Oh, the romance of a beach house! The glimmering sunrise rushing across the ocean as it winks through the gauzy, white curtains that drape the wooden louvres and arouse you with the pledge of another fabulous day.

Looking pretty can be quite simple and effortless for a beach house. And the tried and true all-white everything, everywhere, is just that: tried and done.

Bedroom walls can be instead washed in soft shades of blues, greens or yellows, accented with quiet artwork framed in black, white, silver or tarnished gold. Spawning the perfect enclave for beds dressed in fluffy, luxurious white, goose down duvets and crisp linen or cotton sheets that warm bare bottoms.

Beach houses can be as shabby-chic or as luxurious as you choose; never be kitschy. Quash with all your might the urge to do the model sailboats everywhere, even if you are a sailor, or the models of fish, stuffed or unstuffed, unless of course they are Hugh Findletar (@MrFlowerheadz) hand-blown glass done in Venice!

Wicker pieces can be elegant, airy and exquisite, but not in every room, and it does not have to be white, baby blue or wood finish. Browse your colour charts and try some bold colours, like orange, dark blue, and even shades of red.

The beach is outside; it’s your backdrop. Your interior can be glossed and refined with beautiful fine furniture. Bring in your antique pieces, invest in quality sofas, use beautiful fabric chairs as dining chairs, and don’t be cautious; mix and match fabrics and prints. Look to glass, ceramics, wood, resin or paper for additional accessory ideas. Be bold with your art choices; create gallery walls using oversized pieces; use them to tell stories. Flirt with wallpapers, try them in bedrooms, powder rooms; make your closets pretty.

Bring in elements of nature in statement pieces: Use driftwood pieces as tables, lamps, mirrors, sideboards, wall hangings or headboards.

Use metals sparingly or make sure they are coated in polyurethane or made from aluminum or rust-proof material; they don’t fare well against the sea salt.

To match metal or to complement or contrast your décor use spray paints available in multitudes of colours, and so easy to apply.

Let your environment inform your vignettes. Create spaces for reading, writing, morning coffee, meals, board games, movie watching, conversation nooks and sunset wine time or cocktail hour.

Be emboldened by the sun-kissed awakening; make it vacation-worthy, make it sensual, make it romantic, leave the utilitarian look for the tool shed!

Interior designer Cecile Levee

E-mail: cecilelevee@gmail.com

IG: @cecilelevee