You guys are always sending me photos of great houses! Today I got an email from Leslie Evans, saying, “I am a huge fan of Hooked on Houses. Saturday I went to the Coastal Living Ultimate Beach House in Rosemary Beach. My first thought was…OMG, Hooked on Houses will totally love this house!”
So she sent me the photos she took and said I was welcome to share them with you.
Here they are, along with her (highly entertaining) commentary. Take it away, Leslie!
It’s a very inconspicuous house from the outside and is only a couple of steps from the sidewalk. As you enter the door there’s an oval foyer. The ceilings are very high and the walls are Venetian Plaster.
The house is so bright and inviting, you walk in and instantly relax because of the tranquil palette. You can’t help but smile because the house feels happy.
I took a right and found Bedroom #2 with a full bath:
The room was painted with Pratt & Lambert Paints,
the walls were Moss Lake and the trim and ceiling was Seed Pearl.
While the bath was impressive, I was enamored with the mirror that had duck feet:
Photos don’t do the open kitchen/living/dining room justice.
This is a showstopping room.
Again neutral, calming palettes, wall of windows, natural fabric and 100 places to sit and relax.
The Scullery was such a great idea. All the storage and cleaning was removed from the Kitchen/Great Room (AKA the Sexy Area).
There were Thermador dishwashers flanking both sides of the sink, the room was well stocked with Le Creuset. The counters and backsplash were white marble and open shelves lined the back wall for storage of white dishes and glassware.
Yes, I opened the refrigerator and took a picture!
The beach house sleeps 18…EIGHTEEN…I know!
Here’s the master bedroom, which has a wall of windows that face the courtyard:
The Master Bath:
I loved the Bunk Bed room.
I realize plates are a huge decorating item. However I never understood why anyone would put plates in a bedroom.
Can you just imagine the Thanksgiving Dinner Conversation? “Oh Maggie such a lovely platter. Where did you get it?”
“Thank you, Aunt Mildred, I keep it over the bed in the guest room.”
The Game Room:
The decorator was Erika Powell of Urban Grace Interiors.
The Upstairs Bunk Room:
The entire house was built around the back courtyard/spa.
The pool had water spouts which that were soothing to listen to.
It was a wonderful home and was sold while being built.
While the area is referred to as the “Redneck Riviera,” I assure you Rosemary Beach is a charming upscale “planned” vacation community. None of those College Spring Break Shenanigans happening here.
Thanks to Leslie for giving us the tour! I know how hard it is to get decent photos in a show home like this, and she did a great job.
Wow! Love all the bunk rooms and the theater – perfect for a big family or lots of guests! Thanks for sharing those photos!
-Trish
So lovely!
I personally love the home theatre and bunk room,
it means this beach house is after sharing its beauty and luxury.
Thank You Leslie! Thank You Julia! This home is as beautiful inside as it is outside! I love the the wood ceilings and walls… the dining area, so cozy. And the area by the fire place…. What a great spot for reading, or conversation. I love the fridge, the open shelving and clean lines of the cabinets in that room.
Every seat in the house, is whispering, ” sit here”.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Sheila
Thanks so much for the heads up on this house. I will be in the area next month and plan to visit this house too!
The commentary made me laugh-cry!
Great pics…
Beautiful house.
They are funny comments. Great stream of consciousness observations.
Thanks to the both of you for a wonderful (and funny!) tour. I love love love the room with the wallpaper. And just go ahead and send me that movie room with all the candy and popcorn! Won’t you? You can tell that this home was made for a family, and I know that Rosemary Beach is a very family oriented community. A very good thing!
Although this one is a beautiful home, it is not my style. You could send me up the road a couple of miles from there to Watersound (not Watercolor) and I would take any of those New England style homes that look straight out of Nantucket or down the road a few miles , and I would adore any of the cottages at Seaside. Lots of choices there on 30A.
I have seen a few pictures of this floating around on pinterest, so it was great to see the rest of the house! I love the game room.
Holly
Great house. My kids would LOVE the bunk rooms. I am loving the striped ping pong table. The Hunger Games chandelier in the foyer was not lost on me either. lol 🙂
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who noticed! And I actually love it…now to only find out where I can acquire one.
I think it’s from Circa–love it!!
I have so much to say! First it is a lovely house. They have thought of everything! The decorating is beautiful except for the plates on the wall in the bedroom. (makes no sense) The pingpong paddles on the wall are kind of corny. But other than that, it’s beautiful! The commentary is so funny too. I love the name of the beach. Rosemary beach. I have not heard of it before but anything named after an herb can’t be a bad place! So is it for rent and for how much?
It sold while it was still being built. So I guess the owners will move in after the house tour ends in October. Maybe they’ll invite us over?
Great photos! How nice to see a installation shot of the new Sub-zero in a real setting. Love how the wall it totally flat other than the handles. Not a fan of the “sky is falling on you” home theater – it feels like you are stuffed off into the attic and is unsettling. Nice awning detail on the cabana. 🙂
I’ve been dying to see it – Erika has been talking about it and showing little glimpses on her Instagram feed for months. I love Erika, and her sister Darby.
Loving the pin pong table and theater room. My kids would LOVE the bunk rooms. The Hunger Games chandelier in the foyer was not lost on me either, lol. 🙂
Oops. Double posted this. Sorry.
Really love the outdoor spaces and the kids rooms – fabulous! But over all, I don’t get the sense of lazy day beach freedom with the rest of the decor. Too overly done, tight and constrained feeling? I would feel trapped in there as if in an apartment: would’ve been nicer if there was wall of window that slid open directly to the outdoors in the living room to give it a more in/out feeling – but I would NOT say no if someone offered it to me. I’d take it with a big smile on my face! 🙂
I have been waiting to see this house! Thanks Julia.
I love this home! Thanks for sharing it. I especially love the painting in the tv/study area. I looked for the credit on CL’s site but didn’t see any…. small chance, but anyone know artist? Gorgeous!!
That painting is a Tastes Orangey. She has an Etsy shop.
Allison, thank you so much!! I just bookmarked her esty site. Love it. Thx again! 🙂
Urns at the front door should be placed wider & on low plinths. It will enlarge the area plus hide the electrical outlets. Doormat should be replaced with a larger one, it’s out of scale.
Room with beds but no windows? Wouldn’t pass fire inspection here.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
You seem to know about decorating. What about the plates on the wall in the bedroom? Weird or okay? PingPong pattles on wall? Too cutsey or okay? Those are the two things I didn’t like as far as the decorating goes.
Urban Grace is hands down my favorite design firm! Erika’s blog is hysterical as is her twin sister, Darby’s blog. Love the house!
Beautiful house….smooth, sleek, comfortable.
Not my style at all! The living room looks like a hotel lobby, the fireplace, is it even functional? (Not that you probably need one in Florida). The kitchen is cold and some rooms remind me of bunkers, don’t know why. I guess I am a warm and cozy cottage style girl.
I’m with you Deborah. I read all the WOW comments and wondered if I was looking at the wrong photos. I do like the exterior and the pool area. BTW, if anyone is looking for a way to torture me, put me in a bedroom with no windows. I would die. I have to ask: how could that possibly pass building code?? Wouldn’t it be illegal, from a fire safety standard? Same with the theater.
I agree with you there! Bedrooms – well any room – with no windows are just plain claustrophobic! I wonder what the reasoning behind that was??? Why not just punch in some dormer windows – it seems no expense was spared in the rest of the house!
I agree, Deborah! Being from Florida, I thought this house looked way too stuffy. Maybe I’m more of a cozy cottage type person, also, but I’ve seen much more comfortable looking and beautiful beach houses just around my hometown. I was actually kind of disappointed after seeing these pictures. Not impressed.
I guess a lot of us missed the point when we view such opulence in a home, unless, of course, it fits our bill to a “T” and, I might add, we can afford such a showplace. Operative word here is “showplace.” These homes are like a big budget Hollywood movie meant to take us far and away from the mundane aspects of our everyday lives. Couple that idea with consumerism, a major driving force in society, and one can only come to the conclusion that we are meant to find what appeals to us, and what we can afford, from the bigger picture of such a place.
I’m not meaning to be cynical or even too realistic. Such houses are a way to expand our imaginations and remind us what is possible. And besides all of the above, what about that fabulous duck-footed mirror?!
Mimi, I don’t think it has anything to do with escapism, consumerism, or imagination, I think some of us just think it’s ugly.
Why live in the Sunshine State and have rooms with no windows? So whomever is in that room can imagine what sunshine looks like? 🙂
It’s just a matter of taste, and everyone’s is different. Simple as that!
of course you are right! Sometimes “me thinks me thinks too much”!
Incredible home!!….I just love show homes…Our last home in Florida was similar as it was U-Shaped and the house wrapped around the pool so that all the rooms had a view of the pool and patio area…Love this design…Thanks for featuring this fantastic home…thoroughly enjoyed the remarkable tour!!
I can move in tomorrow! I just need to pack up some clothes, books, framed pictures and my husband. With a vacation home like this, who would live anywhere else? Thanks so much for sharing, Leslie & Julia!
When Can I move in???
Thank you so much to Leslie for this INCREDIBLE tour! She’s my newest interior photographer!!! 😉
Have a blessed day, Julia.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I agree with Mata…, I’m missing the coastal vibe.
Thanks to Leslie for a great job taking the pictures! I was there this past winter and they were building the house. Rosemary Beach is beautiful, probably more upscale than what my family would enjoy (there’s NOTHING redneck about it). My kids like Seaside, which is about 5 minutes away. So glad I got to see this house this morning. Thanks Julia.
Did not care for this place. There were not enough windows and everything felt closed up and cramped. I’m assuming they did not have a beach view but why not include lots of windows to afford some pool views from indoors to invite the residents out for a swim? Why not put in some dormers in that bunk bed room under the eaves which has no windows to bring in some natural light and fresh air? I didn’t even see any a/c vents in that room which = VERY hot and stuffy! All those little built in beds were cute but they said kid friendly, while the fabrics used throughout the house seemed more adult. What I DID like were some of the fixtures and accessories; the duck footed mirror, the Hunger Games chandelier, the marble in the kitchen and baths, and prints and paintings.
What a great house tour! That home just epitomizes the beachy feel – very clam and soothing throughout. One thing I found perplexing was the (faux?) wood paneling in the family/TV room…. hmmmm…. some 1970’s style coming around again?
Hi Julia! What a fun post – we helped Coastal Living with a Dream House on the Oregon Coast in 2006, and it was so fun to see how everything turned out. Leslie was so lucky to be able to live close and do the tour of their latest creation.
Love the media-movie room and the kids bunk room (except for the weird green andwhite wall paper), and really like the rope mirror in the bathroom. I think they are made by artists on Bainbridge Island, WA?
Overall though, I will agree with Maya. Seems to be missing more of a “beach” vibe. I like a little more color, a little less furniture and little more relaxed feel.
Thanks Julia and Leslie for the tour!!
Caron
Beautiful home, no doubt. It doesn’t look very coastal to me. Doesn’t have that open beach house feeling. It’s light and bright though (except for the windowless rooms). Looks California to me, but not beachy. I didn’t see any post-beach planning, either. Like a clean-off station/sand room.
What’s with the scullery? Seriously? They took the dishwasher out of the kitchen and put it in a separate room? That means that these people have full time help, right? We gather in the kitchen and prepare food, but some minion scurries in and gathers up our dirty dishes and cutlery and whisks them away before they interfere with our picture perfect kitchen. That’s just unpleasant, in my opinion.
Otherwise, pleasant but unremarkable house.
Great color palette! The courtyard is wonderful. However….what’s with all the clutter? Large pieces of furniture everywhere, and stuff all over every surface, including the walls. I didn’t feel relaxed while looking at the photos, like one would expect with a ‘beach’ themed house. Instead I felt anxious, especially in the living room.
With the scullery, I wouldn’t want the extra work or expense of cleaning, heating/cooling, and stocking what is essentially two kitchens, nor the extra steps/effort to go back and forth between them to get dishes, food, etc.
How in the world did that bedroom with no window pass inspection? If there is a fire raging up the house, how would the people in that room get out?
I love it all! I want to stay there! Does anyone know if you can? I would sleep anywhere in there!!!!
I am in love with this house! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Julia,
I’m not a fan of this beach house, I would love to see it more beachy decor than it is. I do love the pool area and the outside areas. The commentary was great (Who hides their shopping bags from their husband?) cracked me up.
Thanks Julia!
Love, love, love the beach house which happens to be located in my favorite vacation area. We vacationed one summer in Rosemary Beach and Seaside and I always said if we ever buy a second home, Rosemary Beach would be the place for it.
Loved the ceiling lights in the bunk bedroom. We’re building a home on the lake and would like those lights in my home. Where can I purchase them? thanks
This was such a great tour! I have been following Erika on Instagram and seeing sneak speaks of the house, but these were some of the best photos yet! Thanks for sharing with us.
WOW! Great spread. What I love the most as a traditionalist is the scullery and the inglenook. Just as I have always believed, with careful planning and attention to detail, there can surely exist a viable marriage that works between the old and the new. Thank you for sharing!
I did not like this house at all! I agree with a previous commenter about the windowless multi-bed room upstairs – I have never heard of a windowless bedroom – there is no way I could sleep in that room.
The kitchen – I don’t understand at all – so there’s a mini kitchen for “show” in the great room/family room and a “scullery” nearby? I am not sure what a scullery is, but it looks cramped – how close is it to the “show” kitchen?
Too much furniture everywhere – has a cramped, closed in feeling to me, especially that nook area around the fireplace with the white chairs and sofas – they look absolutely stuffed in to that area with almost no way to walk (or sweep/clean – that would be hard to do in that area).
Oh and one more thing , that first bathroom, whats with the mirror hanging in front of a shaded window on a rough barn like rope all about ??? What’s with this trend to put mirrors in front of windows – what about the glare when you are trying to use the mirror to shave (for us guys) or makeup on for the ladies?
I also would like to have seen a nice outdoor kitchen – it really seems like this house was built for carry-in food only and very little actual cooking.
We did the same post! But I do not have pics from upstairs because I forgot to go upstairs…what a ding dong!!!
Hmmmm. It’s a love/hate relationship. I love the marble in the baths, the gray bunk-bed room and that other colorful bunk room, and all the outdoor spaces 😉
I hate everything else 🙁
I’m surprised because I subscribe to CL – I had such high hopes for this house.
I really love this showhouse. I love that there is an overall continuous feel… and the hardware and fixtures alone. Oh my!!! So dreamy.
I love that theatre room too…. it ACTUALLY looks comfy!
How funny! I just went back and read all of her commentary and she’s a hoot! Love the “hide the shopping bags from the hubby” storage! I thought I was the only one who did that!
I love the exterior and the pool area, but I don’t like the interior at all. There’s not enough windows on the main level to be able to look out and enjoy the sunshine and it’s too cluttered.
The best part is the commentary. That was great.
I agree on having the love/hate thing about this house. I love marble in bathrooms. I love the concept of having bunk bed rooms for kids for a vacation home. No windows? I would sleep on the couch downstairs if that was the option. It cannot be to code in Florida to have no escape from a bedroom. So maybe it was just staged that way (to be a bedroom)? The pool is nice, but for kids? No place to play at all because of the landscaping.
I did expect a more beachy feel also. I bet the people who bought it will furnish it entirely different. I would want some color in there if it were me.
I like the layout and soothing color palette. Agree that this trend geared scullery space is absurd— having an “open plan” is defined as having the kitchen visible to a main living area. If that isn’t wanted, SEPARATE the kitchen so that the mess is hidden. I recently toured two Southern Living idea homes in my state (one just opened for tours and the other for sale) and both have a pretty kitchen but with much of the “business” stored and done in the scullery. It seems an attempt to have it both ways— open plan, mo kitchen business on display except the pretty parts.
As to the issue of decorating with plates, guilty as charged…..I have my granny’s plates on the DR walls, plates in the MBR, LR, and in a wooden plate rack in the kitchen. This is definitely not a new trend… I come by it honestly, as my mother has an entire set of Limoges on one kitchen wall and it is fantastic!
As crazy as that kitchen is (open shelving blah blah blah), I love it! We are getting ready to do a kitchen remodel and I am constantly keeping any eye out for different modern designs. I like the chocolate brown cabinets and the marble counters too.
I love home tours! How fun to get to see it in person.
I don’t care for it, but it’s neat.
This house is beautiful. I really love the slipcovers on the parsons chairs in the dining area. I have looked all over for good quality slipcovers and have yet to find some a nice as these. Any ideas (that don’t involve me sewing anything) or tips regarding web based companies that produce something as nice as this?
OMG>..I was just at this beautiful home yesterday! Her pictures are great…..I only had my cell phone …….althouh her pictures are fantastic….they don’t do this home justice. It was truely beautiful.. Erika did an amazing job designing the inside……. the home did sell for 2.7….without the furnishings…..the list was 2.9 according to the volunteers there when I toured. The home was huge, but inviting….very cozy and warm even with all the linen slipcovers (which were to die for!). the one part of the home that I didn’t care for was the kitchen….it seemed awkard to me….small, but it was beautiful! I wanted to hide in a closet and stay there as long as I could!
Andrea
wondering if Leslie took a picture of the office area….I missed that and would love to get in touch with her if she did……
andrea
[email protected]
WOW…I loved the tour of this beach house, it’s very inviting cozy and stylish!
Thank you for sharing
Sonia
I toured this house a few weeks ago and loved every bit of it. Just as Leslie said, you walk into the house and feel calm. Each room makes you smile. What more do you want from a beach house!? I love that the coastal feel was subtle with the colors, watery textiles, and artwork. Rosemary is definitely not a neighborhood that calls for bright colors and a cottagey feel. The interiors were perfectly paired with the simple, paired down architecture of the entire community. The pool and outdoor space is HUGE in comparison to anything I’ve seen in the neighborhoods along 30A. I absolutely loved the concept of a Boy’s Bunk and a Girl’s Bunk. How much fun would that have been as a child? I’m not sure why everyone is up in arms about the windows. Windows line the first floor and the only two rooms without them are the media room (appropriately windowless) and the Girl’s Bunk. I promise if you experienced the space, you wouldn’t miss it. If memory serves, there is a window directly outside the bunk room, probably for egress. I do agree, the scullery is a little weird, but this house wasn’t designed for me personally so I appreciate the reasoning behind it. I too am VERY guilty of plates hanging on my walls. What can I say, I got it from my grandma!
I know pictures can never portray the feel of a house, but these were beautiful. I can’t wait to see the spread in Coastal Living. Thank you for featuring it on your blog. I love Hooked on Houses.
I think this house looks like a fun place to vacation for a big family get together. However, that kitchen and “scullery” are awful. They were clearly designed by someone who doesn’t cook and doesn’t have any interest in cooking. As someone who does all the cooking and enjoys it, that’s a big red flag for me.
Did I miss the dinning area? I saw seating for maybe 7 at a table and 2 at the bar. With a house that size holding that many people, I’m wondering where everybody else is going to eat.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like the house. It looked like there could have been an outdoor kitchen in that cabana area. You can tell I do a lot of cooking, or maybe just a lot of thinking about food :-).
The paneling in the TV/study area is nice and I do like some of the bedrooms (with windows), but I’m not so keen on the rest of the home. I dislike the kitchen and it seems rather small, but maybe that is just the pictures. I guess I tend to prefer something that feels more like a cottage.
We too visited the coastal living house this past weekend while vacationing in watercolors. Your pictures are much better than mine! Did you notice the gavanized metal gutters? When did gutters become so fabulous?! My husband had to draaaggg me out of this house! Looooved everything!
Oops… Galvanized.
I really like the feeling of the house. Calm and cool and refreshing. Love the kids’ bunk rooms and the movie room. Usually movie rooms are so ugly with leather chairs. 😉 And on a side note, I am glad that Coastal Living is letting bloggers and folks share photos of this house. A few blogs I read showed pics of the Southern Living house, then got served with notice from attorneys to take the pics down until the magazine could publish their own photos. I think it’s good advertising for the magazine! Seeing these pics makes me interested in seeing the details and sources in the print magazine.
This is a great house – Please don’t forget to mention the visionary/designer/architect of this incredible showhouse Mr. Lew Oliver of Whole Town Solutions in Atlanta, GA
I didn’t know that–thanks!
Just read this post this morning… Then this evening I was on the Kikkerland Design site and came up… a duck mirror! Don’t think it’s the same (the spacing and size of the feet seem different), but still darned cute! https://www.kikkerland.com/products/duck-mirror/
Ha! How fun. Thanks, Amy!
Just wanted to point out that the Master Bedroom bed and the other short post painted bed is by Reid Classics out of Dothan, Al. We are a family own and operated business for over 70 years specializing in four poster beds.
www. reidclassics.com
Love the pool area and landscaping! I’m not crazy about the interior tho. It just doesn’t WOW me. Too much furniture in small areas. Nothing that really stands out. I was really hoping for something great – I love Rosemary Beach! Also, I love to cook and I think that split kitchen would drive me crazy!