Interior Decorating, Home Design, Room Ideas

Happy Sunday to you my dear readers! Today I have a small beach cottage to show you. It belongs to Alex Bates, the creative director of West Elm and is located on Fire Island, New York.


In the kitchen contemporary chairs were paired with a weathered farm table that belonged to the home's previous owners. The oyster plates were a gift from Bates's mother-in-law.


A vintage breadbox, earthy vessels by Heath Ceramics, and blue Martha Stewart bowls stitch together the room's beach-inspired color scheme.


Alex covered her vintage sofa in easy-to-wash white canvas, and opted for a fuss-­free and affordable jute rug. An antique sea coral print hangs between the windows. High-gloss white paint on the ceiling reflects natural light.


The enclosed front porch doubles as a guest room, thanks to a built-in daybed decorated with pillows. The turtle shells were found at an antiques store.


Chinese wisteria and a hydrangea shrub give the cedar deck a sense of enclosure.
A few chalked lines turn the family's deck into a game board for oversize chess pieces.


A collection of old group photos — from summer-camp kids to sports teams — hangs in the house's only bathroom


For the guest room, Bates added cotton slipcovers to twin headboards from her own childhood.


Bates furnished the master bedroom with a headboard and linens from West Elm, plus a couple of vintage paintings.


Extra sun hats and beach totes await guests on the front porch, which also features a sisal-covered boat bumper.

All images and information from Country Living.