Beach House Decorating Ideas Photos

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Exterior

In front of the 1938 California cottage is a Liberty of London bicycle from Target; it belongs to designer Krista Ewart's sister Laurie Thiel, the homeowner.

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Dining Area

Dining chairs from the 1960s are painted semigloss white. "White makes them disappear into the walls — it's less busy and helps open the space — but still lets you see their super-cool design," Ewart says. White coral almost fills a bookshelf: "One big accessory has more impact than a bunch of miniatures."

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Dining Table

Breakfast is served.

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Living Room

Vibrant colors, a mix of patterns, and flowers everywhere — real, painted, and printed on the sofa's Clover Poppy, from Hable Construction — make the living room "cheerful, bright and playful," says designer Krista Ewart.

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Living Room

"My style of decorating is, 'I love this, I love that, let's put it all together and make it work,'" Ewart says. "I'll mix polka dots and prints, all shades of green." In the living–dining area, a vintage coffee table and stools in Hable Construction's Sweet Pea Beads sit on a zebra-print rug by Jonathan Adler. The embroidered tablecloth, from Mexico, is available at Jacaranda Home.

mother's day flowers

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Mantel Details

The mantel showcases two of Ewart's "obsessions" — elephants and bold colors.

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Window Seat

The living room window seat is a favorite spot for reading.

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Seaside Decor

A boat model, shells, and coral reflect California seaside life.

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Kitchen

A Dutch door opens to the kitchen and a children's room beyond. Stripes, polka dots, and big blue whales are a surprisingly compatible mix.

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Kids' Room

Little Whales from Walnut Wallpaper is a buoyant backdrop for a dresser Ewart painted so that "every room has at least a peek of green."

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Master Bedroom

"These nesting tables are great for the small master bedroom," Ewart says. "Pull the little one out at night, push it back in when you're not using it."

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Daughter's Bedroom

She chose turquoise and red for her 10-year-old niece's bedroom because "they're always great together." A Bubble-Up side table from PB Teen is paired with the vintage painted bed.

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Bathroom

"The bathroom is hilarious: It's so tiny, there's only the little sink and a shower." Hinson's Fireworks wallpaper by Albert Hadley highlights a mirror Ewart designed as a simplified version of the living-room mantel mirror. Light fixture from Old School Lighting. Pottery Barn towels. "This polka-dotty print with the pink herringbone shower curtain just makes me happy," Ewart says.

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Guest Suite

In the guest suite over the garage, a sofa is covered in a favorite Ewart fabric, Hable Construction's Beads.

Vintage

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Guest Suite Kitchen

A pink Smeg refrigerator from Sears is the showstopper in the guest-suite kitchen. Lina rug from Plastica. "How about that pink fridge? Isn't it great? It's tiny — perfect for a small kitchen."

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Patio

"I was driving by a store in L.A., saw this 1960s patio furniture, and screeched to a stop," Ewart says. "It's modern without being stark, and petite — there's not a lot of room out here." The pattern on the surfboard is a fabric print from a friend's handbag line.

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20 of the Most Charming Beach Towns Across America

From known tourist destinations to smaller seaside gems, here are some of our favorite nominations featuring colorful homes, sandy beaches, and clear skies.