Design

NEO NAUTICAL

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Designers bring on a new wave of coastal-inspired décor. Seashells, shiplap, and beach signs not required.

By Alexandria Abramian

Art Alert!

Then: Aerial Ocean Shots

Now: Highly personalized, occasionally abstract, sea-leaning imagery

  • Valerie Saunders | Sérendipité | serendipitedesigns.com | “I was inspired to suggest black and white-themed art so it would not distract from the funky mid-century design we are embracing. Hawaii is this family’s happy place, where they have created many memories, so I wanted to transport them there while they live the busy lifestyle that they have for a family of six. We selected these prints by Tropical Darkroom from Society 6 and had them framed by The Plexi Gallery.”
  • Denise Morrison | morrisoninteriors.com | “The nod to the nautical/beach lifestyle is subtle in the ocean abstract painting in the great room…We try to present more sophisticated ocean palettes rather than literal shells and ‘beach’ signs.”
  • Laura Brophy | brophyinteriors.com | “The clients wanted to incorporate the beach lifestyle into the home, and to do so in a unique way—we had the clients’ photography printed on wood. It is a statement piece in the home—and a ‘nautical’ nod in a more abstract way that is personal and design-focused.”

serendipitedesigns.com | brophyinteriors.com | morrisoninteriors.com

A Classic Combo

Now: A New Play on Pattern

Then: Blue & White Stripes

Mary Beth Christopher | mbcinteriordesign.com | Blue and white may make the ultimate coastal color combo, one that Mary Beth Christopher pairs in less expected ways. “There are so many ways to evoke the coast without doing it in a theme-y way,” says the Boston-bred, West Coast-based designer. “I love playing with more European coastal patterns in blue and white as a way of mixing it up or popping a bright hit of indigo in an otherwise all-white kitchen. The best kind of coastal-inspired décor is fun, sophisticated, and completely original to your home.”

TRUE BLUE

Then: Same Old Navy

Now: A New Take on the Nautical Hue 

Laurel Harrington | honeydudley.com | Laurel Harrington’s debut collection of sustainable furniture includes the Daisy Doo, a line seating that melds whimsy and sophistication into one high-function bloom. Made in California from black walnut, white oak, and poplar re-harvested in the USA, the Daisy Doo chairs and barstools come in a variety of lacquer hues, including a moody matte navy that provides a totally fresh take on the classic coastal color. Start at $2,000.

Beach Regency

Then: Coastal Casual

Now: A New Wave of Glamour

Allison Knizek | allisonknizekdesign.com | When designer Allison Knizek gave her Laguna Beach midcentury condo a complete overhaul, she crafted a new wave of coastal chic by melding high-drama Regency details with a beach-leaning color palette. Case in point? A sky-blue, high-gloss sliding interior door punctuated with shell-inspired Pinch hardware from Stephen Antonson for Nest Studio Hardware.

Design Expansion

Then: Modern Farmhouse

Now: Architectural Inclusion

Lynn Stone | huntercarsondesign.com | Designer Lynn Stone’s home may not conform to beach basics. Victorian architecture may not scream beach cred, but designer Lynn Stone decided to go with the turrets and intricate ornaments instead of fighting them. The result? A clean take on a fussy design style, complete with surfboard parking and even an outdoor shower from Strand Boards.
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