Displaying posts labeled "Beach"

The New York based design team of Chango & Co. continue to blow me away with their spectacular spaces. This home is by far one of my favourites. It helps that it is a beach house. You can pretty much get away with anything at a client’s second home – like pineapple wallpaper and REALLY bright yellow paint. The tricky part is having “fun” designing a giant five bedroom beach house that needs a major overhaul (and a lot of minor construction) on a ten-week timeline. So with complete creative freedom, but very little time, we set out to design a home that would serve as an escape from the city and the restraints of apartment living for this young couple and their three beautiful (and very playful) children. From the front porch, this home looks like any other house in the quiet family neighborhood that surrounds it. When the door you enter reveals a banana yellow interior, the foyer leads to a formal dining room with pineapple patterned walls, then into a candy-colored kitchen… you know you’re in the midst of people who know how to have fun. Each room was crafted around the vividly colorful personalities in the family to encourage as much unrestrained joy & unconfined playtime as possible and the end result is a celebration of whimsy & lightness of spirit… a true playhouse for kids, big and small alike. (Photos: Sean Litchfield)

A pastel, beachy oasis on this Christmas Eve by the talented Mr. Waller. With a high of 16 Celsius today and no possible way we are going to have a white Christmas here in Ottawa (a rarity), we might as well be celebrating the holidays on a beach. 🙂 And on that note, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Jo will be taking over the blogging for the next week and I will do the following week, with favourite spaces from our 2015 posts, so stay tuned for all that goodness, because we NEVER STOP! Cheers!

I have another project from a Polish interior designer to share with you. Magda of 2kul Interior Design sent photos of a beautiful beach house in Costa Rica. Is a simple project, but maybe, with everything that is happening last days simple is not a bad thing. Project is in the middle of nowhere ;), around Avellana beach in Costa Rica. Not a big budget, not much stores around and qualified workers. So we use anything that we found and nature gave us. Bark of a palm tree gives us material to make chandelier above the stairs, beach sticks and wood from the ocean – all the other decorations, lamps structures, handmade ‘deer’ on a wall. Palets that been left after construction become furnitures. Had my mother and her skills around so ask to make this huge hanging black and white lamp that you can see in the corner of a room. This goes to show with a bit of ingenuity and some found objects, you can create a wonderful space with next to no budget. For the record Magda, your mom has talent – I would buy that light fixture!

The idea of a luxury holiday doesn’t always have to be about 5 star hotels. The new luxury, especially for families, is escaping to a fabulous beachside home with a view to die and a flair all its own. A real home. Stylish and sophisticated when it needs to be, casually chic with sand between its toes when it doesn’t. Beautiful surroundings, great location and quality time with family and friends… that’s the new luxury. Tamarama Beach Pad via Contemporary Hotels.

I had to share one more wonderful home from Charleston-based interior designer Cortney Bishop. A bright and colourful family home at the beach. Blues and seagreens with beadboard and polished floors. A hint of retro and a touch of tropical. It’s all about kicking off your shoes, collapsing in a chair and knowing you’re home.