coastal dream home {updated}

{updated with more photos!}

Hi there! It's me here. Remember me?? I'm home and on bed rest, much better than being in the hospital, plugging along at almost 33 weeks and feeling pretty good about that! There is one thing I wish I could do, but can't, and that is go through a few of the homes in the Utah Valley Parade of Homes. One in particular caught my eye and I'm so obsessed that I show my husband the pictures over and over. I'm trying to justify a way to walk through just one house, I can walk through my house, why not tour this one, ya know? I go to doctor appointments twice a week right now... if my doc is okay with me walking from the parking lot and through the HUGE hospital and to her office I think it should be okay to walk through a pretty house, right??

This house is the epitome of beach/coastal style and everything that is home perfection. I love that they fused many different styles for an overall eclectic look. I love the fresh color all over. It's light, bright and airy. It's a happy house!

My "someday house" inspiration files just got an overload of ideas!




I am in love with the reclaimed oak flooring throughout the house! They did a different pattern in the piano room, I think it's gorgeous.



and "hello, mudroom!" Someone was really thinking here, brick floors in the mudroom are perfect, and the barn wood on the wall is about the cutest thing ever.

I'm so in love with this orange bicycle picture. Me thinks I need one of these.



I always love a good white kitchen, this one does not disappoint.

The master suite... swoon.

I've been trying to sell Scott on grass cloth wall paper for a while now, I don't know if I'll ever convince him, but I'm more in love with it than ever now! The ceilings are so gorgeous, this room is one of my favorite bedrooms ever.

The kids spaces are so fun and colorful.


And who hasn't dreamed of bathing the babes in a claw foot tub like this one? I want this bathroom! I love the tile work and the colors.

Adorable bunk room.

I think it's about the cutest thing ever! One more thing on my list. :) I've seen a few like this popping up over the last year or so and I think it's brilliant. And adorable.

And as if you needed more, check out the gorgeous work spaces!
The photographer in me loves the vintage camera display, I should probably do more with mine that just let them hang out on the mantel!

I love the office, it's a little bit masculine mixed with just enough feminine.

And of course the lovely laundry room, I love the blue cabinetry!


This home won two awards, best interior design and best master suite. Very well deserved. For Utah, this home is a real departure from the heavy "mountain lodge" style that is so popular around here. I'm so happy to see something like this, and it looks like there are a lot of others out there who agree! Throw out the stucco and dark and heavy stuff and bring in a little of the coast (even if we are in a state of mountains and desert!)

The home is built by Hatfield Homes, interior design is by Lindy Allen of Four Chairs Furniture, and all of the images used are by permission and most are taken by the home owner, Cristi Bastian. It's model #14, and if you love it like I do, you should go vote for it to win the People's Choice award!

When I emailed Lindy for permission to use their photos and share this home, she sent along a coupon for our lucky readers! Most of the furniture, wall paper, rugs, etc that you see came from Four Chairs.

Yay! Thanks, Lindy!

And thank you to Hiya Papaya for use of their gorgeous images of this home. Go on over and check out them out for more photos!

See more pictures and details on Four Chairs Facebook fan page.

Also, the ever wonderful House of Turquoise is featuring this home over the course of several days, go over to see even more house perfection.

So, what's your favorite part? Anyone else out there dying to see this house as much as I am?

colorful house

I've been meaning to share this for those who may have missed it, but this great house was featured in the February Better Homes and Gardens issue. The moment I saw it I was in LOVE with the fun and colorful spaces.


This stair case is one of my all time favs! I love the built-in shelving and how that hall just looks so perfect right there leading into the family room.

Little pops of Aqua and orange all over, even on the outside of the house. I love that it's mostly white, the white makes it classic and the bright colors hint at what's inside. And how fun is that front door??




Of course I always love me a fresh white kitchen. Commercial grade gas ranges always come in handy too. :) My dream house has one of those for sure. I love the color on the island in this otherwise crisp white space. It's perfection!
I ripped this whole story out and put the whole thing in my inspiration file. There are a few more rooms featured, but these were my favorites. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!

So (in my opinion) why this works so well... the oodles of white trim tie every room together, the huge windows let in lots of natural light, the color palette repeats throughout the house, some rooms add in a few more colors, but they all have at least one or more of the colors in the main palette. It fits the family who lives there, and she created a space with meaningful things. Very well done. I'm taking mental notes. We can all do this in our own way with things and colors that inspire us!

beach cottage dreams

Last July, my hubby and I loaded up the car and drove 12 hours with our then 1 and 2 and 1/2 year old little boys. Our destination was the Oregon Coast.

We fell in love.



I loved the evenings walking the beach with my little fella's holding my hands, the sounds and smells of the ocean, the cool misty air... ahhh.




We stayed near Depoe Bay at a place called Bella Beach, in a little purple cottage. My oldest boy called it the "purple playhouse" and it really did feel like a playhouse. you can see a small sampling of our vacation pictures here.


Dare I say, I love the Oregon Coast as much as I loved Maui as a vacation destination? So much so, that we decided then and there that someday we will have our own little beach house on the Oregon Coast, or possibly another (tiny bit warmer?) coastal location. We'll rent it out when we're not using it, but pack up and go there whenever we want to just to get away.

So just for fun, let's construct my dream beach house.


It would be something fun but simple. small and cozy.

image:olivia beach house rentals "parkside cottage"


my own image- these cottages were right across from ours.







since we're dreaming it would be oceanview, of course.




It would be filled with colors of the sand and sea. Shades of blue, aqua, turquoise, green, tans, naturals, whites, and fun accents like red and yellow.


image:house beautiful







I would fill it with fun vintage finds...


image:meadowbrook farm

and treasures from the sea.


our sand and shell collection from bella beach


I'm a white kitchen fanatic, but I wouldn't mind mixing it up a little in my beach house. I would make sure to incorporate glass tiles in shades of blues,


or I would paint some or all of the cabinets blue (maybe. If I was really brave and not feeling it with the white.)




image:coastal living


image:hooked on houses

in reality, I would just be happy with a simple little cottage kitchen like this one:

image:olivia beach house rentals "parkside cottage"
or this one



I would use lots of sea grass rugs and jute like textures.





Other things on the list include: bead board and beamed ceilings, horizontal paneled walls, hardwood floors, painted wood floors in the bedrooms, and lots and lots of windows, transom windows above doors inside and out, big friendly porch... hmmm.... sounds a lot like my dream house list. :)


I think we need to go back. Right now. :)

I think the Oregon Coast is calling me...