Holiday inspiration for your next interior design project.

This blog is how you could use your holiday as a way of inspiring your next interior design project & on our SM pages recently we had a focus on the Great British Holiday, go take a look at Country Interior Design by MJ Facebook & Instagram accounts to learn more.

Each Seaside area of the UK, gives a different feel, be it Blackpool, whereby the bright lights and the Pleasure Beach dominates or right down to the most Southernly tip of Cornwall, whereby a more subtle, relaxed vibe is encapsulated? 

I've been working on an interior design project for my portfolio and I read a great book: The English Seaside by Peter Williams. It's a great source of inspiration for a Seaside Interior design style. Whether your looking for a Retro Seaside makeover from yesteryear or you want to recreate your wonderful holiday memories in your home, in a more subtle way?

The landscape of a typical resort has changed immensely over the years, however some things remain and can help you with various ideas for your ID project. 

Fishing Industry 

Fishing Villages are filled with a tremendous amount of ID inspiration from the Harbours filled with lobster pots, boyes, sea gulls and fishing vessels. Textures of chunky knitted Navy and White fisherman's jumpers, could easily be recreated as a cosy lounge or bed throw.

Barometers make for a great piece of wall art.  There is a Brilliant Facebook group for collectors called: Barometer-Collector if you're looking for a particular item and need advice. 

Lighthouses 

They are like having a candle in your home. They where built out at Sea, to help navigate boats coming into harbour by seeing the light.  The paintwork was often red & white stripes although no two are the same.  

Piers

The Bimbeck old pier at Weston Super Mare is a short walk or cycle from the Grand pier on the seafront and it's a grade two listed structure. It's a great example of retro structures. 

Piers often where used for promenarding with amusement arcades, kiosks, theatres, Càfe's, seating and even lifeboat launching stations.  Plenty of design inspiration could be found there. 

Natural Coastlines 

Rocky Cliffs, to miles of Sandy or Pebble beaches, to the wild nature of the Sea.The coast line is a great location to help you with your colour palette ideas. If you're looking design a room that offers a sense of remoteness and tranquility this is certainly where you'll feel inspired. 

War and Peace 

The shoreline is a where invaders and land were protected. Structures like the Palmerston Fort in Brean Downs is another fantastic place to offer interior design inspiration.  In fact you can find different structures all around the coast. 

Concrete, as a material has become more in Vogue in recent years & we are embracing it, in our homes and businesses. 

Lido's

Towards the end of the 18th Century, medicinal sea bathing was hugely popular with the gentry and as a result the era of swimming and erection of Lido's were becoming increasingly popular.  The design of this type of building is a great source of inspiration.  The two Lido's I'm  aware of is the one in Penzance and of course Droitwich Spa. Within the County of Worcestershire where I grew up.

Beach Huts 

If like me you have been a keen watcher of Design Masters TV Show (the 8th season is coming up this year),talented interior designers have been given Beach Huts to redesign. The popularity of these small but beautifully formed Seaside structures has seen a resurgence in recent years and space saving solutions are a fun challenge to over come while making them aesthetically pleasing and vibrancy goes hand in hand with the look. 

St Ives bay has some excellent examples and on a recent Cycle around the Kent coastline, Whitstable has a number of beach Huts/chalets just waiting for a makeover, providing you can get your hands on one. 

Holiday BnBs

Holiday Accommodation is an interesting one, in terms of interior design styles, predominantly because the owners have styled their business based on an extension of their homes. It's definitely worth visiting a few to get a feel for there interpretation of a Seaside interior feel. 

Caravans and chalets 

If you have been following my Socials, you will be aware of my Caravan makeover project. It's going to be my mobile ID Showroom, once completed.  Which I have styled in an Art Deco style, using Black, Parchment and Gold as the colour palette.   

These are a terrific structure to use as a way of demonstrating your interior design skills. They can look as homely as the house that you live in. 

When we think of Chalets, we often associate it with holidays at Butlins or Pontins or the days of HiDeHi TV show, however since the 80s, the amount of upgrades to their accommodation has been gigantic. They really have transformed their offerings and that can be evidenced in their guest numbers. They are definitely worth a visit for design inspiration too.

Architecture 

The external Architectural design of numerous Seaside properties, can be replicated internally. Often properties are a mirror of their environment. 

When I cycled through Portishead outside Bristol, the mariner had an apartment block shaped as a huge cruise liner. I'd be interested to see if the communal interiors carried on along that theme.  It certainly sells you a lifestyle choice.  Clever design!!

Shelters and benches 

My favourite shelter/seating is on the coastal path leading to St Ives from Hayle. It was look out shelters for Fishermen to spot trawlers returning with their catch.  The design creates an atmosphere and let's face it Seating design is one aspect of interior design that is a focal piece of furniture in any home.  Everyone, recognise a Deckchair and nothing says Holidays than a stripy Deckchair.  There are plenty of different bench designs to inspire your next room design. 

Amusements and Funfairs 

Bright, Bold and an explosion of colour and design can be found here.  

I've wrote about this on my Socials post: History in Interior Design #SignWriting take a read. 

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I hope you have enjoyed this trip down memory lane and this blog gives you plenty of interior design inspiration?

I work all around the UK, hey I've a mobile showroom to visit you in, so if you have a holiday let or 2nd home Property that needs the skills of an interior designer then I'd be delighted to hear from you. 

#Countrylife #Interiordesign #interiordesigner