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
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.”
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.
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!
Eclectic Coastal Style: Get the Look

Art – Lamp – Sofa – Pillow – Pillow – Tables – Chair – Pillow – Rug – Chair
If you love the look of this eclectic coastal style project and want to get started on your own project, let’s talk! The first step is a “Getting to Know You” call. Whether you live in the Orlando area or anywhere in the world beyond, I have a service for you and would be honored to help you!
What a great friend you are to have! Great fresh looks!
Thank you! It was a warm and fuzzy project for sure!
Love the pillows, rug and small wooden tables!
Thank you! This was a fun project to source and the shoppable design boards, even more so!
I’m guessing there isn’t an actual farm anywhere near the Florida coast LOL…Yay for Coastal Eclectic and house-appropriate decor styles! Nice collection, Julie! I hope we get to see picture of the finished spaces soon!
Janet, in that part of the state, believe it or not, there are A LOT of farms near the coast! It is very rural there and it’s the part of the state where there is a lot of agriculture. I think that’s something that a lot of people don’t realize about Florida in general. We have a very large agricultural industry and we used to be one of the top cattle producing states in the country. I think we may still be in the top 10. I like to call the look “cracker coastal” though, instead of “farmhouse coastal” because of the style of the homes from the “cracker” settlement era (about 1880-1940). They were simple little homes with whitewashed board and batten or clapboard siding.
Julie: I love that you were able to help your clients recover from the devastation of Michael so they could once again feel at home. What a blessing it must be for them now that they are back in their home to still have a few things from the *before* that made it through.
I was a fun and rewarding project for sure!
What a beautiful plan and a beautiful thing you did! Mother Nature can be tough but the human spirit is tougher.
That is so true! I have lived in Florida my whole life and post hurricane trauma is a real thing. I think a sense of community and rebuilding are what keep us going!
How wonderful you were able to help out your friends. The mood boards look fantastic.
Thanks! I do love making boards! π
Julie, that was a great concept board. So glad that your friend have a whole new place with some great memorable pieces from before. Very nice.
Thanks! I loved the project! It was a lot of fun!
What a great blog post, and I love that you worked together to give your home life again (and a great new look!)
Thanks! It was a fun little project!
Love the rugs!!
Itβs crazy how these small towns get forgotten, thanks for helping out.
Thanks! I think most of us like the forgotten towns… it means less crowded beaches! π
What a lovely and fresh new look Julia! I can’t imagine having to start over after such a storm, but you certainly must have helped lighten their burden! Beautiful!