If you were to ask a friend or family member to describe my design style, chances are they would respond with, “She likes anchors and nautical things.”

And they would be right.  I am very passionate about all things preppy, coastal, and nautical.  My years spent studying fashion and public relations in Savannah and New York fueled a passion for all things East Coast and preppy.  Because of this, I now obsess over details like monograms, stripes, chevron, gingham, bows, pineapples, anchors, sailboats, and anything blue and white.

When decorating our home I tend to lean towards a preppy coastal vibe.  Our house definitely has a strong blue and gray presence (not surprising) with pops of bright colors (pink, turquoise, gold, etc.).  Every room has at least one piece of nautical themed accessories (how many anchors are acceptable to have in one room?!). [Sometimes I feel like I live at a shipyard]

Although my eye is drawn to the coastal look, I’m really into some rustic features (channeling my inner Jo) such as old clocks, farmhouse sinks, and exposed beams.  I also like traditional elements that provide symmetry, organization, and calming influences.

That being said, it’s not all about me (as much as I would like it to be) and I have to find ways to incorporate what hubby likes into the decorating. [That’s news to me!] Rob tends to lean towards more masculine elements – natural woods, rustic details, and traditional pieces. [Think a bourbon barrel during football season]  Seeing as I also like rustic details and traditional elements, it hasn’t been too challenging decorating rooms that suite both our tastes.  The biggest obstacle we ever have when combining our styles is me wanting to paint every bookshelf and end table white.

When finding décor details that really make our house our home, we like to use pieces that have meaning to us.  The majority of our décor details are gifts from family or items we’ve picked up while traveling.  That being said, I still love to shop for extra decor pieces at Pottery Barn, Home Goods, Target, Serena and Lilly, Lilly Pulitzer, Wayfair, Pier 1, Draper James, Mud Pie, and Lulu & Georgia.

As always thanks for following along as we make our house a home!  The next couple of posts will share our family room décor and how I upholstered our dining room chairs!

Slàinte,

Shannon {and Rob}