Interior Design Destinies

Vibrant colors and sophisticated details will meet the breezy style of beachside living for 2015’s ocean home interiors, say six of America’s top designers.

Where palates of blue and white and rattan furniture were once de rigueur, individualized interiors will be the rage next year, filled with quirky pieces and saturated colors that reflect each owner’s personal taste.

MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARD

“Seaside homes are no longer white slip covers and blue and white stripes. Today’s seaside living is more exotic and individual than ever,” says Martyn Lawrence Bullard, of Los Angeles-based Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design.

Bullard says 2015 will see a major resurgence of all things ’80s in details like brass, smoked glass, and deep, sink-into seating, all with an eye towards luxurious comfort and easy entertaining.

Colors like rich orange, eggplant and avocado, and wallpapers that are “mixed like wild new cocktails” will enliven everything from walls to ceilings. “Gorgeous outdoor fabrics will play double-duty inside and out,” he adds, “allowing a beach house to flow seamlessly and be just as comfortable in all areas and under all circumstances.” martynlawrencebullard.com

KATHRYN M. IRELAND

Kathryn M. Ireland, of Kathryn M. Ireland Textiles & Design in Los Angeles, says unfussy, informal outdoor living will be at the forefront in 2015. “I think people are just going to get comfortable,” she says. “It’s all about ease.”

That relaxed energy will be evident in soft pastels, such as indigo, and shears that cut glare without obstructing the views. “You can never go wrong with indigo and variations of white,” she says.

That ease and informality will also be evident in the use of water resistant materials, such as washable fabrics, beautiful plastic wicker, and tile floors masquerading as hardwood.

“To me the beach is outdoor living,” she adds, “and I think it’s very important to ensure the fabrics you use are washable.” kathrynireland.com

BURNHAM DESIGN

“That’s a really compelling way to make a space feel more interesting and more layered and that may surprise people at the beach,” she says.Emphasizing ease doesn’t need to mean forgoing elegance, says Betsy Burnham, principal designer of Los Angeles-based Burnham Design, who likes to incorporate luxe cashmere pillows or vintage rugs into ocean home decor.

Burnham also predicts a more sophisticated palate in 2015, with coastal colors like navy, periwinkle and white, which Burnham calls “the ultimate clean canvas.”

Americana will return too, with charming vintage or handmade elements like antique game boards, framed nautical charts, and even more traditional quilts.

It’s all about using items that the homeowner loves, regardless of whether they’re high art or folk pieces with a delightful provenance.

“What we’re talking a lot about is a return to authenticity,” Burnham says. “It’s all about how you use things and what you mix in with them.” burnhamdesign.com

BROWN DAVIS

Beautiful color and discreet technology will be big trends in 2015, says Todd Davis, the president of Brown Davis Interiors, based in Washington D.C., Miami Beach and Los Angeles.

Although Davis says modern beach houses are large, elaborate and boast tons of detail, clients also often crave a return to simplicity when they’re at the beach.

That means features like motorized shades and high-tech lighting will be more hidden and understated, emphasizing the simple, casual ease of a beach house.

Color will also take center stage in 2015, and will be everywhere – on walls, furniture, even floors in various combinations of purples, grays and whites; deep blues, dark grays and blacks; and washed-out grays with pops of soft color. browndavis.com

LMID, INC

Mixing indoor and outdoor, old and new, starkness and warmth will make 2015 an exciting year for oceanfront interior design, according to Lynda Murray, principal designer at LMID, Inc., based in Los Angeles.

“In terms of contemporary and modern coastal houses, you’ll see blending of metal and glass in the structure, and I really like to warm up these beautifully sleek and stark lines by mixing the classic with the new,” Murray says.

“The soft lines of a richly upholstered sofa or large antique vase can really play up and accentuate the textures of a rift sawn wood grain or a honed basalt wall,” she adds.

Murray is also excited for heavily wire-brushed wood for 2015, which makes the wood’s texture and grains pop with warmer tones, as well as naturally inspired textiles, like linen wallpaper. “I’m always excited for new pieces with eclectic and beautiful contours,” she says. lm-id.com

VICENTE WOLF ASSOCIATES

“People want their environment to really reflect who they are, and not necessarily a trend,” says Vicente Wolf, principal of Vicente Wolf Associates in New York City.

That individual aesthetic will be strong in 2015, he adds, as coastal homeowners say goodbye to classic, thematic interiors and welcome quirkier pieces that speak to their own tastes.

Wolf says to expect elements like furniture that mixes different styles, as well as pieces that put an unexpected spin on the traditional, like a gilded chair upholstered in white leather that’s “still sort of beach oriented but being a little more whimsical.”

Color is also making a big comeback and white is being replaced with softer, more welcoming tones. For instance, Wolf loves the color of driftwood for floors. “It’s a floor that has a much more organic quality to it that looks like something that would wash up on the beach,” he says. vicentewolf.com

Image Credits: Photo by Berlyn Photography.