Eclectic Coastal Style: From Michael to Marvelous

This was an Eclectic Coastal Style journey, for sure!

Hi friends! I am so excited to share this project story with you! This eclectic coastal style project began in December 2018. A dear friend of mine came down to visit for some respite from the post-hurricane desolation of Port St. Joe, FL.

In case you missed it, the Forgotten Coast was hit by a late season category 5 hurricane. In that area the coastline is very narrow and rimmed with barrier islands, making it particularly vulnerable to storm surges.

Many of the communities are called St. Something. The area is not as popular with tourists as nearby Panama City and Destin are, hence the name Forgotten Coast. However, the little beach towns on the coast between St. Marks and Panama City are a favorite among North Florida locals. The beaches are pristine and they make for an easy weekend getaway. I personally have a deep connection to the area and I waxed poetic about it in this blog post.

My friend’s home was not leveled, but she and her husband lost everything on their first floor because of the massive storm surges and flooding. When she came to visit, she needed a break from the physical devastation and also the mental anguish of wondering when life would return to normal.

The visit did her some good, but by the end, we hatched a plan to give her the eclectic coastal style beach cottage she’d been dreaming of.

Lamp – Art – Art – Buffet – Tray – Decanter – Ice Bucket – Basket – Lighting – Placemat – Chair – Bowl – Table– Rug

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The Project

The Concept

The damage to the home included water damage and loss of all the furnishings on the ground floor, the kitchen cabinets, and damage to the walls. They also initially had sand and dirt on the floors, but because the floors are porcelain tile, they were not damaged beyond repair.

The exterior of the house is a beach cottage style. A typical style for the the North Florida coast. Prior to the hurricane, the interior of the home reflected this look, but didn’t necessarily reflect they aesthetic of the owners. The floors are a wood plank style tile and bead board adorns the walls from floor to ceiling. They also had bamboo Roman shades that survived the storm, so that was a plus in my book.

As built, the home was supposed to have a farmhouse look, which was a theme selected by the original owners. At the time of purchase, my friends just went with the theme. However, after living in farmhouse for a couple of years, they decided the style didn’t really suit them. Instead, my friends described the look they wanted as “more surf shack meets Apple store.”

So, that had me thinking about the kind of clean look you find in Scandinavian modern design – similar to the Apple stores – but blending in the warmth and “lived in” look you would find in a casual seaside retreat. This style is also called “California Coastal” and “Coastal Loft.”

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The Dining Room & Kitchen

The down stairs is an open concept space with a small dining area adjacent to the kitchen. They needed a new dining table, lighting, dining chairs, and a rug. They have a hutch that survived the storm and intended to keep it in the dining area. The hutch was painted black and was a more traditional style, but with simple lines and hardware. Similar to the type of furniture one might find in Gustavian decor or 18th century Scandinavian style.

So the clean Scandinavian look could still work.

I couldn’t think of a better seating selection than Wegner “wishbone” style chairs in black with rushed seats to add some natural texture. For the table we also went with a simple black painted style with criss-cross legs.

For the rug and lighting I wanted to bring in more of the “natural” textures, so we opted for a round jute rug and a semi-sphere shaped seagrass light. The old lighting was a beaded chandelier that just looked a little to farmhouse/boho for the more simple, sleek look my friends wanted.

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The Living Room

The living room area is part of the open space attached to the kitchen and dining room. My friends needed all new furniture. She had already chosen a very simple, natural wood coffee table, but everything else would need to be new. We selected a sofa and wingback chairs with white twill slip covers to give the space a classic, yet casual fee. For the rug, we selected a white wool Moroccan style rug with a deep indigo pattern to add warmth and a well-traveled feel. For the accessories and accents, we selected a pair of bamboo ottomans and navy blue and white accent pillows. The client had an accent chair that survived the hurricane and we planned to keep it in the living room for extra seating. You can see the groupings in the board below.

My friends loved the look of the boards I prepared for them! Once they approved the board, we ordered all of the items and they implemented the plan on their own.

Below I have prepared a shoppable board with a very similar look. If you want an eclectic coastal style, this is your one stop shop!

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Eclectic Coastal Style: Get the Look

Art – Lamp – Sofa – Pillow – Pillow – Tables – Chair – Pillow – Rug – Chair

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