The hot and heady period of summer just after New Years is the time for long lazy holidays. You may even be reading this perched in a hammock somewhere along the Australian coast. Lucky you.
Amongst all of this relaxation time, your mind may start to wander to the surroundings you find yourself in. Whether you’ve just purchased your holiday home, or you’re staying in the family beach shack owned by Grandma, the amount of time you spend in it warrants a style and thought that reflects your family and you own aesthetic.
No need to go nuts on the pukka shells however – it’s perfectly possible to make your holiday home as chic as your city one. These are our favourite beach house styles for 2019 – and offer something a little different than giant piece of coral on an old coffee table.
Light, Bright and White
The ultimate beach house style, an all-white theme, keeps things open, breezy, light and oh so summery. Keep within the (lack of) colour palette but play with textures and shades to create a rich visual landscape, and add personality. White or bare walls are a must, with polished concrete, wooden or white tiled floors. Add warmth by placing a large unbleached wool or cotton rug in the living or area and scattering mohair or sheepskin throws. Keep furniture in blonde-wood tones and make sure there are plenty of macramé hammocks, wooden stools and neutral ottomans for quiet horizontal relaxation periods. A big cream couch with plenty of interesting cushions will create a central gathering place, and white pendant lights will play with the height of the room and create a focal point.
Mi Casa es Su Casa
If you’ve ever dreamt of a long and relaxing holiday in a Central American casa somewhere, this is the style for you. Reminiscent of Tulum or Baja resorts, Brazilian hideaways or Argentinian ranches, this warm and literally down-to-earth look will relax and destress. Warm tones, pressed earth, generous kitchens and wood with history. If you have the option for a pressed earth floor, go for it, otherwise choose a terracotta or sandstone tile option, and furnish it with jute rugs and animal skins. Leave the textures rough and ready, this is about sophisticated rawness. Leave the beams exposed, make a driftwood table, install antique-looking or mid-century rattan furniture. Use as much recycled wood in your furniture and homewares as possible. Incorporate leather into your textural palette and keep the room interesting with Mexican and south American style motifs on your cushions and throws.
Dark Elegance
Whilst one thinks of driftwood, coral and white linen when it comes to beach house style, it need not be so. One of our favourite holiday home styles switches things up by playing with black, navy, charcoal and chocolate. The best thing about this is it doesn’t require a total renovation of your home. Freshen things up by installing matte black fixtures giving your internal walls a lick of black paint and exchanging a few pieces of furniture. Don’t want to repaint a wall? Grab some dark wall-paper to update your look without committing. Contrast the dark elements by keeping other things light – a cream rug, white cushions, wooden furniture and cute knick knacks. Pop a black fire pit outside for year-round entertaining. Scatter some interesting photographic prints in black frames around the house to create intrigue. Now you’ve got a style that’ll take you from the inferno of summer into the rainy, beachside winter.
Santorini Style
The chances are if you’re reading this you’re one of the dozens of thousands of Aussies who flock to the Greek Isles or Italian peninsula for a European summer break. The fond memories of the bougainvillea swaying in the breeze, the bleached white terraces and pristine poolside glamour don’t have to stay in Europe however. A beach or mountainside holiday home with a bit of height will benefit enormously from some Santorini style. This look is all about lounging – whether it be a slick white day bed, a striped deck chair or a lazy hanging chair, the more places you can settle for a nap and a limoncello the better. Keep the linen white, the cushions blue and white, and reserve colour for rugs, throws and flowers. Now is the time to get out the mid 2000s washed white furniture and give it a grown-up Mediterranean feel with resin jugs, good quality glassware and sweet-smelling flowers.
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