Getting Your Beach Home Ready for the Vacation Season

While most of the Midwest and even the south are still dealing with this crazy cold winter, it is nevertheless time to start thinking of spring, and vacation season. If you own an investment beach property, you are gearing up for getting the most bang for your buck from this time of year, often the most popular time for families to go on vacation. This time of year might very well pay the mortgage during the slow time, so there no time like the present to "make hay while the sun shines."

It's also the perfect time to make a few updates to your beach home to draw new groups and give your returning guests something of a boost. It's important that your guests know that they can return to their comfort zone year after year, and feel that their memories will be made in a space that continues to reflect the current times and growing of their families. Let's face it, these groups that re-book with you each year are your bread and butter. Keep them happy. Don't be a victim of this sentiment: "We went on vacation there every year for YEARS but at some point it started to look outdated and it didn't feel like a nice vacation home anymore."

Even as you read this article, you probably have a room or two in mind for updating. Do two rooms a year until you've gotten the place up to your standards. As for the other rooms, give them a boost with new towels or linens, a piece of art or a well placed rug. Whatever you do, don't let tour investment become obsolete!

Decorating With Turquoise

Looks like color week is spilling over.  I almost posted this on Saturday, but that day isn't that popular for reading blogs, so I decided to save it for today to give it the attention it deserves.

Turquoise is very popular in home decor, and also happens to be popular with every color I've already featured.

Here we go!

Bold Turquoise

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When decorating with turquoise, the key to not making your room seem like a cartoon on the Funnies page of the newspaper is to provide the brain and they eye lots of space to process the color.  This designer anchored it with lots of white, only painted the accent wall turquoise, kept the clutter to a minimum, and chose a room with lots of light.

Ion Floor Lamp | Beach Pillows | Pulsar Ceiling Lamp | Ivory Silky Shag Rug

Notice the same concepts here, as well as another common theme: accents with equally vibrant colors in small doses.

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Nob Hill Chair | Photon Ceiling Lamp | Match Chair

Beachy Turquoise

Finding a beachy turquoise room is very easy ... the color really lends itself to a fresh, light, coastal feeling. It is the color of the sea, after all.

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Andes Jute Rug | Blue Skies | Palm Tropical Green Pillow

You don't have to go over-the-top.  See how this room is mostly neutrals, with a few well-placed, light turquoise pillows?  This space really speaks to me!

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Beach Pillows

Calm Turquoise

Light and white always seem to be the answer to creating calm.  Wood tones have a similar effect; they balance out the pop of color in these chairs to give the feeling of a cheerful, fun space.

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Dramatic Turquoise

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This photo caught my eye because I noticed the chairs were identical to our Outdoor Ikat Pillow.  I never dreamed ikat could be dramatic, but I you have dramatic lighting and accessories, it obviously can be done.

Pulsar Ceiling Lamp | Vector Ceiling Lamp

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Turquoise and grey are a great pair, aren't they?

This concludes Color Week, but you know there will always be colorful things happening her on the

Stylish Beach Home blog!

                                                                                                                     ~Natalee

Decorating with Red

I read once (ha ha, pardon the pun) that a red kitchen increases appetites and makes people eat more.  I don't think my family can blame the few red things I have hanging on the walls in the eating area.  I think they just eat a lot naturally.  :-)

But there does seem to be something about red and kitchens that go together.  Bold?  It's bold without even trying.

 Bold Red

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This tile is called Lush Tomato.  I am obsessed with it.

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Coastal Red

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Coastal Red is easy because it is the color of lobster, crabs, coral, life rings, and many nautical items.

(Psst! Here is that ship's wheel clock.)

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Some nautical home decor items to help you achieve this look:

Visit StylishBeachHome.com to find them!

Calm Red

Give some calmness to this bold color by either using a muted tone of red, or by limiting the amount of red in an otherwise calm or neutral space. I am circling back around to kitchens again because it's just so darned irresistible.  Red and kitchens are meant for each other!

 You can get those and other chairs at StylishBeachHome.com!

Marius Bar Chair

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Dramatic Red

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I don't feel like much needs to be said here.  Total drama.  And yet, don't you want to sleep here?

Eat here?

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Don't even get me started about zebra print!  I have been seeing more and more of it, and it's even starting to pop up in coastal decor, so we are working hard to get some for our store.

Wasn't red fun!?  Did you know there was a calm side to red?

Decorating With White

Pure. Pristine. Clean. Chic.

These are the words that might spring to mind when you walk into a room decorated in pure white. There is no heaviness, no clutter, no commitment.  I bring this up as a benefit, because commitment issues are a big influence on how some people prefer to decorate, and others have no choice.

This post is dedicated to those who love simplicity, and to those decorating an apartment.

Bold White

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Think white can't be bold?  Think again.  The freedom and lightness in your chest that you feel from the expanse of white is bold indeed.  It is necessary to anchor it with rugs or lighting or art, and black is a common choice for this, but the sky's the limit.  You still feel the w h i t e n e s s when you step into the space.

Coastal White

Perhaps you'll think I'm cheating with this next one because it's too easy.

CoastalLiving.com

I mean, how easy is it to toss a great rug and a couple of oars in a white room and call it a coastal white room.  But isn't that the point?  White is easy.  Apartments are white.  Oars and other nautical accessories can make your life simpler.  Colorphobe?  White + Accessories = Easy Coastal Decorating.

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And it's OK to add some color in bedroom textiles. In fact, it's encouraged!  No commitment of paint on the walls.

Calm White

That's almost like saying Catholic Pope.  Jewish Rabbi.  What else would it be?  White is soooo calm.  No muss, no clutter, just a pinch of color in the pillows. And you'll notice it takes up very little visual space, so it's great for small spaces and stressed out minds.

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Dramatic White

Silver is a common pairing with white, but do not overlook the old, longstanding relationship white has with gold.  Create drama for once in your life!! One thing I want to point out here ... have you noticed what a great canvas a white room is for fabulous flooring or rugs?

Here is another bit of drama:

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This homeowner created drama without even one piece of wall art or large windows.

Have you been inspired?  Has your mind been changed about decorating with white?

Decorating with blue

I am starting with blue, here in Color Week, because blue is the least intimidating color for most people. It's also timeless. When housewives in the 50's and 60's were painting their walls white to make their homes seem bigger, and accentuating in pale yellow because because it was safe, many of them still felt brave enough to paint a bedroom or powder room blue. And blue has been faithful through the ages, in all its reliable, soothing, safe iterations.

But blue can also be exciting, new, and daring.  Would you typically think of blue as a modern color?
Here is is boldly displayed, paired with silver and white. (All products are linked beneath images, directly to where you can find them at StylishBeachHome.com.)

Bold Blue

Contemporary Kitchen by Miami Interior Designers & Decorators

Criss Cross Counter Chair | Gran Timor Pendant | Fission Ceiling Lamp

This designer gave the boldness of this room a sensible side with the black and white decor.  Just a splash of red is enough.  Bold blue is often paired with black andwhite, or red or orange -- because it's opposite on the color wheel.

Modern Bedroom by Dc Metro Interior Designers & Decorators Jill Sorensen

Elio Chair | Black Dots Pillow | Bronze Ceiling Lamp | Black & White Geometric Pillow

Even a bold statement with blue, if given the right placement, doesn't have to feel like it is risky.  If you want to be daring, but not so much so, this shade of blue feels like the right balance.  No other bright colors were added, just soothing whites and the warm wood tones.

Calm Blue

Contemporary Kitchen

Union Square Bar Chair 
Magma Mini Pendant White Crackle | Sake Mini Pendant Lamp | Blue Sardine Kitchen Towel

Most people probably think of lighter shades of blue for the coastal look, but this designer didn't shy away from using this deeply saturated blue in not only wall color but accessories too. And yet, you can see the counter-balance of white here again.  Blue can be center stage.

Coastal Blue

Eclectic Bedroom by Dallas Interior Designers & Decorators Kim Armstrong

 L to R: Carved Chain Mirror | Brushed Cotton Throw | Falling Stars Lamp

 Dory Indigo Pillow | Sun Table Lamp

But I will always be a sucker for those traditional coastal blues and whites, used in a transitional way here. From the wall of windows to the open concept, this entire room exudes tranquility. It all starts with the shade of blue.

Contemporary Living Room by Palm Beach Gardens Interior Designers & Decorators The Decorators Unlimited

Village Blue Flowers Pillow | Village Blue Ikat Pillow | Sculpted Natural Vine Floor Lamp

I included this photo because it's so similar to the type of decorating I'm into right now.  Neutral backgrounds create a blank canvas for intense color options.  Blue can be only in the accessories, and you'll still capture the calm, cheerfulness of this color.

Contemporary Kids by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Lisa Benbow - Garnish Designs

Bamboo Viscose Duvet Cover
Pillows Top: Starfish Clementine Pillow | Sand Dollar Pillow
Pillows Middle: Big Crab Indigo Pillow | Big Crab White Pillow
Pillows Bottom: Octopus Persimmon Pillow | Seahorse Indigo Pillow

Blue can be dramatic. Very dramatic. This room is over-the-top in luxury and sensationalism, but still grabs your attention in such a way that you actually believe it.

Dramatic Blue

Modern Bedroom by Port Moody Photographers Total 360 Photography

Quiet Water Art | Blast Ceiling Lamp | Savanna Pillow Cover | Lahiana Side Table

Lest you think that deep, bright, loud blues are the only ones suitable for a dramatic room, take a look at the use of three different shades of blue here, each one calm and secure on its own, but creating high drama when paired with the right combination of textures, styles, and colors. Tufted couch, 

Top Row L to R: Artifacts Bench | Sardine Clementine Print | Blue Skies Print | Mini Winere Lamp
Bottom: Brushed Organic Cotton Throw | Big Crab Turquoise Pillow | Teal Ikat Pillow on Natural | Nob Hill Beige Sofa | Lahiana Side Table