Designing the Perfect Vacation Home
A vacation home that you can get to quickly for relaxed weekends or summers sounds like a dream come true. However, unless you design and decorate it properly, that home can become a money pit and a whole lot of work. Whether you’re in a lakefront home or a beach house, there are several factors to consider to ensure that your vacation home is both beautiful and functional.
Considering the Location and Lifestyle
Houston interior designer Courtnay Elias of Creative Tonic Design says that how you finish and fill a vacation home depends on the location as well as the lifestyle you want to have in it. "I love a beach house in Galveston. If you live in Houston, it’s such a treat to drive an hour and be on a beach," she says. "You have to think about the wear and tear on a house there. You might live there a little more casually. All of those things need to be considered when picking all kinds of materials."
Choosing the Right Materials
Elias recommends using easy-care flooring such as engineered wood floors or vinyl tile that looks like wood, and avoiding stone and tile, as they’re prone to cracking in homes on stilts. She also suggests keeping things light with breezy sheers and cotton and performance fabrics. "Happy prints, big-scale prints are fun at a beach house," Elias says. "Lots of smaller prints will make it feel like a cozy cottage. I tend to embrace the environment and let it dictate the interior, but always with a twist."
Adding a Personal Touch
Decor can feel beachy without turning to nautical details such as anchors and seashells—unless that’s what you want. To add fun to the vacation vibe, Elias favors bright and bold colors in paint, wallpaper, and upholstery. She aims for big pops of blue, green, and the pink and orange you might see in a sunset. Window sheers are great for casual decor, and she recommends against using grass shades because the sun will "eat them up," urging performance fabric or synthetic materials for window shades and blackout draperies for bedrooms.
Natural Elements and Minimalist Approach
Ginger Barber, of Ginger Barber Interior Design, used to own a home in Laffite’s Cove on Galveston’s west end, where she kept everything casual and easy to use. She grew up in Florida and her mother was an interior designer, so she’s drawn to light neutral color palettes, linen fabric, seagrass rugs, and other natural materials. "That’s where my mind goes—natural elements like raw wood, birdcages, wicker, and painted furniture," Barber says. "I can use the same things in a house in Houston, but it’s how you put it together. In my Galveston house, I used director’s chairs around a farm table. My Houston house was dressier, but down there, I want to be relaxed and calm."
Creating a Functional and Beautiful Space
Designer Rainey Richardson, of Rainey Richardson Interiors, is currently working on a Galveston project for a client whose primary home is in rural Brazoria County and has more rustic decor. Richardson and her team pushed the client in a completely different direction using Fusion granite with gray and tan veining, and then plum-colored stain for the cabinets. In the primary bathroom, a green-gray palette will have dark plum accents. She’s had clients in Rockport and Port O’Connor who were serious about fishing and entertaining friends. Richardson was charged with creating homes that could sleep plenty of people, where parties were a regular occurrence and where tackle rooms could handle more fishing rods and reels than you can imagine.
conclusion
In conclusion, designing a vacation home requires careful consideration of the location, lifestyle, and materials used. By choosing the right materials, adding a personal touch, incorporating natural elements, and creating a functional and beautiful space, you can create a vacation home that is perfect for relaxation and entertainment. Whether you’re looking for a beachy vibe or a rustic retreat, the key is to prioritize ease, comfort, and durability. With the right design and decor, your vacation home can be a haven that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
