White sandy beaches await just outside of a family’s beachfront getaway at The Breakers, an intimate condo development in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The homeowner had one petition of interior designer Phoebe Howard:”I am just in the mood for brownish and I understand you can find ways to vary it and make it interesting.” It’s a strange request for a home with oceanfront views that are enviable. Nevertheless, Howard implemented a design for.
Phoebe Howard
Erika Ward: There’s such a gorgeous mix of patterns, textures, and tones in this living room. What are the crucial components in generating interest in a neutral space?
Phoebe Howard: Definitely texture. The feel of the wood grain on the coffee table, the feel of this hemp rug. The feel of this faux bois wallpaper — it actually feels like wood grain when you touch it. Then, just changing the scale and feel of the fabrics — this prevents it from falling level. And with a part of art helps — it is the strong painting.
Phoebe Howard
A set of display dividers (equal to the ones seen from the living area ) separate the dining and living spaces.
EW: Installing a custom banquette is this a fantastic use of space, however it is the dining table and chairs that captivate me. They seem to have history.
PH: The dining chairs are in fact quite inexpensive reproductions. They’re teak and I enjoy them since they are completely bulletproof. Nothing can hurt themwhich is perfect for a beach house. Since the banquette is quite straightforward and plain, I wanted something quirky and interesting to the chairs.
Phoebe Howard
The rich brown colour palette continues to the guest bedroom with wrought partitions.
EW: Is that grosgrain trim bordering the window and walls?
PH: Yes, That’s grosgrain. I was trying to find different colour combinations that worked with brownish, so I laid out paint chips and chose my favorite colors and took it from there. The wallpaper is actually China Seas fabric I’d paper endorsed and hung as wallpaper, therefore it not only has pattern but feel as well. The gimp that goes round the room is actually double welt, prepared created by Samuel & Sons. I love to use double welt in a case such as this since it bends from the corners.
Phoebe Howard
Opposite the four-post bed, the brownish and fuchsia colour palette travels into a pair of accent chairs with reupholstered cushions. Tortoise shells and classic bird prints are a nod to the house’s coastal locale.
EW: Do you make a point to integrate decoration from local shops or employ local artisans?
PH: I always support local artisans and craftsmen. We do a lot of spiritual work, and I like a fantastic collaboration.
Phoebe Howard
EW: This set of full-sized beds is perfection, especially the custom canopies and matching headboards. What inspired you to add canopies in this design?
PH: The room had no structure to speak of — 8-foot ceilings, no crown molding, nothing of any substance. I knew I had to do some strong decorating in here. To add height and create a feeling of design, I fabricated these bed canopies. They create the bedroom a great deal more intriguing than a blank box.
Phoebe Howard
EW: This room, with its delicious chocolate partitions, has more of a modern appeal.
PH: The wall colour is Chocolate Candy by Benjamin Moore. The title makes it yummy. I find sometimes a dark room in a beach house is a wonderful place. And it actually makes the view pop more than a lighter room. I was clearly choosing a graphic punch in this room, together with the major story here being contrast: white mattress, white curtains against the dark walls. I wanted it crisp and clean. Additionally a painted wood mattress like this is low-maintenance in a beach house since there is no fabric involved.
Phoebe Howard
EW: When designing this new kitchen, what was your main focus?
PH: Materials, function, style, all the above. Andrew Howard actually designed the kitchen for me, and there are no windows in this room. It’s a very small space, therefore the main aim was to open this up, be bright and well-lit. Additionally, it had to function as a weekend house kitchen — you would do some cooking, but not a lot.
Phoebe Howard
This home does not disappoint, even for those who like a more conventional coastal decoration aesthetic. The family room boasts a sectional upholstered in white ticking stripe and a brown. The area’s accents also beckon you to the sea with its driftwood sculpture and woven color atop a glass jar lamp.
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