Beach House Style

Pacific Grove sits at the furthest point of a peninsula beyond Monterey and Pebble Beach. Its famously-rocky coast is packed full of kelp, otters, seals, birds and whales and the town has an adorable victorian charm, with a few small hotels and a municipal golf course. It is the ideal setting for a murder mystery…

I am counting down the days to a big family weekend at the beach! We are headed to Pacific Grove, just south of Monterey and north of Pebble Beach, to take over two vacation rentals right near the coast. The weather in Monterey can be foggy and cool, especially in the mornings at the coast,…

We have LOVED staying at Haley’s place in Kihei for these past few weeks. Having a real house – with a cat even – makes a vacation feel extra special. She’s so lucky to call Maui home and we’re so lucky that she is a generous and kind hostess! Haley just recently moved in to…

It’s hard to believe – sitting here now, bundled up in blankets on Sunday night with a fire in the living room and a cold wind storm whipping at the bay windows – that we were sunning it up at the beach just yesterday. To celebrate my birthday this year, Rob rented a cottage on…

This beach cottage near Lover’s Point Park in Pacific Grove already has plenty of style. Note the model ship in the window, plantation shutters, aged teak chairs and red kayak in the back. If it were mine, I’d continue with this classic American sporty designs. Landon sofa / Olive topiary / Badminton set / Red…

Another season of summer beach house dreaming has started! Pacific Grove was full of tiny, inspiring cottages. Today, let’s imagine decorating a cozy retreat inside of the Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove. It’s the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse of the west coast and seems like a perfect place to invite someone over for a glass…

I’m thinking about adding a wall of re-imagined The Life Aquatic movie posters to my imaginary beach house. There’s a great selection on Etsy!

Isn’t this boat handsome? It’s docked just down the block from our apartment. Let’s get it decked out: Rug – A thick jute rug from West Elm. Lipstick – Fun vintage packaging. Clock – Antique wood desk clock on Etsy. Chair – Lovely white metal chair from Ikea. Shirt – A cotton polo in bright…

For our latest beach house, let’s head to the lakefront instead of the beach! This little red cottage is in Lake Tahoe. Details, clockwise, from the photo: Cabin – A little old fashioned cabin for rent right on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. Blanket – A Pendleton classic inspired by Native American design, rugged…

For today’s Hawaii cottage, let’s drive south from Hanalei to Anini Beach, a long stretch of coast with lots of snorkeling. Bedding – Mid-century inspired bird pillowcases. Cottage – A little one-bedroom beach spot with a jacuzzi.. Glasses – Perfect for a Mai Tai from West Elm. Necklace – Gold pendant from Max & Chloe.…