by Furnishly | Sep 6, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
published about 1 hour ago
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The summer might be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t get a coastal-inspired look in your home or backyard. Even those in colder climates still have at least two months of solid outdoor living left (with a fire pit or outdoor heaters!), so now’s still a good time to either think about switching up your decor or ready your outdoor digs for the next season.
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2022 has been the year of the modern beachy look — think streamlined silhouettes, a clean palette, and elevated seaside touches with handsome materials and weathered finishes. Speaking to Jayma Cardoso, the hotelier behind the Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York, I honed in even further on this shoreline-inspired aesthetic with tips should you want to get this look at home.
“When approaching the design of a space, I never want it to feel uniform,” says Cardoso. “I love to evoke a sense of discovery with layers, balancing highs and lows for a truly unique experience.”
You can see this design philosophy at work in The Surf Lodge’s beach, where Cardoso used furniture from Arhaus as a foundation then added in umbrellas, accent pillows, and locally-sourced vintage pieces, including trendy wooden mushroom lawn ornaments, stuck right into the sand. The Hamptons Day Bed is one of Cardoso’s (and her many guests’) favorite items that literally has its own layer: a canopy. If you want a budget-friendly way to get a similar look in your own backyard, you can pair a bench with a trellis and add a set of outdoor curtains, threading them through the top of the trellis frame.
Cardoso zeroed in on teak pieces, like the Canyon Sofa, which was used several times across the entire Surf Lodge beach. “Teak is high quality and will withstand the test of time in the outdoor elements,” says Cardozo. She also recommends investing in close-fitting outdoor furniture covers, which can help your investments literally weather the storm and take cover for winter.
Consider a mural moment outdoors
Paint isn’t just for your indoor walls. The modern beachy look’s all about a mural. “Art is one of the core pillars of The Surf Lodge experience, and we re-do the stage mural every year as part of our ongoing artist-in-residence series, which also encompasses lobby installations and artwork on the beach,” says Cardoso. “The newly updated outdoor space extends to our summer stage, where an abstract mural by Brazilian artist Tarsila Schubert acts as a colorful backdrop.” The Surf Lodge also has another mural on their grounds, as pictured above.
Don’t have a stage in your yard? Me either. That said, you can still find a spot for a fun, geometric paint treatment. Consider a fence or even a portion of your concrete foundation. You may be surprised by how much whimsy and joy a little bit of color and an abstract pattern can add to your home.
Lean into your location for inspiration
The ocean might be thousands of miles away if you’re landlocked, but chances are you probably have a river or lake somewhere nearby. Whatever your location, take a little design inspiration from your local geography when it comes to picking finishes and furnishings. Observe the flora and fauna of your surroundings (and nearest body of water), and build upon that story.
That’s exactly what Cardoso did when choosing pieces for The Surf Lodge. “I wanted to do something different while keeping with the organic nature of Montauk with muted rustic vibes,” says Cardoso. “In this setting, the materiality, earthy tones, and comfort of the pieces brings a laid-back vibe and approachable feel.”
by Furnishly | Jun 23, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Heather Bien
Contributor
Heather Bien is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer whose work has appeared on MyDomaine, The Knot, Martha Stewart Weddings, HelloGiggles, and more. You’ll often find her making pitstops for roadside antique shops, drooling over original hardwood floors, or perfecting her latte recipe.
by Furnishly | Jun 20, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
I’ll admit, it took me longer than it should have to jump onto the Turkish beach towel bandwagon — especially considering I live at the beach! I didn’t see the need to buy anything new when my trusty terrycloth towels worked just fine. Wow, was I wrong! When I finally adopted this new (to me) technology and realized how much lighter, slimmer, and chicer it was, I was a total convert. I have since opened myself to all sorts of towel possibilities, and my latest find is the hands-down frontrunner for my favorite. Every time (literally every time) I pull my FiveADRIFT Beach Towel out of my beach bag, I get tons of oohs and aahs from my friends, and we spend the next few minutes talking about how fabulous it is.
I fell in love with this beauty the moment I laid eyes on it online. With a sun-bleached, beach-inspired color palette, it exudes a laid-back vibe that immediately brings to mind surf spots like San Diego and Hawaii. I went with S. Pacific Ocean Boho Surf — a mix of stripes in rusty orange and aqua blue — but the other three styles are equally easy on the eyes. Ropy tassels on either end give it that extra dash of boho appeal, and it’s lightweight enough to throw in your beach bag or even your luggage without the bulk of a terrycloth towel. Yet even with such a slim profile, it’s spans a generous 65″ x 36″, so you can spread yourself out on the sand for a nap or wrap it around you when that welcome afternoon sunshower passes through.
And when you do get wet, whether after the rain or a dip in the ocean, you won’t stay that way for long. FiveADRIFT’s towel is made from HempCORE, a blend of hemp and cotton that absorbs three times as much water as the average towel. I’ve used towels that claim to get more absorbent with every wash, but this one actually does! Sure, the $49 price tag seemed high at first — especially given that my usual Turkish towels are six for $60 on Amazon — but I love the fact that, unlike most towels on the market, these contain zero microfibers or plastics that will seep into the water and harm the planet. I can also happily confirm that this FiveADRIFT gem is the softest towel I’ve ever used, and it just gets softer with every wash.
In the past, whether I’ve used terrycloth or Turkish towels, I’ve always ended up with a pile of sand at the bottom of the washing machine. It’s one of the hazards of spending time at the beach, right? Wrong! The geniuses at FiveADRIFT crafted HempCORE to be sand resistant, so you can leave the beach at the beach where it belongs instead of bringing it home with you. A towel that is kinder to my laundry appliances? Now that’s a benefit I didn’t expect. ($49 is looking a bit more reasonable, huh?)
I prefer to spend my money on brands that align with my values, which is why I was drawn to FiveADRIFT in the first place. The company donates 100 percent (!!) of its profits to ridding the sea of the 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic that litter it. In fact, each towel purchased equates to 75 plastic bottles being removed from our oceans. ($49? A bargain!)
So get ready for a stylish, sustainably minded summer! Whether you’re headed for the beach or the pool — or perhaps a little of both — I have a feeling that this FiveADRIFT Beach Towel is about to become your favorite, too.
by Furnishly | Jun 11, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
When summer temperatures start to rise, spending a relaxing day at the local (or backyard) pool catching rays and splashing around is top of mind. But overcoming the mountain that lies between getting kids out the door and parents making it to a poolside recliner involves a serious amount of organizing.
Thinking about what you need for the trip also gets in your way. Towels. Goggles. Sunscreen. Sunglasses. Snacks. Drinks. Lunch. Luckily, with a bit of forethought, getting organized for summer days doesn’t have to be stressful or chaotic.
Here are three tricks to help you get organized so that you can sit back while your kids splash about much quicker than you imagined possible.
Pack like a (famous) pro.
This #momhack from celebrity HGTV interior designer and Keter brand ambassador, Sabrina Soto is ingenious. “Since my children are still young, Olivia is six and my step-son, Atlas, is only three, we have a pre-packaged bag for everything. You name it, we have a bag for it,” she says. “Specifically for swimming, I’m in love with a water-resistant bag that has dividers or big pockets to allow me to grab what I need on the go.”
She doesn’t skimp on packing games, including water rings for Olivia, but also turns to item-free games that don’t take any packing power, like Marco Polo, she says. These pre-packaged pool bags, which you could organize by child, makes packing for a day much less stressful.
Soto’s tips also include towel bands, which look like large rubber bands and are color-coded for each child. “Keep the towel in place on a lounger and they act as a handle when you wrap them around a folded or rolled towel,” she says.
Invest in a beach bag that does your heavy lifting.
Sure, you can throw all your stuff in any old reusable bag you have lying around. But that also means digging to the bottom of it multiple times during your “relaxing” day off, whenever your kids need a different game or a few dollars for the snack shack.
Pam Clyde, president and professional organizer at BritLin Cleaning says, “The first step is to find a cute yet functional beach bag. Preferably one with pockets to help keep you organized. This one from Amazon is a great inexpensive one to get you started. What I love about this bag is the external pockets for your cell phone, car keys, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water bottles for quick access.”
If you’ve ever tried to stuff more than two beach towels alongside all of your family’s other pool stuff, you know it doesn’t really work. So, she recommends simply getting two of these.
Make a highly visible to-bring list.
Every parent has been stuck poolside without an extra swim diaper after an accident or missing their favorite sun hat. This can be avoided, Clyde says, with a simple to-bring list. Post it in a highly visible place, such as near your swim bag or garage door, to ensure you check it on your way out for organized pool days, or take a tip from Clyde and use a sheet protector to keep it right in the pool bag.
Clyde’s to-bring list looks like this:
“If your bag is always packed, you’ll only need to pack a picnic lunch in an insulated bag, such as a sandwich, raw veggies, chips, paper plates, napkins, etc.,” she says. “Once home from the pool, make it a habit to immediately wash the beach towels, swimsuits, and cover-ups so you can restock the bag to make your next outing a breeze.”
With a little extra organization and attention before the morning of your pool day, you and your family will actually be able to destress by the pool without the chaos and frazzle.
by Furnishly | Jun 2, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Picture this: It’s a midsummer day and you’re sitting on one of the cutest front porches in America. You’re sitting, specifically, on a pastel-painted rocking chair, swaying in harmony with the balmy breeze. A beach read in one hand and a dewy glass of lemonade in the other, you look out at the water just across the street and realize it simply does not get more idyllic than this.
Scoring real estate on Martha’s Vineyard — let alone in one of its storied gingerbread houses — might seem like a castle in the air, but this darling cottage is fresh to the market and accepting offers.
Built in 1870, the home is brimming with antique appeal in the form of whitewashed wooden walls and ceilings, plenty of built-in features, and cute nooks and crannies. I’m even charmed by the idea of washing dishes, if it means I get to do so surrounded by heart-shaped stencils, vineyard-patterned tiles, and while looking out of a beach-view window. It is situated just across from Sunset Lake and about 200 feet from the edge of Oak Bluffs Harbor, after all.
Are you on the house hunt, or just the type of person who loves browsing real estate listings, even when you’re not in the market for a new home? Property Crush is a column where we feature actual real estate listings that get the Apartment Therapy seal of approval in regards to style (we haven’t done home inspections or anything, so don’t sue us). Know of a great house on the market? Email the listing to repitches@apartmenttherapy.com.
