SEASIDE CHARM: ROOMS THAT INSPIRE BY THE SEA

Photos courtesy of Annie Kelly

Spending time on the seashore is part of what makes summers memorable for me. Annie Kelly's latest design book, Rooms to Inspire by the Sea, with photos by husband Tim Street-Porter, show how people live well by the water, from rustic Island homes to polished country cottages on rocky coastlines.  The book covers a variety of relaxed interiors with casual elegance, inspiring daydream visions of spending time getting away from it all by the water.
With summer on the wane, where would you want to spend time on the shore?

A California terrace by Eric Nagelman mixes rattan and wood with a dressy chandelier to elevate the setting.

The Sagaponack cottage of Chris Mead, owner of English Country Antiques and Zoe Hoare, is filled with easy to care for white slipcovered upholstery and rustic nautical touches.

The Bahamas dining room of Olivier and Zoe de Givenchy done with the help of Tom Sheerer keeps it casual with simple pieces in pale colors.  Easygoing captains chairs surround a pecky Cyprus wood dining table with wheat sheave bases and a cooling fan is placed overhead to promote a steady cross breeze.

The Malibu living room of antique dealer designer Richard Shapiro incorporates antiquities and aged elements like well worn floor tiles to add to an intentional patina of age.

The exterior of India Hicks and David Flint Wood's HIbiscus Hill on Harbour Island.

The focal point of the room, at least for dog, a local,  is a cozy bright pink sofa with graphic pillows. It is the one hit of color in an otherwise cool neutral room.

Wood's office is a place for art, architectural plans, and projects. A happy mess.

Adding a formal element, the French marble fireplace existed in the house. A slipcovered Louis chair, a vase of fronds, and some coral add a casual air.

Built in bookcases frame a doorway leading to the dining room. They are used to store straw hats to shield from the strong sun.

Green paint on the ceiling and wicker furniture has transformed the porch of Jamaica's Trident Hotel, lending it a casual, beachy air.