Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back

After a long respite from blogging, I am happy to report that I am back, and there have been a number of positive changes at the Blue Gull Beach House. Currently, a number of different projects are underway to give this little beach cottage a new look for 2012. I am excited to share them with you, and I am looking forward to another fabulous summer in Montauk! This picture taken at sunset last summer remains one of my favorites-- and the colors were the inspiration for some color changes throughout the house-- stay tuned!

Beach House Architecture

One of the things that I really enjoy about Montauk are the multitude of different styles of beach homes. From large to small, traditional to modern, bohemian to conservative, the beach shacks that dot the expansive shores of Montauk have something to offer everyone. To the left is a quick snapshot of a house that really caught my eye-- an Asian-inspired beach home with a gorgeous view from Culloden Point, not far from the Blue Gull Beach House. I think one of the things that is so wonderful about it is that it is so unexpected. When you drive down this particular street, even though the homes have a variety of looks from Hampton's "shingle style" to more Dutch-inspired architecture, this one, right on the bluff, causes your eye to gravitate right towards it. I love it!

A Beach House for Your Fish!

I saw this post on Live Modern and I had to share! This little beach condo was created by Teddy Luong, a student at Carleton University's School of Industrial Design. I believe Unica Home is taking advanced orders, so have Mr. Bubbles' real estate agent call his people to get things ready for this season! I love it, totally a fun twist on that plain fishbowl I had growing up! Check out the original article on PrarieMod.

Calling All Beach Bunnies!

Are you ready for Easter?? If you are in the New York Area please join us for the First Annual Blue Gull Beach House Easter Egg Hunt! To celebrate spring, we will toast to beach bunnies everywhere with a backyard brunch and an old-fashioned egg hunt on the beach. We know many of you can't join us in person, so please join us in spirit by sending us your spring pics! We'll post ours as well. Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

The Original Beach House Bedroom

I wanted to share a peek of the original master bedroom. The previous owners were a really lovely couple, and took great care of this little beach house. They had some amazing times at the house with friends and family, and we look forward to continuing where they have left off.

This is what the bedroom used to look like. They left behind some awesome vintage furniture from the 1960's that I am working with. The only thing that will probably look the same once I am done is the paint on the walls-- the cool green color is really relaxing! The one change that I will not likely get to finish is switching out the ceiling fan. I found one online that has a more modern feel to it, so I am going to eventually replace this one. The goal this weekend is to balance work on the house with some play in my new area. I am going to do my best to remember to bring my camera everywhere with me, and hopefully the ducks will be out again on Montauk Highway- Main Street! They are too cute! The picture below is the fan that will likely serve as the replacement once I get down to it on my to do list.

Win a Rug for Your Beach House!

Completely Coastal, one of the latest beach blogs "Making Waves" has a free giveaway from Outer Banks Trading Group. Outer Banks Trading Group has a ton of cool beach-inspired home furnishings, and you could win one of their "jelly bean indoor/outdoor rugs." To enter, go to the Completely Coastal website and follow the instructions-- entries are accepted up until midnight on Thursday March 25. My favorite is the one to the left, called "Little Fleet." Check out their other styles and sign up to win!

Outdoor Space: The Best Room in the House

One of the most important features of any beach house is its outdoor space. In the same way that you want to create a vibe inside a house that invites people in, you also want an outdoor space that "calls people out." Maximizing your outdoor space is key, and the great thing about the Blue Gull Beach House is that it has plenty of space, from backyard to side patio, to back patio, to front yard. This shot was taken of the back yard, and as you can see there's great space with a little natural shade. There are a number of catering companies in and around Montauk that set up fabulous clambakes, and will even set them up in your backyard-- I can just picture the tables and tents set up here for an event like that (possibly for the opening party of the season). To the right is the patio, simple concrete pavers where the main table will be stationed.

In terms of outdoor furniture, I am leaning towards teak. There was a great article in Outdoor Ideas & Solutions that reviews all the usual suspects: plastic, iron, aluminum and wood. All have their pros and cons, but it looks like teak will last a while, and still look great over time. The one area I plan on giving some attention is the front yard-- front yards are often under utilized, and can be a great spot to meet and greet visitors or just chill. More to come.

Beach Couch?

My search for the perfect couch has ended! Picking a couch for the beach house has been difficult, as my appreciation for modern style has not meshed completely well with my desire for a comfy seat. I was able to find something of a compromise-- a navy blue couch, keeping with my blue theme (a bit more traditional) from IKEA has taken the lead. It has a great pull out bed for extra guests (there are always extra guests!) and can likely hold up to the wear and tear of beach traffic. Plus, the covers are all machine washable! With some white tables to match and...maybe a bit of paint in the future? What do you think?

BGBH

One of the first things I thought about in selecting the Blue Gull Beach House was the overall feel-- When you go on a beach vacation, you want to open the door to wherever you are staying and feel calm, relaxed and away from it all. So of course, I had to make sure the master suite had it's own bathroom and private deck, on the side of the house opposite the main patio. This way guests can rise and enjoy those rare moments of peace and quiet. I also wanted there to be ample space for parties, and those moments when you just want to be loud! For this purpose, the yard is surrounded with privacy hedges, and the house itself has an open kitchen and expansive livingroom.

In fulfilling this overall theme, I've enjoyed shopping for stuff-- beachy stuff. Stuff that when I look around reminds me that, yes, I am at the beach (and Montauk has many beaches including my private beach one block from the house). The above picture shows one of the shelves in the hallway, to give you a sneak peak at my style direction. I know you're wondering-- what's with the name Blue Gull Beach House? Well, I decided the main color scheme (gotta have a good palette) would play off of touches of blue. Is it summer yet? More pictures to come...

The Leisurama...A Beach House for Me

One of the unexpected yet cool by-products of my house hunt was the unusual information that I uncovered regarding the different types and styles of vacation homes in Montauk. After viewing different styles of homes, from tudors designed by Carl Fisher to saltboxes in Ditch Plains, I fell in love with Raymond Loewy's concept and Andrew Geller's design in the "Leisurama."

This little house was once marketed in Macy's department store in NYC for $12, 990 (unbelievable!). The leisurama represented the post-WWII version of the American dream: easy living, a modern design, and as Nixon explained during the great kitchen debates with Nikita Krushchev, to "make easier the living of our housewives." No comment.

The Montauk Pioneer published a great article on the history of these little beach homes, and if you are really interested in how these homes have evolved over time, check out Paul Sahre's recent book, Leisurama Now: The Beach House for Everyone, 1964-. The book includes information on what originally came with these homes, and how some of them have been updated by new owners. I do still have some of the original furniture, and hope to give some pieces a facelift in the next few months. The above picture of the kitchen table is the original piece that was included when the house when it made it's debut back in the 1960's.

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog for The Blue Gull Beach House, located in Montauk, NY! I've created this blog to provide information to those who wish to rent my home, to share my adventures in the Hamptons (and out of the Hamptons), and to showcase my photography. Thanks for stopping by!