Living at the shore, Laguna Beach style.
Isn’t it great to be back home! If you are lucky enough to list Laguna Beach or its environs as your home base, you already know how much the seaside culture inspires every element of your life. It isn’t just the warm sun and the sound of the lapping waves, of course. There is a rhythm and lifestyle to coastal living that can have impact on every element in your life. Beach life for many is a total way of life, like for our surfer girl here.
But there certainly are variations on coastal culture all around our U.S. shores, be they Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf, or Great Lake. Here in Laguna Beach, the California mood is a bit more modern, simpler, more tonal than we’ll see in our later U.S. coastal visits. Contemporary patterns and simpler takes on classic elements communicate this Laguna beach vibe. Let’s consider seashells as one important iconic motif. Here in California, seashell images are crisp, clean, simple–not country, not folk arty, not traditional. In a many-windowed living space, three sealife pillows showcase just this mood. Our lightly colored pillows coordinate well with the tan color of the sectional. Simple accessories are part of this coastal design. The vase is virtually the color of sand. And our fishy friend looks right at home in the setting.
Seashells and fish in a seating area.
Let’s take our seashell motif one step further. What room is perhaps best equipped to utilize sea images? The bathroom, of course. So why not take seashells as the design element for a complete bath summer makeover! It is so quick and easy. Seashell art can be inexpensive and in small sizes, perfect for bathrooms. Seashell sculptures mix with some actual starfish, blending fantasy and reality. Add in something personal with a seaside motif–like Virginia Woolf’s dustjacket for To The Lighthouse–and you are done. Can’t you almost hear the seagulls?
Seashell motifs on the lip of a whirlpool tub.
In putting together the fabric and paint chip board for the Laguna Beach look, we found a large collection of seashell fabrics with a modern, simple feeling, almost graphic in nature. Must these be seasonal? Of course not. Combine with contemporary stripes, checks or windowpanes. In terms of color, the sun tends to bleach out stronger tones, so our palette is softer with light blues and greens balanced with natural tones of sand and driftwood.
Graphic seashells in a contemporary mood.
While the lifestyle at the California beaches is very laid-back and casual, we’ve got to go! We’re heading north to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, balanced between Lakes Michigan and Superior, to have a look at lakehouse style.
1. Hello Mitch,
I’m enjoying all of your great blogs, especially this one since it’s so close to home for me, (about 8 miles away). Laguna Beach is a favorite place for us. We often take a couple hours off out of a busy day and go rejuvenate ourselves. A walk along the ocean or stroll along the quaint, shop lined streets. Or dining beachside or cliffside to experience the most beautiful views in southern California. The beaches, ocean and cliffs are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. Truly a magnificent place.
Laguna Beach is also known for its art culture. Wonderful galleries and exhibits dot the town. A favorite artist that lives there, and has many galleries is “Wyland”. The artist that paints the large sealife murals on buildings, and underwater ocean scenes, so realistic.
Your assessment and description of the area are right on, only multiply that by 100 for the truly spectacular place that it is.
Thanks so much for writing about it…a beautiful place not a lot of people know about outside of California. Maybe we should keep it quiet. LOL.
Looking forward to more travels from you.
Your blogging buddy,
Cathy
by Cathy — 5/28/08 at 5:27 pm #
2. Mitch, Can you share a source for the fabric in the Laguns Beach look. Those are the colors I am using to decorate my master bedroom but haven’t found any fabric I like so far. I love all of the above.
Thanks, Carol
by Carol — 5/29/08 at 1:27 pm #
3. Cathy–In my youth (which today seems long ago), I spent many days and nights in Laguna Beach. I have so many great memories of this coastal town–beautiful, not overly commercial, with its great art colony. Have you ever gone to the famous Pageant of the Masters, the famous art tableaux event held every summer? I’d always wanted to see it, but so far have not managed to get to Laguna when it is on. I’ve always heard it is an amazing undertaking.
I think we are already too late to keep Laguna Beach OUR little secret! Best, Mitch.
by mitch b — 5/30/08 at 7:29 am #
4. Carol–I will do a bit of research on sources for the fabrics from the Laguna Beach board, but it would be helpful if you could tell me which you are interested in….all four? The sealife patterns plus the two stripes? Mitch
by mitch b — 5/30/08 at 7:31 am #
5. Carol–I have been successful in getting you virtually all the data on the fabrics on the Laguna Beach board. That incredible starfish pattern is called Sea Star, color Saddle. It is from a new mill, Lace Mills. The sand dollar pattern is Low Tide, color Spa, from Stroup Mills. The wide stripe is Antissimo Stripe, color Robins Egg, from P. Kaufmann. Haven’t been able to unearth the data yet for the smaller irregular stripe–but I’m still working on it. For the three patterns noted above, you should be able (with this information) to source them through your local fabric retail store. I found alll these fabrics at Zimmans, Lynn, MA. You can contact them to inquire about buying yardage from them.
What will you be doing with these contemporary sea side patterns? Let us know what you are planning. Best of luck with your re-decorating schemes. Mitch
by mitch b — 5/31/08 at 5:20 pm #
6. Mitch,
I’m so glad you were able to enjoy L.B. in your youth. It probably hasn’t changed too much in look and feel. More houses and people though. Still a charming, beautiful place to explore.
Yes, The Pageant of the Masters is truly a spectacular. A “must see” if your are here when it’s on. (google: Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach for more info.) You’ll have to come back and go see it when you can. Some places always stand out in your mind when you visit. I think Laguna Beach is one of those “unforgetable” places. Don’t you?
Good to talk,
Cathy
by Cathy — 5/31/08 at 11:50 pm #
7. Cathy–I agree 100%! Of all the towns in So. Cal. that I visited and spent time in–Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Playa del Rey, etc. etc.–Laguna Beach always stood out. Other favorite U.S. places for me? Moro Bay and San Luis Obispo in CA;, Freeport, ME; Long Beach Island, Bradley Beach and Belmar in NJ; Lake Forest in IL; Hillsborough, NC. Everyone has their own list, of course, memories full of nostalgia. Mitch
by mitch b. — 6/2/08 at 4:27 pm #