Beach House Starter Kit

Photo courtesy of The Surfrider Hotel, Malibu
Whether your living space is deep in the forest, high in a skyscraper, settled along a suburban street, or somewhere near an actual ocean, a breezy, beachy spirit is nearly always the easiest refresh. The look is a classic that has evolved from its basic roots into something more organic and personal, but a laid-back, easy feeling is always the through line (one of our favorite iterations is the Surfrider Hotel in Malibu, above).
“Ultimately that sand-in-your-toes feeling comes from a sense of expansiveness,” says Ariel Okin, the founder of Ariel Okin Interiors in New York, whose many projects include the time she took a raw Union Square loft full of odd desks and chairs and turned it into a warm but airy outpost for goop’s New York employees. Here Okin—who launched her addictive editorial and e-commerce site, Fenimore Lane, last year and is currently working on furniture, wallpaper, lighting, and rug collections, as well as her first book—walks us through some easy ways to do a beach-inspired home refresh, no matter where you live.
1
Neutrals + texture = beachy
“The essence of a summery interior is built on two concepts: a neutral palette and texture,” says Okin. “It allows the beauty of a space’s surroundings to speak.” With neutrals, Okin says it’s important to heighten texture wherever you can. “Texture enlivens the space and gives the eye permission to wander,” she says. “The idea is quiet details that make you look twice. I love to work with materials reminiscent of the beach—like jute, linen, and wood—to create that instant summer feel.”
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Medina Mercantile Simple Open Weave Basket goop, $60
Beach trips, farmers’ market runs, home storage, gardening vessel—
this understated tote is a wildly versatile carryall.SHOP NOW -
Roman and Williams Guild Fringed Flax Linen Napkin in White, Set of 2 goop, $41
Chic, elegant white linen always works, no matter what your style. Keep a big stack on hand.
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Bluecony IKUKO Original Meditation
Bench, Travel Version goop, $139Psst: The wooden legs pop right off, so
you can fold it up and meditate
anytime, anywhere.SHOP NOW
2
Linen is summery magic in an interior
“Linen filters light in a way that almost no other fabric can,” says Okin. “It also pools beautifully in a window treatment, and it crinkles, which plays into that effortless just-got-off-the-beach vibe. You could re-cover or slipcover a sofa in white linen, or start smaller, with great linen sheets. Cotton works, too—think natural fibers.”
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Morrow Heirloom French Linen Sheet Set goop, $299
This 100 percent French flax linen sheet set is meant to last wash after wash and has a prewashed wrinkled texture that feels incredible on skin.
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Morrow Heirloom French Duvet Set goop, $269
Made of flax linen for extra softness, this set looks so fresh and feels so good—the texture seems to soothe every nerve ending.
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Fog Linen Striped Linen Placemat goop, $14
Chic placemats in striped linen
make whatever you’re having
summery and inviting.SHOP NOW
3
When in doubt, go with white
“Nothing makes a space feel instantly airer and larger than a fresh coat of white paint,” says Okin, who loves the warm All White and the more crisp Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball. “Portola makes a Limewash paint in Solaris that brings in texture, too,” she adds. “If you’re working with dark floors, consider sanding and restaining them or even painting them white (sensing a theme here?).” Similarly, white accents create an instant refresh in any room.
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Roman and Williams Guild Kaneko Kohyo Rinka Mug goop, $50
Rustic and refined at once, this generous cup works no matter
what your style.SHOP NOW
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Coyuchi Organic Cotton Waffle Robe goop, $98
Fluffy and textured and perfect
for lounging.SHOP NOW
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Baloo Cool Cotton Weighted Blanket, 15 lbs. goop, $169
For a beautiful nap or a great,
full night’s sleep, we love this
weighted blanket.SHOP NOW
KITCHEN AND BATH SUMMER TOOLKIT

The same principles (white, light, textured, easy) apply to kitchens and baths—even if you’re simply freshening a summer rental, like It’s a Dinner founder Ana Hito, who’s moving her farm dinner company to the Hamptons for the summer. “Some white paint and a few of my favorite cooking tools—along with lots of flowers from the farmers’ market—really changed up the vibe,” she says. “And stacks of fresh white towels in the bathroom feel luxe and summery.”
•A beach-ified kitchen leans toward the easy and the fresh.
Stock your kitchen with tools to make cooking easy and casual, injecting fun (ice pops, a shell-shaped bottle opener) wherever you can.
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GreenPan Padova Ceramic Nonstick
10-piece Cookware Set goop, $250A new set of pans in breezy pale blue
makes even the stove top feel beachy.SHOP NOW
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Onyx Paddle Ice Pop Mold goop, $40
It isn’t summer without ice pops.
Spike them with fresh fruit, herbs, or even a little alcohol for both silliness and sophistication after dinner.SHOP NOW
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Nordic Ware Baking Sheet Set goop, $38
Roasted anything from the farmers’ market becomes a summer meal with some good bread and olive oil.
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Brightland The Duo Extra Virgin
Olive Oils goop, $74Heirloom olives
hand-harvested, with love,
in sunny California.SHOP NOW -
8knots Oyster Bottle Opener goop, $78
We’re already smiling when we
crack open a cold one with this sea-worthy bottle opener.SHOP NOW
•Make fruit and vegetables the (visual) stars of the show.
The gorgeous produce of summer makes it the easiest season to cook and eat clean. “I love using open bowls for fruit and vegetables, to keep the farmers’ market bounty out where the eye can see,” says Orkin. “Fresh produce on the countertops injects a fun pop of color, especially in a white kitchen.”
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goop Press The Clean Plate goop, $35
Keep this on hand and you’ll
always find the perfect easy,
deliciously clean recipe.SHOP NOW
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Vitamix Vitamix Ascent Series 3500 Blender goop, $600
If ever there were a moment to
pull the trigger on this baby, it’s when practically every fruit and vegetable is at its most delicious. Summer will be significantly healthier, and it
will taste better.SHOP NOW -
Hurom Hurom H-AA Slow Juicer goop, $459
Nutrition experts love this one,
as do chefs, and decorators—the sleek design takes up very little counter space.SHOP NOW
•Breathe summer into the bathroom, too.
Even if you’re trying to spruce up a space with ancient fixtures and oddly colored tiles, stacks of fresh towels, a vase full of flowers, some beautiful candles, and a little beauty refresh can change everything up.
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UMA Pure Calm Wellness
Candle goop, $68One of the prettiest candles
we’ve ever seen or
smelled—even unlit, it fills a
room with the best subtle scent.SHOP NOW -
Peg and Awl Oak Bathtub Caddy goop, $145
For your drink, your bath salts,
candle, eye mask, book—
it’s easy to use for just about
every tub.SHOP NOW
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Hawkins New York Medium Glass Storage
Container with Oak Lid goop, $40Brilliant for bath supplies as
well as the kitchen cabinet.SHOP NOW
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Coyuchi Organic Air Weight
Towel Set goop, $128The ultimate fluffy,
cozy towel set.SHOP NOW
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Anne Black Stripe Narrow Vase, Medium goop, $40
It doesn’t get beachier than
blue-and-white stripes.SHOP NOW
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Coyuchi CLOUD LOOM ORGANIC
TOWELS, SET OF 6 goop, $198A plush Turkish towel is the
ultimate linen-cabinet luxury.SHOP NOW
4
Mix in wood and glass
“Contrast timeworn materials like driftwood and cerused oak with sharper, more clean-lined accents like glass, unlacquered brass, and plaster,” Okin says. The juxtapositions keep the look fresh and modern.
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Peg and Awl Step Stool goop, $95
Beautifully simple—and exceptionally
handy around the house.SHOP NOW
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The Little Market Clear Margarita Glass goop, $28
Made of recycled glass, each
hand-etched piece supports
artisans in Mexico.SHOP NOW -
Connected Goods Acacia Wooden Spoon Set goop, $37
These are so pretty, it’s hard to resist
leaving them out on the counter.SHOP NOW
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R+D Design Lab LUISA ACQUA, SET OF 2 goop, $90
Chunkily minimal and satisfyingly
sleek, these fit beautifully in your hand.SHOP NOW
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Roman and Williams Guild Teak Platter goop, $160
Makes whatever you arrange
on it—drinks, hors d’oeuvres,
napkins—look infinitely more elegant.SHOP NOW -
Caravan Bistro Glasses in Blue,
Set of 6 goop, $68A touch of Paris stashed in your
kitchen cabinets.SHOP NOW
5
Mix in naturally textured fibers
Okin likes rattan, seagrass, and jute. “Upholstery in breezy fabrics, like cotton and linen, mixed in with rattan and jute always does the trick,” she says. “So do natural-fiber rugs.”
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Island to East Side Personalized Beach Tote goop, $193
Order this with name/nickname/initials
customized (best gift ever, btw).SHOP NOW
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Fique + Clay Woven Placemat goop, $24
The perfect combination of neutral
with texture—and these are handwoven
by skilled artisans in Colombia.SHOP NOW
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Fique + Clay Woven Placemat goop, $24
We love to treat pink as a neutral—so
goop—and they’re handmade (in
Colombia); artisanal is both earthy and
sophisticated.SHOP NOW
6
Take it all outdoors
Carry the whites, the woods, and the textural fibers out onto the patio, the backyard, or the deck where you can, Okin says. “Don’t let white cushions on outdoor furniture scare you—performance fabrics at this point are hardworking and beautiful,” she says. “I love Serena & Lily’s Pacifica collection, a modern take on classic wicker furniture with white upholstery. I even have it at my own house.” Lanterns and candlelight make a summer evening even sexier, and Okin likes to wrap LED solar twinkle lights around a tree, too. Don’t forget the music.
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Roman and Williams Guild Reed Candlestick 2.5″ goop, $280
Cluster these low silver-plated
brass candlesticks on a tabletop
and magic will happen.SHOP NOW
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Roman and Williams Guild Reed Candlestick 4.25″ goop, $370
Mixed with different-size candlesticks
or on their own, in silver-plated brass,
these are just exquisite.SHOP NOW -
Speaqua The Barnacle Vibe 2.0 Speaker goop, $90
Wireless and waterproof—the
perfect summer music solution.SHOP NOW