I came across a House Beautiful article the other day titled “14 Signs You Decorate Like You Live in Beverly Hills.” First I thought, who doesn’t want to be surrounded by glitz and glam, feeling like a pampered A-lister? I’ll take that any day. Second, I started thinking about how my style has evolved over the years. With fashion, my preferences certainly indicate multiple personalities. In the realm of decor, my taste is becoming more fine-tuned, even if I can’t quite turn my wish list into a reality just yet. Where I once loved rustic, shabby chic styles with muted neutrals and frilly pastels (yes, there was a time!), now I love simple, streamlined looks with contrast, pops of bold color or pattern and a little sparkle. I still love lots of white and clean coastal style, but now with a little more glam factor. Mixing Beverly Hills and the beach, I like to call this style “coastal glam”.
There are a few key elements to achieve Coastal Glam in my book:
- Black and White Stripes. Think glitzy Hollywood pool decks and chic Miami Beach cabanas clad in classic black and white stripes. Even Coco Chanel adored crisp stripes for their “graphic sensibility”.
- Rich Texture. Leather, cashmere, a little (faux) fur and a few soft flower arrangements work wonders.
- Bright White. A coastal design just wouldn’t be right without crisp, clean, brilliant white. It just makes everything feel fresh.
- Bold Patterns. The Beverly Hilton has their signature palm print, David Hicks has posh hexagons and coastal glam needs fresh, fun patterns like dots, (more) stripes, bright florals or clean geometric patterns.
- Small Bursts of Color. Saturated shades in small doses stand out and make a statement, helping to soften the overall look. Think Marilyn Monroe pink in Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friends, Tiffany blue and sunshiny yellow. In our case, 30A’s signature turquoise and emerald waters would be a great pop.
- Shiny Accents. Just a few finishing touches in the way of pearly shimmer, diamond-like sparkle or metallics like gold leaf and mercury add just the right amount of shine for a fabulous feel. I have to say gold is my favorite and it’s really hard to go wrong with gold accessories.
Here’s a little more coastal glam inspiration. Can I take them all?
The Pearl in Rosemary Beach, FL
Room design by Wendy Schwartz.
Glam bathroom via Coastal Living
Benjamin Moore “Ballet Slippers” pink Palm Beach
via Elle Decor