A Bright, Family Home by The Ocean

Hej! How was your weekend?! It's a luxury long one here thanks to Valborg: a Swedish tradition to light bonfires in honour of the 8th century German vestal St.Walpurga (we're heading to a little fishing village further up the coast later to celebrate - you're so welcome to follow along on IG stories if you're curious to see more!). In the meantime, I'm taking us somewhere much, much further afield here on the blog today: a beach side suburb of Newcastle, Australia! Ring a bell? Interior stylist and talented lady behind The House on Beach Road, Caitlin lives around the corner from Maddy who's relaxed home I shared last Monday. The pair are good friends having met on Instagram. Caitlin and her husband Jon have been renovating their beach house, slowly transforming it into a vibrant, open-plan family home which they share with their three children Olivia, Ellis and Harriet ("Harriet is 4 weeks old so the house is total chaos at the moment!"). I caught up with Caitlin mid-chaos (although you'd never guess!) to find out more:

This black pendant light is similar,  prints by Mapiful, Loom and Field sell similar rugs. 


 When was your house built? 
Our house is a mixture of styles built through the eras. The original part of the house was built in the 1940's and across the generations it has been added onto creating a large beach style home.

The before and after pictures of the main living area are quite incredible! What did you do to transform it into the bright space it is today?

The exposed beams were pre-existing in the house however, they were a heavily stained timber which made the room feel dark and heavy. We decided to paint the entire room white and it completely transformed the space. It's such a beautiful bright and airy space now and the heart of our home. 

What are the advantages of an open-plan living space?

We love the open planned nature of the house as it works well with the small children. The space opens onto a large deck which has ocean views and is a place where we spend most of our time. The kids wonder in and out of the house and onto the verandah and from this living space they are always in sight.

How did the coastal location influence the style of your home? 

Being only 200 metres from the beach, our house style definitely reflects coastal living. The use of neutral tones, light filled spaces and lots of greenery are all influenced by our laid back lifestyle.

See pictures of the local beach here - I wouldn't mind having this on my doorstep, how about you?! 

Have there been any other influences on your style? 
My husband and I both have strong opinions on how we renovate and decorate our home. He loves all things industrial and minimalistic and I love mid century modern and coastal so we tend to fuse these all together to make it work for us.

Coastal Palms print by Warran Brooke, Neve black frame pendant, This rattan console is similar. 

Rattan sofa from Au Fait Living,  white pom pom cushion.

Where do you shop for items?
I shop from a wide range of places. My favourite local store is definitely Willows Home Traders. So much of my home is filled with their beautiful pieces. I'm also a keen thrifter. I spend hours scanning Gumtree for second hand goods that can be given a second life. From my treasured mid century sideboard to my vintage oak dining table, I have found them all for a steal on Gumtree.

Prints by Jess West, Indie cushion - Sea Tribe.

Boho palm pillows,  Print by Jess West Art, This black and white fouta / throw is similar. 

Moses basket

Isn't it the most lovely beach house? I'd so love to see the view of the ocean from the terrace - I'll be watching Caitlin's instagram like a hawk in the hope I might get a glimpse!

In the meantime, I wish Caitlin all the best settling in to life as a family of five!

If you'd like to see more picture of Caitlin's lovely home there's a load more pictures on her instagram feed.

And for more beach house inspiration it's totally worth checking out the entire beach home archive. A couple of my favourites include a dreamy urban beach home,  a dream Danish house by the sea.

Have a great start to the week all!

... things are starting to heat up here in Sweden, better get packing!

All photography  ©Caitlin / The House on Beach Road

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A Relaxed Beach Home in Neutral, Earthy Tones

Why hello there! Do you have countries which you haven't visited yet but just know when you get there you're never going to want to leave?! For me, it's Australia. Not only do the inhabitants enjoy a balmy subtropical climate, our Antipodean friends seem to lead a wonderful outdoorsy lifestyle (surfing, beach days and barbies...) and Australian interior design is having a bit of a moment too. Interior stylist, renovator and fellow Brit, Maddy of Hutchinson.House, made the move four years ago and lives in a beautiful, relaxed beach house with her husband Ben, 10 month old baby girl Florence and cat Pip. I couldn't resist asking Maddy a little more about their recently renovated home, her take on the latest Australian design trends and their life Down Under.

Three African Binga baskets create an interesting wall display and are in keeping with the beachy, natural vibe of the house.


How did you end up in Australia?
I met my husband in the Caribbean when we used to work on yachts. He is Australian and for us to be together, one would have to move... I chose to move to Australia, because well, it's Australia! And he's also a very keen surfer.

What do you love most about living Down Under?
I love the tropical weather and beach lifestyle. It feels like a permanent holiday!

I can well imagine! Your beach home is so lovely! How would you describe your style?
Originally from the UK, I will always have an English element within my style and I love a timeless colour scheme like blue and white. Having an overall neutral colour scheme with white walls, earthy materials and fresh greens reflects our informal beach lifestyle.

The Miami Dining Chair - Basket Weave is a fairly new addition to the beach house. Sadly it appears to be sold out - but this chair is similar. 

What do you like most about having a neutral colour scheme? 
Having a neutral palette is calming and consistent. It gives the flexibility to experiment with patterns and colours throughout the changing seasons and ever changing trends. But more importantly having a neutral palette is easy to strip back to and is timeless and classic.

The kitchen doors have been painted in a blue hue from Taubmans. Two cane  Eco barstools (love these!) provide a place to sit while the other is cooking.

What would you say are the key elements to consider when designing a beach house? 
The natural light, white walls and using raw materials are key. Using tropical plants and greenery is also a simple way to bring the outdoors in and make your space feel fresh and earthy.

 Loom and Field sells a lovely handpicked selection of Beni Ourain Rugs.


Where do you buy items for your home?
There is a strong global influence throughout our home. Many pieces we own are unique and derive from places all over the world: from the Moroccan rugs I hand picked in the Atlas mountains to the African Mali mudcloth I chose in a European flea market.

"I love artwork, ornaments and textiles that tell a story."

What do you love most about your home? 
Our home is filled with natural light, plants and special pieces that we have collected over time. It reflects us and who we are. Each space in our home shares our story.

What are the key interior trends in Australia right now? 
I would say celebrating a neutral colour palette with a minimal boho beach aesthetic. It has become increasingly popular to fill homes with artisanal and bespoke handcrafted goods from around the world. Ethnic and tribal cultures in Africa and Morocco have had a huge influence lately.

Linen blanket with fringe, Bed headboard from The bedhead Co, blue and white cushion from Indie Bungalow (this batik indigo cushion is similar). African Binga basket (seen on the wall).

"Textiles and materials that are ethically sourced and produced are showing more popularity in Australia as we are becoming more sustainable in the way that we live."

What are your interior trend predictions in Australia for 2018? 
I sense that interiors will have a stronger European influence with a more dramatic use of colour and pattern. dark walls, wallpaper, burnt reds and terracotta tones will increase. I also feel that an element of Parisian style may make its way into the interior design trend this year.

 Vanity / bathroom cabinet painted in Benjamin Moore, tiles from Jatana Interiors. 

Florence's bedroom has a light dusty pink touch. The neutral scheme, basket pendant light and cushions help to tie the space in with the rest of the home.

Photography: © Maddy / Hutchinson.House

What a wonderful home? Thank you so much to Maddy for taking the time to show us your beach home and tell us more about your (incredibly enviable) life in Australia!  

You can see more shots of her lovely home here. 

Anyone else feeling like a gap year might be in order? 

These beautiful, relaxed beach homes might just be the push we all need: a super relaxed cottage,  a boho holiday home in Byron Bay (available to rent!), a holiday home in a former miner's cottage. 

If a holiday is more likely (they do 17 hour direct flights these days, after all!) - there's also The Bower (if you book it, can I come with you? I promise to be an excellent travel buddy!).

Happy Monday all!

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A dreamy urban beach home

I can't tell you how excited I am about today's home tour. Located just east of Sydney, this beautiful cliff top beach house combines white washed walls and soft coastal tones with an urban feel. But it hasn't always been as fabulous. When the family of four bought it in 2010 it was a run down bungalow - soon put to right by architect Brian Bass and interior design team Hare & Klein. Today, wall to ceiling windows offer panoramic views over the sea, and the light walls allow the beautiful light to bounce around the split-level house. Curved walls, texture and layers add a softness and help the space to flow. Oh how I'd love to live in an urban beach house like this!

Photography: Anson Smart (shared with kind permission). Styling Joseph Gardner.

Could you live here?!

A few items I know and love: Ghost sofa 16, Serge Mouille floor lamp, Z1 pendant light, J39 or 'the people's chair', this bamboo pendant light is similar, pick-up beautiful stonewashed bed linen like this here.

You can see a few more pics of this lovely Australian home and a full write-up over at Vogue.

When a home as lovely as this is featured, I think it would be rude not to make it a 'beach home' kind of day don't you?! Warning - this archive will have you dreaming of an escape to somewhere warm and tropical!

Have a lovely day!

PS Two exciting announcements - don't forget to make the most of this reader offer from Abbott & Mosley and the winner of the Beni Ourain rug is now up here!

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The Caribbean beach house

There's something about island life isn't there? The nearness to water. The relaxed vibe. One day I dream of owning a little island home to call my own. In fact, one not unlike the photographer Anita Calero's. Anita's beach house just happens to be in the Caribbean (guh?!) and features white washed beams and a pared-back look with lovely natural materials, not to mention a large terrace for long lunches and evenings alfresco. What a perfect place to unwind?

Credit: Anita Calero represented by Supervision New York / Photography: Mónica Barreneche.
Found via SF Girl By Bay with thanks.

I could definitely spend my holidays here, how about you?!

Other hide-aways I'm dreaming about today: this Greek island getaway, Amelia Widell's idyllic Swedish island home, an ethereal beach house on St Barths and an Australian beach house with a retro vibe.  Oh the places we could go!

Here's a little more exotic link love:

These tropical ice pops.

Instant download palm tree print.  Palm leaf pencil case. Tropical cushion / pillow.

10 caribbean islands you have to visit. Have you been to any of these? I've got my eye on Harbour island (inspired by Annika Von Holdt!).

The ocean. 

This swing over the ocean (sigh). 

Have a lovely *relaxed* day!  

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A wonderful white and wood holiday home

I hope you had a lovely weekend? If you've been following my blog for a while you'll know one of my long term dream is to buy and do up a summer cottage by a lake in Sweden (do you share a similar dream?). My moodboards for this dream home are endless but once thing's for sure, I'll be adding this home. Designed by Frag Woodall, the concept is basic, drawing on natural materials and light and keeping to a simple palette of black, white and wood.

Frag Woodall, photographer Terence Chin with kind permission. Via 79 ideas

This wood and white combination is perfect for a summer home don't you think? The 'basket' in the corner of the room is made from Marimekko fabric. I love the striped bedding too- any idea where it's from?

But there's a twist. Interestingly this is actually an apartment in Sydney which has been designed to look like a holiday home. There's hope for us all yet! Thank you for the info Jessica at Nordic Space.

For more weekend retreat / holiday inspiration I am loving these homes (warning: could take you a good hour to scroll through them all - this home will come up first but just go on passed it).

Have a lovely Monday and see you tomorrow!

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