December 29, 2010

My Idea Of A Perfect Beach House

I don't like super huge beachside houses.  I prefer the fibro shack type numbers. I am not sure why - I think they evoke memories of my childhood summers spent on the Southern Coast of WA in a very basic, but idyllic, fishing town.

I have been giving some thought to what I think makes up the perfect beach house.  I have come up with the following requirements (and our Beach House doesn't quite meet them all but that's OK, we are lucky to have a house at all....)

1.  Beach Views -  I love sitting quietly in the evening with a drink watching the sun set over the ocean.  Our house doesn't have views but I have found sitting on the front verandah and watching the birds play under the sprinkler is an adequate substitute.  I sit here.  It's enough.

Chairs For Afternoon Drinks

2.  Easily Sweepable Floors - Lots of kids in and out equals lots of sand.  Sand is one of those things that fit into my "not worth stressing over" category.  Any floor that can have a broom go over it meets this criteria

3.  No Over Styling - Beach Houses should have relaxed decor.  A daggy 70s twist is ideal.  Some furniture should have come straight from your Nanna's shed. Coastal Chic Nanna Style is perfect.  Nothing should even approach magazine perfection.  It helps if the outside appearance is enhanced by lots of beach towels thrown over the verandah rail.

4.  A Drinks Fridge, Preferably Outside - We have the perfect example.  It has even been painted blue for a relaxed coastal vibe.

Drinks And Fish Fridge


5.  An Outside Shower (With Hot and Cold Running Water) - Perfect for salty, sandy Farmchildren.

6.  Lots of Bedrooms - A dormitory style arrangement would be perfect....  I am thinking of instituting bunk beds in our house.  Living areas don't seem to be as crucial as everyone is outside most of the time.

7.  Dishwasher - I know I sound like a princess but you spend days in a house with 8 adults, 2 kids and one sink...

8.  Easy Care Garden - I have a soft spot for buffalo lawns by the beach.  Again I think it is the childhood memories evoked from that prickly feel on bare feet.

9.  A Location With A Sea Breeze - Great for cooling purposes on hot afternoons.  Farmboy calls the sea breeze "salt and pepper wind".  He says that if you stick your tongue out, it tastes just like salt and pepper.

9.  Lots of Friends and Family That Come To Stay - This is the best bit really.

Bougainvillea, Back Garden of Beach House

12 comments:

This Mid 30s Life said...

Yes!! So hearing you. Can I add one more thing to your already-perfect list? No TV, just music and a decent sized backyard for running around and BBQs.

Make Do Style said...

Can I move into your beach house now please xx

alliecat said...

You just described my perfect beach house too. Maybe if not views, then walking distance to beach and local small general store. And pub.

Reminds me of my childhood summers too.

Oooh, I wanna go now!

A Farmer's Wife said...

This Mid 30s Life - We can play backyard cricket in ours. Only issue is that half the family is English and hence we are too scared to mention cricket at the moment.

Make Do Style - Glad you like the beach house concept. No snow here either which makes it seem a tad beachier...!

Alliecat - I do love the fact that the beach is just a short walk down a little gravel track. Gorgeous.

Brasilian_Babe said...

My husband is English. I don't think I will hear the end of cricket for another couple of months now...

The shot of Bougainvillea in your beach house back garden looks fantastic. It sounds like you have the perfect beach house! :)

Sydney Shop Girl said...

Oh, my favourite selection criteria are the blue fridge and family & friends that come to stay!

SSG xxx

Sydney Shop Girl blog

A Farmer's Wife said...

Brasilian_Babe - I love the bougainvillea too.

SSG - The fridge gets a work out. That's for sure.

Penny said...

My favourite holiday house had crocheted rugs and a cork floor. Loved it. Beach Chic Nanna Style. Perfect.

Mrs Catch said...

What a gorgeous place. Love that bougainvillea

Seana Smith said...

Hello there, I am totally with you on the hot and cold outside shower... it's a fab addition to any beach house, so Aussie. Your places sounds and looks lovely, hope you gets lots of opportunities to relax there.

Life In A Pink Fibro said...

Love it. I'd definitely come to stay.

Thanks for Rewinding at the Fibro.

Not A Ballerina said...

Love this, and I'm totally with you on the dishwasher. My summer holidays as a kid were all spent in our asbestos (oops) shack down past Mandurah on the estuary (it had a kind of a beach, enough for us) and that's the right kind of place for me too. Although it didn't have a dishwasher!