feel.  So reasonable in fact, the freight was more than the cost of the chairs. 

And how about these Australian natives?  I have walked past these a thousand times at the supermarket, but never again.  Retro, vintage and repro layered against a louvre window and Australian natives that last ages compared to exotics, create a classic Aussie beach house look.  Cut these blooms low and shove them in a colourful bowl for great results. 



Whimsical placement of pop art evokes childhood memories, adding to the simple elegance of this room.

A beautifully styled day bed, again sourced from Rust, with loads of cushions shouts out, 'hang out here'.  Gorgeous religious icons and rugs add detail.  And if the seating is limited, throw some bean bags around for the littlies.  They love them for TV or relaxing in front of their screen of choice. 

Lots of inspiration here.

Happy decorating
Best Carolyn
Today I am linked up to


Boogieboard CottageThe House in the RosesHOG

UndertheTableandDreamingThe DIY Show OffCherished Treasures”=
Photobucket
and at Between Naps on the porch for


Vintage Inspiration FridayFurniture Feature Fridays

19 comments :

  1. what a cute cottage...love it all especially the rust bench, daybed, the ladder with hanging pots, the dining furniture and the combination of red & white fabrics and striped cushions.. and of course your gorgeous little girl dressed in red!
    thanks for showing us!
    cheryl x

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  2. what a lovely blog, you have here! i just moved to a new town called Seaside and you have given me lots of inspiration!

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  3. What a great home. Original and unique, with lovely rustic treasures put together for a simple stylish look. Leahxx

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  4. What pretty storage in plain sight ideas! Love the red mesh bags! Functional and graphic, too. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. What a beautiful cottage. I love the splashes of red...quaint and cozy! yvette@twistedvines

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  6. Really love these photos! Red is not a color I normally associate with a beach house but it is fantastic!

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  7. wow that kitchen bench is perfection!

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  8. Just lovely! Makes me want to go on vacay!
    xo,
    Sena

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  9. How very lovely.... and I love the colors you have chosen for your cottage--red and white. Very fresh, very lovely. Thanks for participating in our Show Off Your Cottage Monday and bringing me here! I shall be back!

    Cielo

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  10. It's just delightful, Carolyn! The ladder with pots/pans is ingenious. Must share with our readers on Facebook today - they'll love it too! :O)

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  11. loving all the red...i am so into red lately!
    great idea, the ladder as pot rack! your little girl is adorable!!!

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  12. I am in awe..I just love the pictures you have shared (especially the last pic..just too precious)...This post has put a big smile on my face...

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  13. Wow i like the place so cool. Happy Rednesday. See you.

    Mine is here

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  14. Beautiful inspirations!! I love the pops of red that you added. The ladder is such a great idea!

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  15. Your place is amazing, the chipping furniture, the fabric and ladder, the red pans...you have great style...thanks for linking to my party...you have a fantastic blog!!

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  16. Awesome! I never associated red with beach style - looks great!

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  17. cute cute ideas! love that beachy feel!
    :)Heidi

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  18. Must of missed this post Carolyn.. I love it, love the pops of red and some really great ideas, also loving the chippy paint table island x

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  19. Yeah, I enjoyed this unique homes! It’s really amazing, and I would love this type of beautiful homes more and more. It brings me my dream home pictures !

    Keep it up!

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