You'll Want to Spend Your Entire Summer in These Breezy Beach Houses
Sweeping ocean views, oh-so airy interiors, and al fresco dining, beach houses are the dreamiest places to be during the summer. The flawless mix of natural materials, snappy color, and layered textiles makes everybody want to embrace the joys of living by the water. Oh, and did we mention cozy outdoor terraces overlooking the sea for whiling away lazy summer days?
The key to acing coastal style is to go for a more lived-in look without falling for nautical or tropical cliches. From Southampton to the Bahamas, these seaside properties from the VERANDA archives put a modern spin on the classic beach style. Now make yourself a summer cocktail, and get ready to be transported to the tropics!
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Designer Gary McBournie proves that you can do coastal blue in a tasteful and chic way. His Nantucket house is full of color, riots of pattern, Americana touches and incredible antiques.
Bakers Bay, Bahamas
This Bahamian estate, designed by Amanda Lindroth, is a masterclass in chic island style. From the aqua de Gournay wallpaper in the kitchen to the two-tiered loggia outside, there are beautiful surprises at every turn.
East Hampton, New York
Liz Lange's restoration of Grey Gardens shows that blues and greens don't have to skew beachy—in fact, the bright pops of color and bold pattern are what make this home feel so fresh. She worked with designers Jonathan Adler and Mark Sikes to give the home a glamorous makeover.
Sea Island, Georgia
Inspired the homeowner's mood board—which consisted of a vintage book about Jaws, a brass handbag, and seashells—Ellen Kavanaugh created a fresh and colorful design with a hint of 70's glam.
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Fashion designer Veronica Swanson Beard didn't have any interest in a ships-ahoy style beach house. Instead, she imbued her Nantucket cottage with riots of pattern, beautiful antiques and artwork and furnishings with distinct local flavors.
Palm Beach, Florida
While designer Danielle Rollins could've gone the traditional Palm Beach route with bright colors and tropical prints, she instead opted to find inspiration from the colors of palm trees. Neutrals abound in this beautiful condo, but it's far from boring, thanks to plenty of texture and pattern.
Hawaii
Though this isn't technically a "beach house," designer Ken Fulk designed this incredible Hawaiian racing yacht to be well-appointed enough for comfortable everyday living. Equipped for Gatsby-level entertaining with nods to indigenous Hawaiian design, this boat isn't like any other you've ever seen.
Block Island, Rhode Island
Miles Redd and Gil Schafer teamed up to turn this Block Island home into a romantic, coastal retreat full of charm and fun surprises (like this party barn that serves as a poolhouse and entertaining compound).
Palm Beach, Florida
For this newer-build Mediterranean villa in Palm Beach, designer Bunny Williams sought out to create a settled look. She achieved this by mixing 18th-century Italian antiques with modern artwork and colors. In the dining room, a Stark sisal rug was custom-painted in a pattern based on a classic Serge Roche design.
Harbor Island, Bahamas
Designer Matthew Carter brought an abandoned, 70-year-old midcentury home back to life with pops of vibrant color and a cache of collected treasures. In the den, a classic George Smith sofa is paired with a 1970s coconut shell coffee table and brilliant works of art.
Naples, Florida
This former spec house was reimagined as a deeply personal, family hub with the help of decorator Summer Thornton who brought a bit of whimsy and enchantment to the home. A school of fish swimming across the walls (Wallpaper; de Gournay) greets visitors as they enter the home. The Abaca rug is by Patterson Flynn Martin.
Southampton, New York
In a work of magic, designer Amanda Nisbet manages to make this weekend house in the Hamptons feel unmistakably beachy, but free of seaside clichés. This look is achieved by mixing bright hues and classic shapes in wide-open spaces. The cream paneled walls and pops of lavender make the family room feel more relaxed
Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach-based designer Phoebe Howard was tapped to bring a light, airy feel to this sweet getaway. The owners, two snowbirds escaping the cold Chicago winters, craved for their Florida home to burst with color and sunlight. A corner table from Made Goods provides a place to gather in the latticed family room.
Naples, Florida
Nestled on the watery thoroughfare in Naples, a Celerie Kemble-designed home flawlessly interacts with its lush, tropical setting with its open-air porch and enormous glass pocket doors. The conch shell pink exterior plays down the architecture’s imposing British Colonial qualities. The sunroom's slipper chair and pillow fabric are by Penny Morrison and de Le Cuona.
Baker's Bay, Bahamas
Decorator Miles Redd flipped the script on traditional tropics style with a sun-drenched palette and parade of patterns at this Baker's Bay home. Sky blue and poppy yellow tones flourish in the living room. The blue linen fabric is by Osborne & Little, and the yellow linen fabric is Pierre Frey.
Palm Beach, Florida
Affectionally called the "ham-and-cheese" house by Palm Beach locals, this red brick and coral stone manse overlooking the ocean was built by legendary architect Maurice Fatio in 1928. It was purchased years many later by a Connecticut couple who asked designer Susan Zises Green to transforms its Gilded Age grandeur into modern-day livability. The living room's pinks, creams, and corals echo a collection of seashells.
Alys Beach, Florida
Pulling inspiration from ancient Roman architecture, architects Khoury & Vogt created a playful, family beach house equipped lush allées and sun-drenched courtyards. A Pompeii-esque atrium with a glimmering splash pool stands at the center of the Alys Beach residence.
Palm Beach, Florida
Betsy Shiverick worked with architect Richard Sammons to design this Italianate-style, five-bedroom home overlooking the Lake Worth Lagoon. “We wanted a real Florida house, done to reflect the way we live, which includes our dogs," explains Shiverick, who opted for less formal furnishings and colorful textiles. The vintage sofa and chairs on the loggia have cushions in a Pierre Frey fabric.
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