www.belongings.com
www.coastalliving.com
www.beachdwelling.com
www.seabrookclassics.com

If you see this, I would love to see pictures. I am doing a West Indies look in my master bedroom and would love especially to see your paint colors. They sound neat.

Georgiagal - Wonderful photo!

The last picture is of a carving we bought for our first anniversary because it reminded us so much of the carvings that we saw everywhere in the Cooks, but which were much too large to carry home.

Also, here's a link I found that (unfortunately) doesn't have any pictures, but the article was great (and short).

Jodi

Jodi

The reason I ask is that at 41, I am the first year of generation X and so often I am always going opposite of the baby boomers, and usually no one is going my way until those younger than me "catch up" to me. I have been working on this type of bedroom for about 4 years and am only now seeing this design style begin to creep in. So, where to the rest of you fall in?

In my case we have just remodeled and have a new bedroom so I am starting all over again with white and very pale blues and dark woods. I am planning on a canopy platform bed with cheesecloth netting, hardwood floor layed in a diamond pattern with contrasting woods, potted palm-like plants, white wainscott the from about 6 feet down, blue walls above with faint dry brushing of pinks and golds. We have 9 feet of windows that I will leave exposed (we are the highest on our hill, so no one can see in).

What you have described about your bedroom so far sounds wonderful. The dry brushing on your blue walls with the pinks and golds sounds intriguing. We built our home 12 yrs. ago and are ripping out the carpet in the bedroom and putting down hardwood, repainting and we bought new furniture. (kind of a Tommy Bahama look by Drexel called Captiva) I'm especially excited about the furniture as I feel like the old furniture (which will be going in the guest bedroom) just wasn't me anymore. It seemed stuffy and boring somehow.

In answer to your age question, I just turned 48. I guess technically I'm a baby boomer but I think on the very tale end.

I found this slideshow while browsing the BH & G website the other day, thought people here would appreciate it.

BTW, I typed a HUGE update as to all the great ideas I'm going to do in my MBR and I lost it...AGGH! It was my own fault, lazy fingers...

I'll post again soon! P.S. I'm 37.

Of course I have a couple of tropical plants to add in, a orchid or two and the coup de gras is the art work I found for over the bed. I think the whole look will pull together wonderfully!! I'm so excited!

Of course one of these days I'll post pictures.

And I'm a Gen Xer :~)

Here's a bit of a modern take on tropical:

I love this table and chairs from Ashley Furniture.

Nat

The Lexington furniture website has some decent pics of this style under the Tommy Bahama line. There are a couple of catalogs in pdf you can download.

BTW, if you have a Big Lot's store around and are looking for the cool zebra print pillows, they have Euro sized one's for $10!!! That's where I'm getting mine!

Anyone else love the idea of using shutters (or even actual Plantation Style Shutters if you aren't concerned about the finances and want to customize) to pull together this look? DH and I were even talking about DIY our armoir doors to have shutters or even jigsawing out the panel in the armoir doors and insetting rattan or bamboo veneer. Sounds fun doesn't it?

myjodi

Acoreana - I have that dining set from Ashley Furniture - just had it delivered, so I can't speak to the wear-ability. Quality seems quite nice! Ashley also has great buffet options in the same style. The pieces look "pulled together" without being matchy-matchy. Love them!

Amysrq - thanks for the Tommy link. Love looking at the photos - great inspiration!

Anyways, I think it feels quite light overall, although not breezy coastal. It's all still a work in progress :-)

I want to change the mat on the calligraphy, add a little color but still keep it understated. Also, finish off the ottoman with some trim (the reason it's puckering is because I haven't permanently attached the skirt yet). Any suggestions?

By the way, I'm 46, I guess that makes me a youngish baby-boomer.

determined, LUCKY!!! :-) When I get ready to purchase I'll be looking for you.

Nat

Lindy

I wish you would all come over this week-end-I don't have any homework for school-bring the kids, the beach is just over the hill and we can drink Mojitos (a Cuban girl taught me to make them). I just don't think you can spend the night because I have only 2 beds and a little empty nesters home (I qualify for the small homes forum) So come see my new book!! When will you get here?

Sis3, I also love to use things I have and change them to give them an update or use something inexpensive and make it look fabulous. It's a lot of fun.

I've been talking to my husband about building a couple of vanities for us, and the one that you have with the open storage is just like I've been imagining. Did your husband have an inspiration piece that he used to base his design? They are both absolutely gorgeous. :)

Sis3, as others have stated, fantastic look/job.

Nat

Sunshine I took a look at that book online - It looks like the kind of book I like to curl up with in an easy chair at the local bookstore. I wish I could take you up on your offer - mojitos and a lovely book, what more could anyone wish for?

The book is wonderful but heavy. Every page is a large photo with concise descriptors. What a great vacation for $36.00.

Good night ya'll I have to move the sprinklers.
Sunshine

Red

I have never been that much of a fan of blue paint, but the color is so restful and will go nicely with other colors to (hopefully) remind me of the ocean.

If I come across anything I feel that would be helpful I will post a link. I have alot to learn yet.

I am curious to see kitchens/breakfast areas, guest baths and decor to go in these rooms.

Thanks again and I hope this great thread keeps going:)

We are in the last stages of a major remodel where only 2 bathrooms (photos posted earlier in this thread) survived, so now I am beginning to think about decorating and furnishing all the other rooms of the house. These include 4 bedrooms! Yikes!

The second of the two bath photos I posted is a guest bath in a light caramel color which I would like to tie in to the palette I now see for the whole house. If the background color of the RL bedding is caramel, as the descriptions suggest, rather than gold, the bedding could be used in the guest bedroom to tie the existing bath into the colors I would like to use for rest of the house.

Red

I think a sage green or medium tan color would be great on the walls as it would leave bedding and accessories to be the focal point. ;o)

patty_cakes

Red

Thanks

I just thought if you haven't seen them already you might like to see the rooms in the Stanley Barbados collection catalog. If you click on the link below and then click on "more images" immediately under the photo you'll see all the photos for the dining room section. (I just love that Plantation Wine Bar). If you like you can go back to the beginning and, using your browser back arrow, see other furniture groups e.g bedrooms that also have "more images".
British Colonial photos

princesssusan - although I personally associate painted furniture with the beachy look, it seems there are many ways of achieving it. From a quick glance through a couple of issues of the Coastal Living magazine I could see quite a lot of medium and dark stained furniture in lovely coastal homes.

I am no expert, but perhaps your sister could pull together the beachy look she desires by choosing paint colors, fabrics and accessories that suggest the beach/nautical theme. Also if she has any furniture that has a finish she doesn't particularly care for she could paint it to help achieve the look with little expense. (I am just in the process of staining some furniture that no longer fits my ideas - really pleased with the results so far! This may turn into an obsession!)

I have the Tommy Bahama Marine fan. It has a very tropical look without being ornate. It has the highest airflow rating a fan can get. We have it on a 20 foot ceiling with a 6 foot downrod and still get great airflow from up there. I highly recommend. They cost around $500-700, but are well worth the cost, IMO. Very powerful motors.

did you end up painting your bedroom BM Woodlawn Blue? I would love to see a picture of it. I too love the British Colonial look. Am looking for a nice MBR color that will be calm and serene and remind me of the sea and the tropics. This is a great thread!

Thanks,
Kaye

*Michael: Consider a silver, grayish green color for your walls. Let me give you a specific color... a color like Benjamin Moore, Misted Green #2138-50. This color will work beautifully with your Dusty Rose carpet and give you the feel of the room that you desire.*

Another color I thought of was Silver Sage, which seems to have that color you describe from what I have seen in person, but it does not look so much that way on my monitor. I wonder if Silver Sage users would chime in here, because my #3 DIL has it in her bedroom with all white bedding, high ceilings, lots of white molding, white plantation shutters, black wrought iron bed and all pine antiques in the room.

Yes, I did paint my bedroom the woodlawn blue. I love the color, it does remind me of the ocean. I've thought of posting pictures, but am unsure how to do it...

I will post photos as soon as the suite is finished. It still has no pictures or finishing touches yet so is not looking its best!

I keep trying to close the magazine but I can't stop admiring the photos. My dream colors.

Has anyone carried the look into their kitchen? Also, has anyone done any painting with accent colors, I have a 2-story wall with a stone fireplace that runs floor to ceiling in the middle that I would like to paint with an accent color?

There is nothing historically accurate about our home so, as in the rest of the house, I chose to give the BC style merely a nod in the kitchen. For us this means the cabinets have a dark stain similar to the dark hardwood floors and the dark furniture close by. I kept the existing stone look porcelain floor tiles and chose a very light granite. There are plantation shutters and the counter stools have woven rattan backs. I wanted a very functional cook's kitchen so I have a stainless steel range but all the other appliances have paneled doors.

On the whole I don't think that anyone seeing a photo of the kitchen would immediately think "BC", but I do believe that the kitchen flows easily with the rest of the house.

Any other thoughts about countertop surfaces? Any pictures, anyone?

By the way, if you click on the fourth picture on the Welcome page of the link below, you will see an amazing room. I think it's my favorite living room of all I have seen!

Many thanks to all for keeping this post alive!

Red

For inspiration, view the complete photo spread online.

Posters: Make an effort to include photo credits where applicable.

Sunshine...I have a blog where I often will find and post some great Island places...If you go back to some older posts you may find some nice inspiration pics...

(just scroll down a bit...and you can click on the pics to make them bigger)

From the "British Colonial" series of Williams-Sonoma Home

From Cost Plus World Market,

The Evanson resort in Thailand, thought we needed a little mosquito netting in this thread. They have mosquitoes in the West Indies right?

These are from the Todos Santos Inn in Mexico

Just an FYI: The previously mentioned mag Island Living Digest is now www.caribbeanislandliving.com. Prior links no longer applicable.

Happy decorating!