Find plenty of inspiration for your perfect summer escape.
Beach cottages hold a place in our memories as the houses where we spent our favorite sun-filled days.
Whether you choose to visit orpurchase a beach cottageof your own, these oceanside retreats will inspire your imagination.
Credit: Dane Tashima; Styling: Page Mullins
These cottages include some of our favorite easygoing styles, from relaxing porches to beachy bedrooms and kitchens.
That included keeping the cottage’s original exterior paint color.
“It inspired and communicated a serenity that we didn’t want to lose.”
Credit: Dane Tashima; Styling: Page Mullins
“To me, that is authentic beauty that you just can’t re-create.”
The interior feels much like an artfully restored boat.
White pieces like the four-poster bed by Noir Furniture make the rooms feel brighter.
Credit: Dane Tashima; Styling: Page Mullins
They loaded it up with throw pillows and bolsters and recovered the mattress in a blue patterned fabric.
Play With Pastels
Every beach home needs a hangout spot.
She installed Thibaut’s Kasai wallpaper for its coral-like texture, providing a vibrant backdrop for the room.
Credit: Julia Lynn; Styling: Dakota Willimon
Make A Multi-Use Room
This space is both an everyday entryway and a special-occasion dining room.
An inexpensive seagrass rug protects a floor that sees a lot of foot traffic.
“The room can be really nice or casual,” Donivon says.
Credit: Julia Lynn; Styling: Dakota Willimon
“We love that.”
The natural wood lamp looks like it was bleached in the sun.
The natural fibers in the furniture and the gray-green cabinet color make the kitchen elegant but relaxed.
Credit: Julia Lynn; Styling: Dakota Willimon
The room feels cool and airy even on Florida’s 100-degree days.
Inside-out living feels seamless, especially when all the French doors are wide open.
“Close proximity was the dealmaker.
Credit:Laurey Glenn; Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
“We removed the stairwell spindles and replaced them with hearty Manila rope,” says Haile.
They gather to eat around the trestle table and benches on the porch.
Thehome has historic Lowcountry featureslike a lime-washed brick foundation, functional shutters, and beaded lap siding.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
“The lines and millwork are simpler, but the playful palette enlivens those ‘old’ bones.”
At the same time, “it really became an art collection of furniture.”
Set Up A Cozy Hangout
In the upstairs sitting room, Bishop prioritized coziness at every turn.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
“This is our children’s go-to room for everything from breakfast to movie night,” explains Megan.
The Cape Fear River borders it to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
Homes are surrounded by porches so you’re able to catch the ocean breezes.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
The window’s striped cabana-like valance is double-sided, so you could admire it from inside and out.
Go For Beach Chic
“This room is very adult and beach chic.
“I had the wainscot built 54 inches tall so the wallpaper wouldn’t overwhelm the space.”
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Sandy-hued furniture and fabrics give the room a relaxed vibe.
The flooring is fitting in a new beach house that looks to historic homes for inspiration.
The dining chairs come from Palecek, a company that uses natural materials in its one-of-a-kind furnishings.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Architect Eric Moser says he always treats porches like outdoor rooms.
To provide enough room for furnishings, make them at least 8 by 8 feet.
The scalloped green mirror by Oomph complements the wallpaper’s clementine print.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey
She also painted the bathroom floor in a deep green hue.
“Moving it upstairs to capture those views became really important.”
“It’s such a classic pattern,” she says, fitting for a nostalgic red-white-and-blue palette.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey
This Marvin Skycove window serves as a cushy window seat for journaling or napping.
Without adding any floor space, the nook provides another 20 square feet of room to spread out.
The sisal rug hints at the marsh grasses in the area.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey
“Sisal is so right for the Lowcountry,” says interior designer Elizabeth Newman.
The alligator skull is a reminder of the natural environment, as are the palms and fern-patterned pillows.
“We didn’t want to compete with the natural environment,” Stephanie says.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey
Water-resistant vinyl cushions and striped slipcovers provide a nautical touch to the refined but relaxed dining room.
All of the living areas connect to each other so family members can flow from one room to another.
The woven plastic seats on the island barstools hold up well to wet bathing suits.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey
“Visually, you’re getting a mass-produced box from the factory,” says Horn.
“Adding historical details on-site gives interest.”
“We didn’t want our house to stick out,” adds Hunter.
Credit: Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins
“We wanted it to look like it had always been here.”
She based the exterior colors on the native scrub oaks and palmetto leaves in their surroundings.
Then Hunter brought in a smallbutcher-block island.
Credit: Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins
A clear wax on top keeps it sealed and durable.
The light walls and furnishings make the room feel open and spacious.
A screen of columns separates the front hall and focuses the eye on exterior windows.
Credit: Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins
The skirted farm sink sets a casual tone in the kids' bathroom while conserving space.
Add A Tropical Backdrop
Hillegas brought in the tropics by installing sepia-toned Gracie wallpaper over the range.
A thin layer of acrylic plastic covers the wallpaper for protection and easy care.
Credit: Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins
The lively image adds drama to an otherwise sedate room.
Year-round outdoor living calls for a fully stocked bar station for guests.
A larger mirror above the bar reflects light and the view.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Thedining roomfeatures an antique French walnut trestle table, rattan chairs, and a sculptural cork chandelier.
She also brought in a pair of petrified-wood side tables.
White countertops and cabinets make the room even brighter.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
The enclosed porches also give that impression.
Adairsville, Georgia, lighting guru Eloise Pickard created custom lighting throughout much of the home.
“Each of Eloise’s fixtures is absolutely a highlight,” says Stanley.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Use Weathered Finishes
Earthy tones inspired by the island create a timeless look.
Thinned paint coats walls, ceilings, and cabinetry with a patina of weathered wood.
“The colors in this house are all meant to blend in, not overshadow,” Stanley says.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
“If the paint had been solid, it would have looked too new and stark.”
The palette is repeated throughout the room, from the frosty blue drapes to the stain-resistant fabrics.
“The bright color makes the house stand out,” he says.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Nailhead trim echoes the detailing and highlights the headboard’s silhouette.
Honor Coastal Culture
Nothing says “beach house” like a wall-mounted sailfish.
Blair turned that coastal icon into a modern sculpture in the bunkroom with glossy white paint.
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE
The nautical bunks also got the white paint treatment.
Crowell designed the thin-silhouette settee, which is paired with a small blonde-wood accent chair.
Apartment-sized appliances squeeze perfectly into the kitchen.
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE
“It’s more like designing for a tour bus.”
The shower is critical for washing off sandy feet after a day at the beach.
Relax In Tropical Style
From ceiling to floor, this primary bedroom drips with island style.
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE
A green velvet divan, block print chair, and woven shades add Old Florida charm.
Newquartz countertopsand new appliances replaced out-of-date models.
The painted hardwoods are continued throughout the house.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
Sticking to natural materials helps keep the snug nook from feeling cluttered.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit: LAUREY W. GLENN
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling by: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling by: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling by: Elizabeth Demos
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit:Lucas Allen, Styling: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Lucas Allen, Styling: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Lucas Allen, Styling: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Lucas Allen, Styling: Elizabeth Demos
Credit:Annie Schlechter; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Credit:Annie Schlechter; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Credit: Joseph de Leo; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Joseph de Leo; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Joseph de Leo; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit: Joseph de Leo; Styling: Liz Strong
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Credit:Brie Williams; Styling: Kate Malpeli
Credit:Brie Williams; Styling: Kate Malpeli
A coat of aqua (Benjamin Mooreâs Let It Rain, 639) on the exterior lightens up the wood front door and Spanish-tile roof.Credit:Erica Dunhill
Credit:Helen Norman
