Everything Coastal: March 2016

Friday, March 25, 2016

Coastal Easter Ideas to Try!

I love spring! Spring here on our California Coast is especially gorgeous this year - every thing is blooming in all its' glory, from bright yellow shamrocks, to the explosion of Calla Lillies. The last several years have been a bit bleak for blooms due to our historic drought, but the El Nino rains have been very kind this winter and our plants are totally digging it!

(Calla Lillies are from my front yard - bouquet with yellow bunny courtesy of Safeway)

I digress... Our Caron's Beach House crew has been so busy rounding up creative, charming ideas for celebrating Easter with a coastal theme, and I had to share some of my favorites that we've found for you this year.

1. Narwal Easter Eggs - Oh my gosh, these are just too adorable! From A Joyful Riot - click for the step by step instructions.

2. Kate's Creative Space - why save these clear balls just for Christmas? Love how she's used spring elements to create fun little place settings. More Info!

3. Make it Pink! Keeping it simple with deep fuchsia orchids, this gorgeous table setting by the sea welcomes guests with a slightly tropical style. From Hen House Linens

4. A perfect beach cottage table setting - a little bit rustic, but beautiful with sea washed colors in the driftwood-like table, white linens, and aqua plates with Easter Eggs to match! The bright yellow daffodils are a wonderful Spring finishing touch. (sorry not sure about the image source)

5. A bowl of sea-colored Easter Eggs makes a fabulous centerpiece!

6. Nautical Bowl of Easter Eggs from The Mermaids Tale. Seriously, check her entire blog post - so darn creative! LOVE LOVE those little buoys and fish net covered eggs, not to mention the eggs sand dollar and sea urchin details. WOW - am a little envious of the imagination that went into these beauties!

7. Scatter white large shells and starfish among your colored eggs - another charming idea for a centerpiece on your Easter table. Starfish Cottage Blog

8. Blue Marbled Eggs from Alice and Lois - crazy cool patterns and you have to love that elegant indigo blue. How-to's on their blog - PS it's nail polish!

9. Easter Egg Topiary Trees from Sand and Sisal - in beautiful beach cottage colors of sand, ivory and aqua. How to's on her blog - here

10, Our front door. This is about as DIY as I can get!

a Store bought colorful Easter Egg wreath (I think World Market?)
b. Glue gun
c. Clear Acrylic Spray
d. Beach found treasures. have so many everywhere in my house, this was a great way to display some of them!
e. Pretty wired ribbon
f. Voila' - Easy Easter Wreath for the front door!

Have a wonderful weekend! Hope we've inspired you to add a little coastal flair to your Easter celebrations.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

HGTV Blogger Block Party - Design Trends for 2016

I am a little bit late getting this blog post finally published! Last summer while I was attending the New York NOW show, I had the opportunity to get invited to the HGTV Blogger Party at the HGTV offices in New York City. So fun! (excuse the cell phone images - was so excited to be there, that my picture taking skills may have suffered from celebrity sightings!)

All about Design Trends for 2016!

Met the absolutely adorable, Sara Peterson, Editor in Chief of HGTV!

Thanked her and her staff for including our store and products in several different HGTV Magazine issues over the past few years. Sara was so incredibly gracious - love her! (even though I might have been slightly tongue-tied...)

And then the star of the show - Genevieve Gorder! Design Trends for 2016

Genevieve talked quite a bit about the Scandinavian,/Viking/Game of Thrones design trend that is happening right now. (note her cute outfit!) Includes unique woven textures, like chunky knits, rope and braiding, mixed with natural materials of bleached shells , driftwood, and sea grass, blended together to create a warm neutral decorating style.

After listening to Genevieve talk about this design trend, I was inspired me to create our Beachcomber Decor Collection last fall.

"A little bit Scandinavian, hints of the Nordic with more than a dash of Northern Californian, this is one of our go-to coastal styles to welcome our friends and family to the beach!"

Nordic beach style was fun, but, the Cuban island influenced style is the one that I am the most excited about!

See Genevieve's slide above for a hint of the colors of this re-discovered Caribbean nation; shades of aqua, cerulean blue, deep turquoise, royal blues and emerald green. This design trend is tropical with a definite twist of incredible Spanish and Moorish influenced art and (think Barcelona!) architecture. Imagine medallion circles and intricate tile shapes.. . So cool!

We've been seeing this design influence in just about everything from rugs,to pillows, to lamps to wall decor. I do not expect this rich with color and captivating historic trend to go away anytime soon, especially since the USA is now opening up all kinds of doors to Cuba and to the Cuban people. I love it.

Selfishly, I really would hate to see Cuba become something else and lose the true art that exists there...

Here are just a few of the new items that we've collecting in a new Coastal Style category that we will be calling Havana. Hope you all enjoy!

Havana Coastal Style

Medallion Blue Sculpted Rug

Artisan Large Palm Rug - love the varying shades of blues in this! (available in more colors too)

Palm Throw - Deep Blue and Emerald

Island Breeze Pillow - Spa Blues

New! Ravella Blue Tiles Rug

Vintage Tiled Knit Throw

Blue Parrot Pillow - fun vintage shapes and bright colors!

Ten Palms Area Rug - love the blue palm leaves mixed with a "tiled" pattern

Parrot and Palm Art

Green Parrot Art from Suzanne Nicoll

(image source - MyDomaine)

See what I mean? I am totally captured by the romance of Cuba!

Look for this new re-vamped Caribbean island inspired design trend to be everywhere this year and continuing into the next several years!

P.S. We've been collecting all kinds of inspiration on our Cuban Art Pinterest Board - come take a look!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Decorating with Green - Our Fave Coastal Rooms!

Ya know... Decorating with a coastal or nautical style, does not always have to be aqua or blue. (can be really boring after a while!)

How about trying a little green? We've been collecting ideas on our Sea Green Pinterest Board - here are Ten of our Favorite Coastal Rooms with Green as the decorating choice!

1. and 2.

See what I mean; all soft green shades mixed with vintage nautical neutrals - no glaring navy blue or aqua shades in sight! Both images from House Beautiful's article Inside a Classic Maine Cottage

Love that bookshelf with carved sea birds and the basket full of blown glass fishing floats. What a wonderful room to dream about your next adventure!

3. Sea Green Glass Lamp, hand-rail, framed mirror and pretty green trunk! So fresh, and welcoming. Great idea to add fresh greenery to give you home a special touch! source: Coastal Living Magazine

4. Green Stripes! Never boring and a wonderfully fresh spring palette to start with. Only limited by your imagination...Note the vintage basket and lovely green glass bottles too!

5. Green with botanical or tropical designs - drapes in this room, but how about adding just a pop of interesting color with a few new pillows with the same idea? Love those large emerald green glass bottles!

6. More gorgeous green glass balls! I may know where you can find something like these super large fishing floats...

source - Coastal Living

7. From Elle Decor - I want to be brave enough one day to try this idea! This room just makes me smile.

8. Mint Green Walls, vintage-like black and white nautical imaged art and found seashell treasures. LOVE!

9. Or maybe just a small corner office if you don't want to go all the way green! Love this little tropical corner carved out for a special enchanting desk and accessories. Check out the gold coral drawer pulls! From apartmenttherapy.com