beach houses for summer

It's summer in england. At long last! And it feels so good. The sun's up early, and the sky is so blue. Up in our flat the temperature is warm. It can be 22C down on the ground (make that 18C with the wind), and yet on the balcony it is generally 5 degrees warmer - at least! It is lovely. When the weather warms up and the sun peaks out from behind those clouds the world seems so much better, everything is do-able, and I smile alot more. After so many years in england I am still acclimatising to the weather here and so summer is a much better time of the year for me. I just wish it got a little bit warmer, and that winter didn't come round so quickly. On days like today I just want to go outside and sit in the garden, or go round to a friends and have a braai or coffee. Soon I'll be going on holiday and be able to do just that!

Till then I have some more work to do on the house...
Here's some ideas of the chilled out vibe we were thinking about emulating.
I found this at Habitually Chic and House Beautiful and it seems so perfect for a summer house. This beach house has a beautifully calm feel, I especially love the map as art. I do love bright reds and purples in decor but the whites and blue seem so appropriate for a beach house, and so much more appealing to a larger market than darker colours might be.

(photos by Don Freeman -from House Beautiful)



The simple colours are instantly calming. Those white floor boards are calm and so beachy.




Its the little things, how the stripes are not overpowering. The simple print is not too busy and repeated colours echoed in different rooms. The lack of clutter is relaxing, and couldn't you just imagine lighting some candles and snuggling into the sofa with a soft throw, a glass of wine and a good book.