Beach House 4...in Color

I've been dreaming of building my own beach house for as long as I can remember that the look of my future surf shack has ranged from tropical to modern, mid-century to shabby chic, industrial to cottage style.  Duh... I know right.  I guess I'm too inspired to stay committed to any style! 


I am glad that somehow thru this blog, I am able to organize these dream homes so that I can easily sort thru them when the time is right, when it's time to build. :-)


There was a time I was into beach houses inspired a bit by the cottage / shabby chic/  rustic style, w/ jagged slabs of wood & jutting walls of stone mixed w/ refreshing shades of aqua, coral, & yellow...

the vision of pale teal with clapboard white never fail to give me a warm, snuggly beach feeling! It looks so inviting after staying out in the sun the whole day. 

This reminds me more of a surf place that can get really cold at night like Pagudpud...looks like Ivatan homes in Batanes...I like that the windows are left opened and unscreened & the natural stone walls must probably keep the place cool too. 

I love that the bathroom is door-less & open! I don't like cramped T&B's and if could just shower outdoors everyday, that would be absolutely heavenly...(plus you could shower/ brush your teeth/ do whatever without missing out on what your friends are talking about in the bedroom! hehe) 

plus some lovely accessories from Mother Nature...made of driftwood, twigs, shells, & other scraps you would otherwise throw away.

Til the next Beach House!

"One Dreamy Weekend" in the eyes of Coast Thru Life

Made with love by my friends at Coast Thru Life..., come take a peek at our happy, dreamy escapade up at Kapuluan Vista Resort. during the long 4-day weekend.  Click on the link below to see the video: 

One Dreamy Weekend

photo from Coast Thru Life

Good job, Buji & Nikki! Can't wait for Part Deux...

Twin-Lamps Kitchen

When I see an unconventional but charming idea, I try to fantasize how I could use it for myself...and the longer I get used to the image, the more I wonder why it wasn't conventional in the first place.


Like this kitchen from William B. Litchfield showing 2 rustic lamps flanking an old-fashioned kitchen sink.  Table lamps aren't usually used in the kitchen much more placed beside the sink, maybe because of fear of electrocution? (haha) But really, it's not THAT dangerous...as long as it's put at a safe distance from the water supply, and it doesn't get "elbowed" during the busiest of chores.  

I love the clean white cabinets,  the cast-iron sink, the graceful Victorian-looking faucet, the stainless steel of the oven breaking all that white.  And since I LOVE marble in all forms & sizes, the star of the kitchen, for me, is the countertop & the splashboard.  Hands down! 

Ocean Blues

An artist looking for inspiration will never run out of it, if he'd just look to the ocean: 

                                 La Union beachbreak 2011. photo by Charlie S. Gomez

the shores of Samar, high noon, low tide. taken April 2011

storm brewing in La Union, June 2011. Photo by Charlie S. Gomez

Maine surfers, painting by Paul Rafferty

"Sans Titre Fond Bleu" 81 x 100 cm, in oil, by my current artist-obsession...the late, great, immortal Nena Saguil (and when i say obsession I mean it! I can't stop researching & reading about her). Her works just mesmerize me & pull me in.  I dream to own 1 of her paintings one day.  

and this one is by my good friend Karina Baluyut, whose love for her craft is always inspiring & infectious for me...

"Water Bearer", Karina Baluyut. For more of her works check out Galerie Francesca (SM Megamall), Galerie Joaquin in (P.Guevara, San Juan) & Galerie Raphael in Serendra.

Laura Trevey painting

1 of my favorite Pagudpud photos, eyeing out waves w/ CTL's Nikki dela Paz. 

Siargao 2007 or 08....i'm not sure anymore when I took this...but it was my desktop wallpaper for weeks providing cool eye candy on stressful office days. Oh, all those coooool hues of blues! 

Even 2 out of my 3 boards are white & blue...

early Zambales days

with cousin Isabel, December 2007 (?)

How I would like to spend my honeymoon 1 day (hahaha!)...no, really....

enough blues to inspire an art collection, a fashion collection, 

or the color scheme of an entire house. 

Nature is just so rich & God is just so genius. 

just because of this color palette, you already know there's an ocean outside this room. 

I'm very sure. 

(all 3 photos above are from Slim Paley)

perfect twin little guest beds! i am currently coveting that blue retro lamp 

ocean blue swirl even on a salad plate...

Alice in Wonderland in ocean-blue Versace couture

even Chanel can't help it.  Fall 2011 nail polish colors. 

....and that would be enough blue for the week. So I'll end this post w/ 1 of my fave "eye-coolers'...a serene image of aqua, dove, & cerulean blues, broken by a surfer's board 

cutting through the frothy white mush.  

taken at Ilocos Norte by my cousin Charlie S. Gomez

Have an inspired week everyone! :-)

Spotted Color Trend: Bordeaux

Otherwise known as "wine" or "maroon", I noticed this color popping up lately in fashion & interior design details.   Maybe because it's considered a popular FALL color (w/c we don't have in this country) or maybe because it's not as bold or intimidating as the Asian RED or BLACk as we know it but still serves the function of being an alternative neutral color to grey, black, brown, or white.  


Either way, it's not always easy to use & it has its ups & downs, but NOW is the time to have fun with it while it's still perfect for the time-of-year. 

Coach Hamptons Vintage Carryall

Jefferey Campbell suede ankle-strap

From Coco Kelley

Time to get out those wine-red square pants I got from Mango way back in 2006! yey! 

Bed Jacket

According to Wikipedia, the bed jacket is "a woman's garment, is a waist-length robe worn to cover the chest, shoulders and arms while sitting up in bed. Its short length and cape-like cut...often made of sheer or lacy fabrics and displaying very feminine trimmings and details...was often used more for seduction, rather than warmth or modesty. It was popularized in 1930s Hollywood films featuring glamorous settings and glamorous stars lounging languorously in their silken bedrooms. Ostrich feather tips, swan’s down, pleated tulle and shirred lace were just a few examples of the extravagant materials that could be used in creating these confections." 


Well, whatever it is, in short: it's PERFECT as a very chic & unique (truly 1-of-a-kind designs) beach cover-up! Egged on by my friend Nikki who totally rocked her BrownBelly bed jacket during 1 of our dinner dates, I was so excited to finally get my own one last week! I love the lacy "Caravan" and am wearing it to my Mom's birthday dinner tonight. (yes, its wearability extends to Italian restaurants too, you know) *wink*. 

the Seaside

the Skyler

the Caravan

All jackets shown by Brown Belly Get your own & wear it a dozen ways...belted, tied, knotted, or just plain loose & breezy :-)

Beach House 3

This is 1 of my favorites from my Beach House dream list...called the Slaughterhouse Beach House located in Maui. Designed by Olson Kundig Architects, entire walls swing out like wings to open the living, dining, and kitchen spaces to the outdoors. Its low-maintenance surfaces (concrete kitchen counters, stone, metal, etc) is perfect for surfers & just about any beach-lover coming in dripping wet from the ocean...

the EXTERIOR doesn't look too bad either...

see the house perched on the cliff? views upon waking up must be awesome, yeah? 

the simple, no-frills bedroom...just how it should really be for everyone :-)

beautiful sun & shadows everywhere!

brilliant idea alert: walls swing out (but is custom-shaped to fit over counter when closed)

...to reveal & welcome the great outdoors. For me, this house is truly a classic masterpiece.