1. Home
  2. Decorating & Design
  3. Beach House Style, Two Ways

Food & Home
hero

Beach House Style, Two Ways


In partnership with our friends at
Advertisement

One of our favorite things about the sea is the homes that exist by it. There’s a laid-back quality to every beach house, a patina of salty air. And as these homes show, there’s also a distinct aesthetic, depending on exactly what sea it’s overlooking.

CALIFORNIA MINIMALISM

LOCATION: Hermosa Beach, California

DESIGN ELEMENTS: Minimalist furniture, white built-in shelving, jute rugs, mixed woods (blonde hardwood and teak furniture), large folding windows

  • hallway

    Design by: Jordan Shields; Photo credit: Madeline Tolle for Homepolish

  • Rule 1

    CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT

    Intense sun, sand, and salt water will be interacting with the house constantly, so choose easy-to-clean, durable surfaces, like woods and tiles, in highly trafficked areas.

  • “The draw to color palettes and heaviness of spaces is different between the East and West Coasts. The chosen materials throughout this house, like blonde woods and white built-ins, make it an open, airy Southern California beach home. Each level of the house also has large folding windows to make it totally indoor-outdoor.”
    —Jordan Shields, Homepolish designer

  • chair

    Design by: Jordan Shields; Photo credit: Madeline Tolle for Homepolish

  • Rule 2

    WORTH THE SPLURGE

    For outdoor furniture, go for a durable, fade-resistant fabric that holds up to the sun and wind.

  • living room

    Design by: Jordan Shields; Photo credit: Madeline Tolle for Homepolish

EAST COAST ECLECTIC

LOCATION: Bay Head, New Jersey

DESIGN ELEMENTS: Accessories with a nautical bent (knots, rope accents, and sailcloth fabric), blown-glass light fixtures, a cool color palette, white-painted and natural-finish woods

  • livng room

    Design by: Cindy Deluzuriaga; Photo credit: Sean Litchfield for Homepolish

  • Rule 1

    LET THERE BE LIGHT

    Make the most of natural light by keeping the layout open and airy.

  • “The East Coast goes more nautical style while the West leans more toward its hippie roots. This home has a relaxed ease but with clean and classic lines. It’s like a grown-up beach house.”
    —Cindy DeLuzuriaga, Homepolish designer

  • Rule 2

    BRING IN THE OCEAN

    Try blue-painted walls (seen here: Benjamin Moore Polo Blue), but keep everything else—the furniture, the accessories—light to balance it out.

  • bookshelf

    Design by: Cindy Deluzuriaga; Photo credit: Sean Litchfield for Homepolish

  • chair in corner

    Design by: Cindy Deluzuriaga; Photo credit: Sean Litchfield for Homepolish

  • Rule 3

    ADD SOME WHIMSY

    The owners are passionate about sailing, which is reflected in the subtle maritime details.