Coastal Chic

Coastal Chic
Every year, we head down to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for our annual summer vacation ( you can read about last year’s visit here).  Our friends and family think we’re completely nuts because we practically have the Atlantic Ocean at our back door plus it takes about sixteen hours by car to make the trek from New York.  Even my husband was dubious the first time I suggested we make the journey.  He pointed out that we have some of the most beautiful beaches here on Long Island.  While I cannot argue with that, there’s something to be said about truly getting away.  I want to experience something entirely different from the food to the people to the landscape.  I want to feel transplanted  and know that New York and all of it’s hustle and bustle is as far away as possible!  The moment we cross the bridge onto the island, I immediately feel myself relax.  All I can think about is whether I’m going to hit the beach or the pool first.  Oh, and did I mention that the water is calm (perfect for little ones) and it’s warm?  Even in August, the water here in New York is quite chilly but down in Hilton Head, it feels like a bath tub.  There are bike trails everywhere (you can even ride your bike on the beach because the sand by the water is really flat), kayaking in the lagoons and of course, there are golf courses everywhere you turn.  It really is a magical place that we look forward to returning to year after year.  So, naturally, my dream is to eventually buy a beach house down there so we can visit several times a year and hopefully, when we’re old and gray, we will retire there (because frankly, after this past winter, I don’t care if I ever see snow again).  We try to rent a different place every summer to mix things up and I always love to see how the various owners decorate their beach homes.  Last summer, we stayed in an ideal location and a beautifully decorated home just a short bike ride from the ocean.  There were lots of natural tones, light textures, and bold pops of color here and there so, feeling inspired,  I’ve compiled a list of my favorite items that will hopefully make their way into my very own coastal home one day!