Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Just Beautiful Coastal Chic

Enjoy a visual massage on us.




coastal chic living room
{via}



Coastal cottage decor
{via}

Modern coastal style


coastal luxury decor

Beautiful coastal chic décor ... can you ever get enough?

~Natalee

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

7 Things to Stock in Your Beach Home Rental

Here are 7 things your guests wish you'd stock in your beach home rental … which will keep them coming back every year!
 
Don’t make your guests pack everything!   These little things can go a long, long way to making your guests take the easy route and book with you again next year.


Giant Coffee Cup
 
1. Sugar packets & creamer.  Don’t provide the coffee pot, giving the illusion that your guests can wake up to steaming hot coffee in the morning, if you’re not going to provide sugar & creamer.  Some of your guests simply will not drink coffee without it.

 




Deck Beach Towels

2. Beach towels.  It’s an easily overlooked item, and your guests will be relieved to find some in your linen closet that they can take to the beach.






Girl putting on sunscreen
 

3. Sunburn Prevention/Remedy.  A little bottle of sunscreen or burn salve/aloe gel will go a long way to making your guests feel as though you thought of their comfort.  Yes, the might have packed it, but they might run out; a week's a long time.





Wifi Symbol


4. Working Wifi. Also provide clear instructions on how to log on to it.  Ditto for televisions and cable/satellite service.





lists


5. A list of local stores and especially fun things for vacationers to do.  Spell out whether or not they’ll need licenses for fishing, crabbing, etc.





 

 

6. Bikes, boogie boards, beach umbrellas, beach chairs … have a few larger items that aren’t as likely to get carried off.  It’s difficult for vacationers to pack these types of things.  Include something in your contract that states that they will lose their deposit if any of these items are missing, so that  you can cover yourself.  Post an exact count of what is provided so that your guests can be sure they have located and returned all the items they used over the week.

   
 
Board games


7. Books/board games/cards.  Some of your guests might think of packing these, but many of them are not anticipating the occasional rainy day as they are envisioning themselves in your beautiful beach home. Keep them happy by helping them make lasting memories with old fashioned family fun.



Hey renters, what are some things you expected to find at your beach home or condo but didn't?

Monday, July 29, 2013

6 Beautiful Bathrooms

Something for everyone:

If you love traditional bathrooms ...

beautiful bathrooms
{via}
If you want the modern minimalist look ...


beautiful bathrooms
{via}


If you ever dreamed of bathing in a castle ...

beautiful bathrooms
{via}

If you want a little of the old and a little of the new ...


Ibeautiful bathrooms
{via}


If you want to bathe with the dolphins ...


beautiful bathrooms
{via}
Or if you are feeling a little old Hollywood.

beautiful bathrooms
{via}


Happy Monday!
Beach bathroom accessories
StylishBeachHome.com Bath Towels and Lighting
Follow us on Pinterest StylishBeachHome.com for more beautiful beach bathrooms and spas.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Vacation Rentals by Owner: What to DO


This is for the folks that own beach houses for rent.

Far too often, when my own family takes a vacation to a beach, we are disappointed with what we can find in the way of luxurious beach homes.  Either pickings are slim in the first place, or the photos and description are deceiving.  Since we like to try new places every time we vacation, finding new beaches, the process has become a little bit of trial and error, hit and miss.

This post is an example of what to DO.  (DON'T is coming in a few days, as well as a checklist of things your guests wish you would stock in your beach house).



VBRO
Owner: Robert Melton  Photos Courtesy of Home Away.  See the full listing here.

I feel pretty confident that this one looks great in the photos AND in real life. 

stylish vacation rental
Wouldn't you be pretty optimistic at this point?


It's the perfect place for my large family, and it would be the perfect place for several families to meet on vacation because there is room to move. What impresses me about this home is that they clearly put in a lot of effort to make it attractive.  They have kept it updated.  I can even respect how they have mixed a rustic look with a bit of a cape cod style here.

stylish vacation rental


Kitchens are important, and should be treated as such. This, sadly, is not always the case.  See the new appliances; the beautiful light fixtures?  This owner has hit the mark!


stylish vacation rental



Ahh the Master Bedroom.  This is the retreat your guests will be searching for when not at the beach.

stylish vacation rental

stylish vacation rental



stylish vacation rental

I am certainly paying attention when I see the details here -- claw foot tub, sconces.  They even went the extra mile with the faucets.


Perhaps if this were the home you lived in all year round, you might fill it a little more. But if you rent it out all year, it's the right amount of "stuff." Your guests will feel that you made an effort to warm the place up a bit, but without clutter. There is still plenty of room for all those suitcases and extra things that will come with the guests.

stylish vacation rental


Now come down the hall this way ...


stylish vacation rental

Because I have another bedroom with a bathroom to show you.  Orange!  I love orange.  I love that they picked something bright to show off their beach house.  It doesn't all have to be light blues and seashells.

stylish vacation rental

I really love the sconces in this bathroom.

stylish vacation rental

Another well-done bath/shower combination, probably on the first level.

stylish vacation rental

 Another brightly done room!
stylish vacation rental


Are you ready to go outside?  Well, this is semi-outside.  This sunroom gives you all the benefits of outside without the bugs and heat.  It even has a hammock.  It's an easy way to make your sunroom unique without breaking the bank.

stylish vacation rental

stylish vacation rental

And now the grand finale ... the pool.  This owner has provided comfortable furniture in a spectacular setting, with plants and ...

stylish vacation rental

An outdoor shower!  I can't quite place where this is from the photos (perhaps down the stairs and around), but it's clearly outdoors.  It's clearly a well-done shower.  I'm impressed.

stylish vacation rental

stylish vacation rental


This set up will convince your guests to come back often, stay longer, and bring friends.

stylish vacation rental



stylish vacation rental


Pride of ownership really shines through in this home, and I predict as long as the owners keep this up, they will have not problem keeping it rented.  Many people own beach homes to vacation in them a few times a year, but face it -- the renting pays the bills and makes it an investment.  DON'T shoot yourself in the foot by expecting your guests to keep returning to a sub-par place.  DO fill it with beautiful things and thoughtful touches.  It will pay off.



Thursday, July 25, 2013

What is Your Coastal Decorating Style?



We’ve done a little searching to find the most popular styles for beach home decorating. There’s an awful lot of coast in this awesome country that we live in, so there are many different flavors of coastal decorating to choose from in your quest to reflect or bring home the beach. Some examples of things that influence coastal decorating are: ethnic groups, religious influence, local traditions, military posts, climate, history of the area, local nature, commerce, and type of coast

You may not have known there were so many ways and styles to incorporate coastal decorating in your own home to reflect your personality and what you love.  We're going to show you some examples and even help you get the look!



American Coastal Cottage


Think: Beach House

Main characteristics: casual, natural fibers, infused with light, neutrals and blues, distressed/light colored wood, beachy nature (shells, coral, driftwood)stripes.

American Coastal Cottage
{via}


Think: Pacific Island

Main characteristics: Casual, mosquito netting, coconut and bamboo fibers, large scale prints of palm fronds and banana leaves, tropical plants, exotic woods, wide paddled fans, tropical wood accents.

Tropical Living room
CoastalLiving.com

teak accessories
Teak Root Jar
Tropical pillows
Tropical Pillows




Nautical Chic


Think: Annapolis, MD

Main characteristics: Wide stripes, lighthouses, thick nautical rope, maritime accents, tighter spaces, lobsters, ships, portholes, oars, Chesapeake bay.


nautical bathroom
  
  Nautical rope Pier Lamp
Pier Lamp
nautical accessories
Model Ship : : Porthole Mirror


nautical accessories
Wooden Newport Rowing Oar

 



 






South Beach Modern

Think: Miami

Main characteristics: large, open spaces, large accessories, minimalistic accessorizing, abstract art, bold or neutral colors, shiny glossy surfaces, contemporary.


modern dining room
Sharyn Cairns Photography





modern beach furniture
Elio Chair (above) Civic Center Long Coffee Table (below)


Cape Cod Style

Think: Nantucket

Main characteristics: Renovated homes, whitewashed picket fences, grey exterior wood, traditional side of coastal decorating, white interior paneling.



Cape Cod Style Living Room
{via}




California Coastal

Think: Santa Monica

Main characteristics: Trees inside, wickers, stone, huge furniture, mix of textures, vintage accessories, timeless charm.


California coastal living room
Contemporary Living Room by Scottsdale Interior Designers & Decorators Ownby Design

coastal accessories
Gran Timor Sconce / Andes Jute Rug




Which one is your "coastal personality?"  Where do you see yourself in each of these styles?  Sometime down the road, I'll show you even more styles that fall under the terms Tropical, Coastal, and Beachy!