It’s that time of year, when you yearn for your own vacay get-away. Those lucky enough to have more than one home typically choose a second one that contrasts from their primary one.
Having a second location where you can create a fantasy interior style for your family and guests is a great privilege and fun. This second home is where you can go all themey without seeming corny, and can be more relaxed in general about the look. No wonder design pros admit, in a recent issue of House Beautiful that they prefer working on them.
What we like to do best is take a typical location theme, such as a seaside cottage, and do it with a twist.
That’s why we’re particularly fond of the French Provincial-Meets-Mexico villa from this post. It’s brave and unexpected, yet has all the markers you would expect from a seashore location.
We have four simple principles when decorating vacation homes:
- Comfort and casual is key. If it’s too formal, or everything looks too new and precious, it’s not a get-away: it’s going to be work.
If Cha won’t sit on it, it’s not comfy! - Use resistant materials. Typically, vacation homes are in places with extreme weather such as snow, rain, salt, heat, etc. Pick materials and decor that will shelter and withstand guest wear-&-tear such as muddy feet, wet suits, etc.
- Address location vernacular in a recognizable way. The “Louis VX-Sur-Mer” concept in our previous post wouldn’t work in a mountain setting.
- Use local designs and materials. Cherish the local community and culture (and help keep it sustainable) by selecting materials, decor and other items from the town’s craftspeople, artists and vendors.
Here are some fun vacay concepts:
CV & Associates, LLC 