Island Retreat
One Saturday afternoon while I was shopping, my phone rang with two guys on the other end a little frantic about paint colors. They had a vision in their minds, but it just wasn’t quite what the painter showed up with. They explained to me what they were thinking and their vision, a sophisticated blue-green, perfect for a southern beach vacation home. When I arrived at the house, I found a sample painted on the garage door that looked like a bright green you might find much further south in Key West.
The house is located on a quaint little island called Ono. It’s a Cape Cod style house that fits perfectly on the quiet island where time moves a little slower. The clients had young children, lots of family, and a dog they wanted to share lots of summers and holidays in this home. This space was going to need to be family friendly and bring in the southern charm they were used to living in like their primary home in central Alabama.
The paint colors were the first item on the agenda. I felt like bringing in a soothing palette of Ben Moore colors was the best option for the mood they were trying to create. We chose White Dove for the main color of the house. It’s a classic, creamy white that blends well with southern charm, an older home, and complements all the accent colors they were looking for. We chose Tranquility for the door and shutters. I think it’s a perfect match for the creamy white.
The back porch where many nights would be spent playing games and drinking sweet tea needed to stand out from the water and be an oasis on the inside. We chose Deep Brown for the color of the railings. It was the perfect backdrop to the inviting pool that overlooked the water. On the inside the porch, the floor looked like an old basketball court so we decided a soothing color would transform the space, so summer naps would be encouraged on the breezy back porch. We choose Palladian Blue to brighten up the space on those floors. Now, it’s perfect for late night summers playing games and watching the waves.
The interior space is an open floor plan where the family would spend most of their vacation time. It had to be a place that made them feel like they were home and on vacation at the same time. We chose Wickham Grey as the main color and accented the bookcases in Tranquility, the same as the exterior accent color. It paired well with the oversized wooden beaded coastal chandelier for the entry way. The entry way opens to the main area that would become the hub of the summer home. We put a sectional and two swivel recliners in the space. Every seat can look out at the beautiful scape that begins in the waterway and ends over the beach to the Gulf. The client wanted a big round table to accommodate as many people as possible in the dining space. We paired it with some durable chairs that could endure children’s hands and all the normal family messes. I don’t like a lot of obvious coastal flair, but a coral rug was the perfect touch to the dining area to give it the old Florida feel, even though it’s just over the Alabama line.
The primary bedroom is one of my favorite spaces. Its tranquil colors make it the perfect place to wake up with the sun shining through the windows. The use of vibrant colors in the art gives it the feel that you need to wake up and find adventure in the day. The two other bedrooms reserved for the adults slumbering in the house are similar in that they have a soothing palette that is accented with bold colors. The perfect place to fall asleep after enjoying the water all day. The children’s rooms were done in a similar way. One in pinks and one in teals. A perfect place for little ones after a long day of playing on the shores of the area.
I feel the goal of a beach vacation home for a southern family is embodied in this home. It has the perfect color palette paired with function to make a place where all who come will feel welcome and at home. It’s a place that invites you to toss off your shoes and worries at the door the moment you walk in. This little cottage on Ono will be an oasis where lots of memories will be made for generations to come.
