A Tour of The 30A Beach House We Stayed At Last Week
Good morning, and happy Monday!
I thought it would be fun to start the week off with a little tour of the beach house we stayed at last week on our last vacation of the summer. Our favorite beach in the world is on a stretch of highway on the gulf coast of Florida called 30A (it’s directly between Panama City and Destin). The waters are crystal clear, the sand looks like sugar, and the beaches are absolutely stunning.
We stayed in this super fun mid-century modern home that had been updated a few years earlier, but still had its original charm (thankfully!). It was so different from the typical style we prefer in a house, but I think that’s why we loved it so much: it truly felt like a vacation home.
I sent photos to my older sister who said she loves “the brick floors and the modern vibe” and I couldn’t agree more. The brick floors are striking and one of the first things you notice when you walk in the door. The cool thing is, they’re actually throughout the entire home! Every room has them and they look to be original to the house, which was probably built in the late 50’s, early 60’s, if I had to guess.
It wasn’t an extremely kid-friendly house, but when you’re at the beach, little else matters than how close in proximity you are to be able to walk to the beach. So we made it work!
The other thing that immediately grabs your attention is all the art in the home! There were so many beautiful paintings and sketches and drawings all displayed throughout every room, giving the house a sense of sophistication and a “collected over time” vibe.
There is a long hallway off the living room that leads to the bedrooms and bathrooms, and the way the art was displayed against the bright white walls made it feel like a museum or art gallery. It was stunning to look at and fun to walk through. Of course, the kids had fun, too, bolting down it as fast as they could.
Though the bathrooms were small in size (which made them hard to photograph), they were big on charm. I didn’t get a photo of the Jack and Jill bathroom that Nick and Beau & Matt shared, but it was all white with subway tile along the shower and walls. Ours was a bit more dramatic with dark grey walls and brass accents. And of course, those brick floors!!
The kids had fun every morning in the sunroom seeing how many lizards they could find and catch. They were everywhere; climbing on the screens, hiding in the plants, and as the days went on, the kids got better and better at finding them. It was so cute.
The backyard was sort of this secret garden courtyard, with lush greenery and drooping trees that provided a lot of privacy. There was also this gorgeous stucco fireplace that was fun to pose and take pictures around, but I can’t imagine EVER using it in Florida. It was in the 90’s the entire time we were there, and there was so much humidity that you immediately felt wet when you stepped outside. But, that just made the ocean feel all the more enjoyable!
Personally, we’re not big on open concepts in a house, but in this beach house, it totally worked. Beau & Matt would be in the kitchen cooking up something amazingly delicious while we and the kids would be in the living room watching TV and Nick in the dining room, and we could all still hangout since all three were technically one big room. It felt easy and fun and the perfect way to relax on vacation.
We used Airbnb to book it and, as always, it was an extremely easy and smooth process. We miss this house already!! It was the perfect getaway with friends and family to end the summer with.
