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A Coastal Cottage on Cape Cod
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I am super lucky. My parents bought a tiny (600 square feet) cottage on Cape Cod a few years back. I just spent a few days there and thought I'd share a few images with you.
When we decorated the house, we went along with the vibe the house originally gave us. This vibe came from the existing weathered shingles, beach roses and sweet peas, white walls, and coastal cottage details like beadboard. Some of the furniture came with the joint, some was repainted and brought up from the basement of my parent's full-time home, some was plucked from junk stores, and a large number of pieces were picked up at this wonderful store in Falmouth called Flowersticks. Unfortunately, it closed, but they still have a more clothing-centric store in Osterville that carries a few pieces of antique furnishings.
While Shabby Chic may no longer be the raging trend in most decorating circles, it's perfect for this place. It helps us let down and be comfy, and adds to the sense of peace the proximity to the ocean provides. Furniture was also chosen in order to add storage (there is one minuscule closet in the hallway and that's it). This includes a small antique armoire, side tables with drawers, beds with built in drawers underneath, and plenty of hooks on the walls for hanging up clothing.
As a little bonus, here are a few of my favorite coastal home / cottage inspirations. Just search these titles at your favorite online bookstore and they should come right up:
BOOKS:
Island Life
Coastal Style
Martha's Vineyard
How We Live By The Sea
Seaside Style
Finnish Summer Homes
Living In Greece
Country Living
Vineyard Days, Vineyard Nights
Vintage Cottages
Studios by the Sea
Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort
MAGAZINES:
Past issues of Cottage Living (I'm am SO depressed that this magazine is no longer around)
Issues, especially current ones, of Coastal Living. A lot of the editors from Cottage Living landed over here, and the magazine has become tres chic lately!
Sunset
Maine Home and Design
Cape Cod Magazine
Hamptons Cottage and Gardens
PLEASE ADD TO THIS LIST IN THE COMMENTS WITH YOUR FAVORITES! I'm always looking for more books to add to my collection.
When we decorated the house, we went along with the vibe the house originally gave us. This vibe came from the existing weathered shingles, beach roses and sweet peas, white walls, and coastal cottage details like beadboard. Some of the furniture came with the joint, some was repainted and brought up from the basement of my parent's full-time home, some was plucked from junk stores, and a large number of pieces were picked up at this wonderful store in Falmouth called Flowersticks. Unfortunately, it closed, but they still have a more clothing-centric store in Osterville that carries a few pieces of antique furnishings.
While Shabby Chic may no longer be the raging trend in most decorating circles, it's perfect for this place. It helps us let down and be comfy, and adds to the sense of peace the proximity to the ocean provides. Furniture was also chosen in order to add storage (there is one minuscule closet in the hallway and that's it). This includes a small antique armoire, side tables with drawers, beds with built in drawers underneath, and plenty of hooks on the walls for hanging up clothing.
As a little bonus, here are a few of my favorite coastal home / cottage inspirations. Just search these titles at your favorite online bookstore and they should come right up:
BOOKS:
Island Life
Coastal Style
Martha's Vineyard
How We Live By The Sea
Seaside Style
Finnish Summer Homes
Living In Greece
Country Living
Vineyard Days, Vineyard Nights
Vintage Cottages
Studios by the Sea
Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort
MAGAZINES:
Past issues of Cottage Living (I'm am SO depressed that this magazine is no longer around)
Issues, especially current ones, of Coastal Living. A lot of the editors from Cottage Living landed over here, and the magazine has become tres chic lately!
Sunset
Maine Home and Design
Cape Cod Magazine
Hamptons Cottage and Gardens
PLEASE ADD TO THIS LIST IN THE COMMENTS WITH YOUR FAVORITES! I'm always looking for more books to add to my collection.
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The place is like a dollhouse. Beach roses, picket fence, white trim and weathered shingles all contributed to the decor on the interior.
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This room is only big enough for a single bed and a bedside table. This mini-bureau serves as a bedside table and room for clothes. The bed has two large drawers underneath for linen storage, and hooks on the doors serve as the "closet" for hanging clothes.
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I love maps and charts, and this one helps me out with my Cape Cod geography.
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Sometimes small furniture like this tiny bench can make a room feel larger. Side note: Almost all of the artwork in the cottage is my mother's photography.
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It's also a perfect place for little meatballs to sit and look at books.
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It's fun to keep inspiring books around for guests to flip through. In a cottage like this, I prefer Scrabble and books to a television set.
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The floral grandma chairs and country plaid couch came with the place, and we assumed we'd ditch them immediately, but it's six years later and they've grown on us!
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This small armoire provides great storage space for placemats, candles, platters, and other kitchen overflow objects.
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A drop leaf table is a great space saver because it becomes so much smaller when not being used for a meal.
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A windowseat is a great spot for reading and serves as a good seat for two when dining.
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Catmint grows like a weed in this location, and makes a great bedside bouquet (unless you actually have a cat in the house!).
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These frames are made from recycled boat wood. Each bedroom has a mirror for primping because there is only one very small bathroom.
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I found these shelltanicals on eBay.
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We love to find old Cape-related books, like this vintage book about Nantucket, which is straight across the sound from the house.
This bed has a trundle hidden underneath for an extra guest.
This bed has a trundle hidden underneath for an extra guest.
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This sand dollar print bedspread is one of my all time favorites. It's out of production and has faded terribly, but no one can bear to replace it!
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I found the peeling-paint nightstand at a junk store for $15. The extra shelves are great for storage. The photograph above was taken in the Bahamas. It's funny, half the pictures in India Hicks' book "Island Life" are very similar to the shots my mother took on Eleuthra and Harbor Island.
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These doors almost hit the single beds when they swing into the two smallest bedrooms, if that gives you an idea to how small they are!
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The star dinnerware was found at fishseddy.com. I think it's been discontinued, but the "Manhattan Blue Plate" series has a similar look. Restaurant grade china stands up really well to the wear and tear vacationers put plates through.
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2010 UPDATE: Some new throw pillows on the windowseat.
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2010 UPDATE: Uncomfortable country gingham couch is gone, and big cushy one has replaced it.
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2010 UPDATE: Can't bring ourselves to get rid of the floral chairs, as they have become cuter as they faded in the sunlight. However, their arms are shredded so they needed covers.
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I love the way you decorated it. Charming!
Side note: LOVE Vivaterra! They have beautiful and unique pieces.
The designs vary, but I see the blues and greens the most often in shops.
Funny, too - a few years ago, we gave my mother and mother-in-law those frames as gifts. I found them at a store called South Moon Under that's in the MD/DC/VA/DE area. I think they still carry them.
I love Sandwich. This joint is actually in Mashpee, not too far from Sandwich. Sandwich has THE BEST antique stores, doesn't it?
Sweet
You can email me at beutfam@gmail.com
For just kind of browsing, I like P-town, Chatham, Osterville, and Falmouth. Hyannis is a little more honky-tonk, and it's fun - as kids we LOVED the big army-navy store there. I would also recommend having dinner at The Landfall in Wood's Hole. It is such a fun atmosphere right on the harbor near the ferry. I also recommend Coonamesset (sp?) and Popponesset, especially for clam chowder. The Raw Bar in New Seabury's marketplace has the most gigantic lobster rolls on the planet - if you have young kids it's fun to go there because they have live music in the evenings, mini-golf and ice cream all in one spot.
I'm not sure on the bench, it actually came in that color - I think it was a pretty inexpensive import but can't remember where we bought it.
Oh, Sandwich has great antiques shops, and if you want to have an afternoon antiquing, just take route 6A and wander your way up (or is it down?) the Cape from Sandwich. It's beautiful and full of antique stores. Have a wonderful trip!
http://www.weneedavacation.com/Cape/13680.htm
This one is next door, but not the neighbors I was talking about. I haven't met them, but my parents say they are super-nice:
http://www.weneedavacation.com/Cape/16942.htm
Hmm, I don't see our other next door neighbors on here - they do tend to get the same people each summer and fill up quickly. However, a bunch of the oceanfront cottages (Maushop Village, New Seabury) are for rent on this site:
http://www.weneedavacation.com/Cape/New-Seabury-Vacation-Rentals.htm
This area has its own private beach which is a great bonus!
Becky
Becky