Destination Inspiration: Creating a Bright Cottage
Let Summer Vacation Inspire You to Bring Some Playful Colors Home
Hello there! I'm Erika Ward, Owner and Principal Designer of Erika Ward Interiors. It's my greatest pleasure to inspire you to live well, to live in style, and to extinguish the myth that style and budget are mutually exclusive. Read more about my design philosophy and my work at http://www.blulabelbungalow.com
Hello there! I'm Erika Ward, Owner and Principal Designer of Erika Ward... More »
When the weather changes, my geography changes as well. At some point during the warmer months, my family and I leave the city behind and head off to the nearest coast for some fun in the sun. If I had my way, we'd also own one of the quaint cottages I see along the way.
I peer out of the window, dreamy-eyed and in childlike wonderment. I imagine a lovely beach-bright home to be the happiest place on earth. Easy, breezy, colorful and carefree is the ideal recipe for the perfect summer getaway, wouldn't you agree? Some people have all the luck, like the Houzz readers who own the homes here. Let's take a look and a few notes on how to achieve our travel-inspired vision.
I peer out of the window, dreamy-eyed and in childlike wonderment. I imagine a lovely beach-bright home to be the happiest place on earth. Easy, breezy, colorful and carefree is the ideal recipe for the perfect summer getaway, wouldn't you agree? Some people have all the luck, like the Houzz readers who own the homes here. Let's take a look and a few notes on how to achieve our travel-inspired vision.
by Tamar Schechner
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Painting a front door in playful pink tells visitors to expect whimsy and delight once they cross the threshold. The yellow abstract painting above confirms this theory and welcomes guest for a refreshing experience.
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by Tara Seawright
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| Expect the unexpected in a cottage-style home. I'm inspired by the fabric mix of the furniture in the living room and the neighboring dining room. There is an assortment of patterns within this open space, but the green color palette is what helps to keep the fabric medley cohesive. |
Incorporating decor from local shops makes a space feel rooted and grounded in its locale. Vintage signs and framed photos of life on the coast makes any space feel casual and unpretentious.
In the same bath, seafoam-painted hardware, woven wood shades, and storage baskets add both color and texture to a crisp, white space.
This cheerful, highly functional laundry room would make me happy to toss a load in before heading to the surf. This hardworking room is completely outfitted in the essentials — a laundry sink, double washer, and generous storage — but what makes it sing is the tangy lime cabinetry and mosaic tile backsplash.
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| A wooden sunburst mirror floats above the bed and against watery blue walls, introducing an organic element into the space. The color intensifies with the drapery, which acts as the accent in this heavenly monochromatic retreat. |
by Restyled Home
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This dining room is eclecticism at its best. A well-appointed mix of mid-century chairs combined with a rustic table and modern pendant light makes this space appear effortless, yet very stylish. The flood of natural light is always a great accessory courtesy of Mother Nature.
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by Will Waibel
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| Breezy cottages are all about fun. You may never paint your cabinets ocean-blue in your city home, but anything goes while on vacation. The coast provides all the inspiration you need regarding color, materials, fabrics, and furniture. Even if your cottage is further inland, borrowing cues from this ideabook will quickly transport you to the seaside destination of your choice.
More: Tour a Chic Coastal Family Getaway Get the Beach Cottage Look Places in the Heart: A Postcard From Maine |
Ideabook published on July 6, 2011.
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