Caron White | Ocean Home Oceanfront Properties Coastal Lifestyle

Real Coral Belongs on the Reef

Coral Reef Bowl

Sometimes “coastal” style is just about that one special piece, not an entire collection. Can you imagine this simple, organic sea-shaped white coral displayed all by itself on a fabulous antique credenza? Or imagine it as part of a creative shore table scape, dressing up a rustic driftwood-like buffet, or possibly hiding in a nook on a towering bookcase. The possibilities are endless for elegant beach style, for bringing in memories of the of the sea, warm sand, and wild waves. There’s nothing quite like adding a touch of the natural sea and shore to complete a coastal home.

The best part? This piece is not real coral, but it is so finely crafted with tiny attention to detail, that it looks like an incredible beach find. Using faux instead of real coral allows the sea to thrive and maintain its natural state, for many fish, turtles, and other sea creatures turn to coral for necessary survival needs.

Here are a few more examples for pretty artificial coral! Tried to find a few pieces for you in several colors, to complement any seaside room.

From Pottery Barn – Faux Spike Coral

From Z-Gallerie - comes in Turquoise, Red and White too!

Fun! Red Coral Mirror from Clay Gray Home

Found at Studio Home

Mushroom Coral Pieces from Caron’s Beach House

Or maybe a pretty red “faux” coral lamp? Caron’s Beach House

Remember, if you truly are an ocean lover, real coral is a big no-no. It is possible to find unique, exquisite coral-like pieces for decorating your beach house. We need to respect our planet and leave the real coral where it belongs, on the reef.

About Caron White: Caron’s whole life has been spent the water, and living on the beach. A coastal, seaside lifestyle has always been her passion. More than anything, she loves to share it! Creator of a new original coastal home lifestyle retail website. She can also be found at her Everything Coastal Blog.

Coastal Modern Glamour Foyer Idea

Want an elegant, modern style for a beach house? Try a foyer-console table like this pretty white clean-lined “X Console” from Plantation Design. (P.S. This is my new furniture fantasy site!) Accessorize it with only a few interesting items and strong statement lighting. There are lots of options out there for clear crystal lamps – here’s a few that I found that might be interesting. Remember to keep the lines streamlined and clean.

Restoration Hardware – Saxon Lamp

Pottery Barn-Bancroft Crystal Lamps

Clear Glass Baha Lamp at Caron’s Beach House

Keep the accessories uncluttered, and unfettered, unlike a beach cottage look, by using only contemporary shapes and designs. Think about using pretty natural shell boxes, or mirrored boxes. Even a collection beautiful design books would look great!

West Elm-Mother of Pearl Boxes

Mirrored Boxes from Lazy Susan - discovered at Amazon

Karen Robertson Design always has something beautiful!

There’s just something about that grand shell mirror too. Here’s a few examples of some similar ideas.

Oly Studio – Nest Mirror, comes in two sizes. Check their site for local and online retailers.

26 inch diameter Mother of Pearl Mirror, Currey & Co. – can be found at Caron’s Beach House.

Discovered on Etsy – LOVE this round mirror covered in purple barnacles. Amazing colors and creative elegance. My Green Gazebo

What do you think? What would you add?

Patriotic Table Settings

I am seriously digging all of the red, white, and blue tablescape decorating! Totally nautical – and perfect for the 4th of July. Makes me wish I had a bigger house to store more dinnerware, glassware and my favorite table linens. Just wanted to show you all a few of my favorite images gathered this week around the net!

A table set from Martha Stewart – the rope details add a luxury nautical feel.

From one of my favorite blogs – FOCAL Point. I think you will love Lynda’s sense of style! For the whole blog post – Patriotic Place Settings

Stripes, rope, shiny details – and LOBSTER! How can you go wrong?

And one of our sets…this table linen and more can be found at Caron’s!

Have a great weekend everyone – we are headed out in the new Mini-Cooper for a drive up to Bodega Bay, maybe a little wine tasting, maybe a to find a dungeness crab for Saturday night’s dinner!

Nautical Summer Style

Summer Coastal Style

Look at this image and picture the story of these collected treasures! Well loved pieces picked on a long awaited overseas journey; an antique painted red table found in a tiny Paris antique store, blue coral found hidden in a tiny shop along the seaside in France. Of course the black lacquered bench discovered while exploring flea markets in London had to come home for a new purpose with pretty blue linen fabric. The royal blue and white pillows, pillows add just the right touch.

It presents the classic and clean nautical style, without being obvious. Perfect.

Notice the book that accompanies the decorative items – “Fifty Places to Fly From Before You Die”. How fun – these world travelers must be planning their next adventure!

How can you achieve this fresh “collected” summer style?

Stay away from real coral at all costs, this is such a big no-no for the health of our oceans. Finding beautiful faux coral can be a challege, but I think we’ve found a few examples for you.

Red Faux Coral from ZGallerie

Blue Coral from Caron's Beach House

The red side table is a little bit more of a hunt online – try One Kings Lane, where I spotted this one!

Red Round Lacquer side table

Or even a cute round red ceramic gardening stool might work!

Red Ceramic Gardening Stool from Wayfair

Blue and white pillows – there are thousands of choices, but here are a few of my favorites!

Blue and White Pillows from Horchow

Luxury Blue Velvet Pillows from Caron's Beach House

Designer Trina Turk Pillows

And the finishing touch? An interesting travel guide or a fabulous coastal design idea book! Both can be found at LibertyBayBooks.com, or at your favorite local independent book store.

535 Best Beaches

Rooms to Inspire by the Sea

About Caron White: Caron’s whole life has been spent the water, and living on the beach. A coastal, seaside lifestyle has always been her passion. More than anything, she loves to share it! Creator of a new original coastal home lifestyle retail website. She can also be found at her Everything Coastal Blog.

Coastal Pillows from Kevin O’Brien Studio

Can a beach house ever have too many throw pillows? Crazy question! Adding a few new pillows can be the easiest way to completely update a “tired” look, without incurring the expense of a new piece of furniture.

Kevin O’Brien Studio has created a selection of very unique, original designs and turned them into fabulous luxury nautical pillows in 5 different gorgeous color shades to match any style home. I would not hesitate to add these to a mid-century modern coastal look as well as a traditional Nantucket cottage style!

Take a look - see what they’ve created! A whole line of artisan inspired, nautical and coastal themed large pillows. Hand screen-printed designs on elegant linen pillows, all with zippers and filled with soft down inserts.

Now to resist redoing the entire room based around these Kevin O’Brien nautical throw pillows. Have to admit, that will be the real challenge! Already thinking about a new lamp that would match perfect… maybe I will start scouring the antique markets for a fabulous original piece of artwork to hang over the fireplace?

Nauticals-group-new3: Nauticals-group-new3

Caron White

Luxury pillows by Kevin O'Brien Studio Read More
Nauticals-group-new2: Nauticals-group-new2

Caron White
Mermaid-indigo: Mermaid-indigo

Caron White
Mermaid-coral: Mermaid-coral

Caron White
: Caron White
Seahorses-seaglass: Seahorses-seaglass

Caron White
: Caron White

Seashells are the perfect simple detail Read More
: Caron White
: Caron White

Indigo Sailboats Read More
Nauticals-group-new1: Nauticals-group-new1

Caron White

OverlaysShare Tweet

Zebra Stripes Go Coastal

An idea to consider; mixing the “in- trend” look of zebra stripes with coastal accents. Not an easy concept to grasp, but one that I think can bring real glamour to a beach house!

The stark black and white zebra design has become almost a “new” neutral, and with a little creativity it can be mixed and matched to perfection. Love how Mary McDonald used this combination to create a statement with light blue and orange elegant drapes, silvered glass modern lamps, and a gorgeous collection of specimen sea shells. All mixed expertly with coral, displayed so opulently on a simple black lacquered console table. Somehow the zebra striped ottoman and mirror work perfectly to pull the whole look together!

How about this fresh summer look from Kate Jackson Design? A mix of traditional coastal blues and light green stripes with a fun framed vintage bathing suit and modern shaped zebra stools. The stools add just the right touch of modern to keep this room from being overly “beach cottage”. Light, bright and welcoming!

Or for real glamour, mix rich golds, luxurious velvets, and a faux fur carpet with just a hint of zebra stripes and only a few stand out collectible shells. Crazy about this display cabinet full of possibilities!

Of course, there’s always the zebra striped area rug. This beautiful home office is a great example of using the area rug to pull together the coastal decor elements, and creating a unique living space.

Have fun with discovering how to mix and match a zebra striped accent piece into your beach house. Hope that we’ve given you some new ideas to try!

Romance on the Terrace

Fell in love with this outdoor summer veranda, overlooking a sea blue bay. Such a sophisticated, calming area to entertain guests! Dark classic wicker styling with bright white slip covered cushions and just the right pop of crimson red coral from the luxury throw pillows.

Can’t you just feel the ocean breeze with just a slight hint of chill in the salt air? Good thing that they’ve included a cozy throw on the end of the Restoration Hardware wicker sofa!

Maybe Diana Krall, or some vintage Frank Sinatra playing in the background? Champagne chilling, candles in wind proof huricanes about to be lit as the sun begins its glorious descent into the sea. The only thing missing is a beautiful polished tray full of gourmet, sumptuous cheese and appetizers…

Get the look!

Espresso Wicker Sofas from Restoration Hardware – classic styling, with so many options for dressing up or dressing down. Would suggest thinking about specifying outdoor fabric, even if your sofa is under cover.

Indoor-outdoor pillows would be recommended, although your seating area may be protected. These hand painted red coral pillows add just that right touch of color against the black and white!

Candle hurricanes can be as simple as these hammered glass hurricanes found at Pier One, or can be as elaborate as you dare, to match your overall decorating.

For a nautical twist, we love these polished nickel lanterns with rope handles! Look for elements that can withstand the outdoors, and that have easy access for lighting and extinguishing your candles. Stick to white or ivory candles to keep your look sophisticated, and if possible avoid strong scents that may overpower your guests.

A cashmere throw (or two!) would add just that perfect touch to ward off the evening chill. Discovered these beautiful woven cashmere throws at Frontgate.com. Several colors and monogramming also available.

Beautiful glasses and an ice bucket are a must! This pretty etched palm tree glassware can be found at Caron’s Beach House.

About Caron White: Caron’s whole life has been spent around the water, and living on the beach. A coastal, seaside lifestyle has always been her passion. More than anything, she loves to share it! Creator of a new original coastal home lifestyle retail website. She can also be found at her Everything Coastal Blog

The Right Hardware for Your Coastal Home

You might never think of choosing hardware for your coastal home until the very end of your project, but it’s something that we believe should be chosen with great care and consideration long before. Choosing the right hardware can either be the crowning design touch for all of your hard work, or it could totally ruin your entire beach house kitchen design plan.

The choices for cabinet hardware are simply endless! There are many things to consider, not only beach house design themes, but also durability and ease of function. The closer your home is to salt-laden air and water, durability and finish choices will become paramount in choosing the right pieces for your home.

Stainless steel near the water is such an excellent choice, but the design choices are a little more limited than other materials such as brass, bronze or pewter. Stainless steel is an fabulous design option for a modern beach house look – just take a look at this Laguna Beach seaside home! (From Home and House Design)

Why consider stainless steel?

“Stainless steel has a unique quality, It can self-repair! Stainless steel has a naturally occurring layer that forms

on the surface by oxidization. This film is very thin (only a few atoms thick), inert and invisible. If the surface is

accidentally scratched this protective coating automatically repairs itself. This layer is what makes it corrosion free.” Ideal for beach homes and boats! If you spend a little extra time looking, marine-grade stainless steel cabinet hardware can be found.

Stainless steel is also extremely easy to take care of; simply wipe with a damp sponge or soft cloth, using water with a very small amount of gentle detergent or vinegar added. Regular cleaning will avoid any stubborn dirt from building up. In fact, unlike other materials, it is impossible to wear out stainless steel by excessive cleaning. (exactly why health care facilities choose stainless steel)

A few words of caution!

Don’t use steel or wire wool as they can leave tiny fragments behind which can tarnish the surface.
Don’t use bleach, chlorides or acid-based cleaning products which can discolor the surface. (actually you shouldn’t use bleach on any hardware)
Baking soda can be used as a cleaning agent, but make sure to wipe in the direction of the grain, and to immediately rinse and dry
Don’t allow food items like lemon juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, mustard, salad dressing or mayonnaise to remain on the surface for long. They can bleach the surface causing white spots.
Don’t use hard abrasive scouring powders or creams as they may scratch your hardware
Don’t wipe across the grain as it may spoil the finish.

Here are a few more interesting decorative hardware creations, all with stainless steel. These might give you some ideas of how to use stainless, but with a little imagination and design for more than just a modern beach house look. Getting creative, we found these fun handles from Sugatsune that are very marine looking – trunk handles. Wouldn’t these be a fun accessory for a nautical themed kitchen? For the true sailing or yachting fan, we even found these stainless steel nautical cleats at Jamestown Distributors . Try thinking outside the box and use actual nautical cleats like these for cabinet pulls! From Sugatsune, an interesting marine grade handle, totally nautical! Simple, but will make a statement.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Decorative crystal knobs are another way to vamp up your interior design. Although simple and small, colorful doorknobs can add that pop of color needed to finish any room. These sea glass colors feature stainless steel bases, which will hold up against any element, including sandy hands fresh off the beach. They are vailable in many different colors from Dekkor, Inc.. Or, to obtain the luxury feel opt for the clear-crystal handles. Also from Dekkor, these clear crystal knob details with stainless steel bases are perfect for a glamorous bathroom at the beach.

Have fun! We would love to see how your have chosen to complete your beach house kitchen design.

Nantucket Dreams…

Nantucket…Cape Cod…the wild Atlantic coast of New England, destinations that are definitely on my bucket list. I am simply drawn to East Coast “sea faring” casual interior design. The romance of the sea, and the history of decorating from a maritime point of view.

Not casual-cottage, but elegant, livable spaces. Just a few touches of nautical luxury and polish can really make a seaside home come alive! Chrome hanging lanterns or nautical style table lamps, dark rich navy blues mixed with traditional maritime symbols likes signal flags or vintage wooden buoys simply highlight a gorgeous coastal room without overwhelming your space in “nautical”.

Crisp blue and white stripes mixed with nautical chart designs, also signify a Nantucket style. Love the idea of using overlapping nautical charts, or maps from your local area to create your own special wall paper!

The most essential element to add to your space to give it that elegant classical touch of sailing in the deep blue waters off of the Northern Shore beaches of Nantucket is the perfect large scale model sail boat. One with a beautifully varnished hull, brass fitting details, and a large white linen-like sail (think of the “True Love” in the Philadelphia Story!)

Here are a few home decor ideas to help create that elegant Nantucket design that you’ve been dreaming about too!

Royal Marine Tripod Lamp - Restoration Hardware

From Restoration Hardware – a Royal Marine Polished Tripod Lamp

Cape Cod Nautical Chart

West Marine carries a full selection of nautical charts, or you can always visit your favorite local antique showroom something maybe a little more colorful!

Pottery Barn Map Wall Decal $129.00

For another unique idea, Pottery Barn carries this no-fail, decal chart of the West Indies. Fantastic idea! (and easy)

Nautical Pillows from Kevin O'Brien $98-124.00

Kevin O’Brien Studio has handcrafted a complete line of maritime themed pillows – love these linen luxury designs complete with down filling.

"Y" Signal Flag Nautical Linen Pillow $219.95

Or these fabulous oversized 22″ x 22″ linen pillows created by Coletti and manufactured by Barclay Butera, might just be the right nautical touch with their elegant signal flag designs.

America's Cup Columbia 1901

And of course, the sailboat. Our favorites are available from Authentic Models at select retailers. All of their selections are finely honed and handcrafted with attention paid to every single detail for the ultimate in luxury. You can’t miss with one of their sailing ships!

The trick is to have fun with your new Nantucket design – keep it clean and polished to achieve the home of your dreams!

Indigo Blues

To be honest, this is my dream one day; to have a nautical chart covering one accent wall in my house. I found this inspiration photo at House Beautiful almost a year ago, and am still in love with the idea. Not only does the chart wall scream “nautical” and “sea”, but I am crazy about the dark indigo wall. Indigo is rich, dark, cozy, enveloping, I need this color in my next house. Blues can be fresh, clean, and almost a “cool” color, indigo says something else entirely. It exudes luxury, tradition, mystery, and an underlying hint of romance. Obtaining that feel is easy, all you need are the right accessories.

Etsy has lots of vinyl wall decals that would work until you could actually sketch out your chart – great ideas. This compass rose wall art is from Empire Studios on Etsy. It is great if you can not draw well, the decal makes it easier to place on your wall and adjust if necessary. The perfect decoration for a living room! They come in several colors too, so if painting your wall a deep blue is too risky, try a navy blue design decal.

I also like the idea of a dark based lamp, linen shade with a botanical appliqued sea creature. Sort of traditional with a twist! Or maybe the contrasting shade of lapis blue in this coastal lamp from GalleryDesigns with a bright white shade adorned with hand printed blue finger starfish? And of course you MUST have the right luxury pillows….rich velvet, elegant linen, down-filled. Kevin O’Brien features many pillows that capture the ideal nautical feel for any coastal home.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

And of course the room would need a throw to complete the look. Perfect to way to get cozy, enjoy a glass of wine, and watch the crashing surf or setting sun!