A Malibu Cottage Grand Entrance

I just like the idea of creating a Grand Entrance, especially when you have a beach house to show off!  From Jeffrey Alan Marks, (another huge design crush of mine!) a beautiful beach "cottage" foyer in Malibu, CA.

I think this is a look that could easily be recreated!

1. Anchor the space with an area rug that can withstand dirt, sand, rain and traffic.  Maybe consider an indoor-outdoor rug?  There are so many choices now!

(from our Coastal Living Collection - White and Silver Gray Coral Branches)

Or an interesting "chevron" striped rug?  Dark Blue and White always works in a beach house!   (This Blue and White Chevron example is a flat woven wool area rug - these are even reversible!) 

1. Find a rustic round table (in your attic or garage?) to hold your treasures, it doesn't have to be perfect - perfection sometimes is in the marks of time and loved textures.  Personally, I think that a round table, is such a welcoming way to open a foyer to beach house guests.

2. Find a large vase, or even a series of different sizes of vases would serve to make a unique statement. Gather together some beautiful flowering branches from your yard, or even your local beach. Our beaches here in Northern California have so many luscious wildflowers and sea grasses; fennel, flowering radish.  I have even found beautiful flowering branches at Trader Joe's!

3. Find an interesting chair to add - maybe one that is hiding in a bedroom or in your attic?  I would add a beautiful cushion too!

3. Add a stack of your favorite books and your best seashell find - and Voila'.

Now to just find the Malibu beach cottage.....and the car to go with!

For more pictures of this Malibu Shingle House and more about Jeffrey Alan Marks, of Million Dollar Decorator Fame, check out his web gallery!  Jeffrey Alan Marks

Happy Customers from the Jersey Shore!

The best, absolute best part about my job?  When happy customers send us pictures of their

coastal rooms!  

 

Our new customer Kellie, sent us this picture of their living room (and their cute puppy dog!) in their beach cottage that has been recently rebuilt on the New Jersey Coast.  Kellie and her family had scrimped and saved their pennies for many years to finally be able to enjoy a home on the Jersey Shore - only to have it be nearly destroyed from that devastating storm. 

 She wrote to me to tell me how excited they were to get their new Surya sand dollar rug, as it's one more finishing piece in the puzzle to completing their restoration after Hurricane Sandy.  

So glad that we could play a small part in helping a family's "shore" dreams come true. Thanks Kellie!

The Sand Dollar Rug:

Beach Cottage American Flag Decor

Simple, beautiful statement about summer at our coast...

A large American flag, in a white-washed cottage hallway with wide planked floors and an interesting driftwood-like bench. Doors thrown open to the sand and sea! Love how you can see the light streaming in... Can't you almost smell the fresh salty-sea breeze and  hear the ocean waves calling your name?

What else do you need?

(So sorry - do not know the original source of the image!)