Feature Friday: Crashing a Beach Cottage in Port St. Joe

by Rhoda on April 15, 2011

in Decorating Details,Feature Fri.,Out'n'About

Sometimes it pays to have a friend who doesn’t meet a stranger.  I’m not particularly shy myself, but don’t usually invite myself in someone’s home right off the bat. :)

Vicki and I were out one afternoon riding bikes on a nice paved bike/walking path near their house in Port St. Joe and passed a cute girl jogging with a Weimaraner dog, which so happens to be the breed of dog that Vicki owns.  They struck up a conversation about their beloved pets.

All because I wanted to photograph a  pretty white church that I had spotted, we stopped by there the next day.  Right across the street outside in the yard was the cute girl with said dog and hubby, so of course Vicki talked to them again, especially since she had her dog in the car too.  We were headed to the beach.  Vicki talked the cute young couple, Wes and Lindsay, into showing us around and told them all about my blog, telling them that I would love to show their house off on my blog.Of course, I told them I would love to photograph their cute beachy cottage and feature it on my blog and they seemed excited about the prospect.  When we went inside, I went ahhhhhhh.  My fave paint color of the moment happens to be Sea Salt and their entire cottage is painted with Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.

They have been working hard on their little cottage since last December when they moved from Georgia to be full-time residents of Port St. Joe.  They are young and cute urban professionals and didn’t want to wait until they retired to move to the beach.  So, they came early.

Wait til you see this one!  You’ll love it too.  This is a spur of the moment, photo-taking opportunity with a real-life DIY couple.  Those are the best kinds of ops! Right now, it’s a pink cottage, soon to be painted a beautiful shade of olive-y green, which they tried out in paint swatches on the side.See how adorable it is? This is the side entrance and we were invited in here.When we stepped inside, this is the first thing we saw.  Talk about beautiful! Love the Sea Salt color and how beachy coastal it all feels.  They have fantastic taste and are making it all their own.Check out the staircase.To the left is the living room coming in the front door.  So pretty! Inside the front door, sits this pretty chest. How perfect is this stained glass front door?   Love, love it!A pretty framed grouper in luscious shades of blue.This is a great idea for an old mirror that might have lost its glass. Home is Where your Story Begins, beautiful on a piece of driftwood.

Looking into the kitchen. They showed us the before pics on the kitchen and it was very dark and dated when they bought the place.  You can see it has changed drastically now.

Swoon, check out those ceilings with the painted white boards.  So pretty!

Peeking into the kitchen.New granite countertops and painted white cabinets, a winning combo. I love Lindsay’s seashell display on the island.  A girl after my own heart. This is one beautiful kitchen now. Looking back towards the living room. Pretty blue canisters. And the oven and fridge wall. Just past the kitchen is their little eating area.  Love these table and chairs. With a cute painted sideboard. Down the hall is the guest bath, which is been completely renovated.  So pretty, fresh and clean. Here’s the master bedroom. Pretty coverlet. The large master bath is one area that they are still working on.   A true work in progress.  Did you notice the arrow pointing to the toilet.  Uh, yeah…apparently the former owners thought that was a good idea.  :)    This tile will all be going and I’m sure this space will soon be drool-worthy too.  It’s a nice large bath area. The guest room is very soothing and pretty too. Lovely bed. Charming built-ins. Birdhouse on top of an armoire.And a sweet little vintage chair propped in the corner.

They then took us out back, where there is a small one bedroom apartment and wait til you see how cute it is! Beadboard which will be kept natural and check out the ceiling, done in vintage and rusty tin.  I just love that!  It has a great feel to it.  They are renting this space out. The bedroom has a sliding barn door to close it off from the living room area. A totally cool space, the bedroom is tucked away in an alcove and how dreamy is that bed? Vintage tin ceiling and such pretty simple bedding make this one gorgeous space. The kitchen area is simple, but practical. As is the bathroom.

Thanks Wes and Lindsay, for letting me crash your house and showing it off on the internet.  I know everyone will love your home as much as I did! At the end of their street is a beautiful view of the bay.

Life in a small beach town.  Heavenly!

Thrifty Treasures is back!  I asked and you answered, so we’ll start the party again this weekend.  The post will be up Sunday night at 6 pm EST, so get ready to share your treasures.  I’ll be highlighting some of my faves in the upcoming parties!

{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Angela (Cottage Magpie) April 15, 2011 at 5:15 am

What a funny story, Rhoda, and such a cute house! I love all the beachy touches and texture. They have great style! And I am seriously infatuated with the everything on the Sea Salt paint chip right now. Oyster Bay, Comfort Gray… sign me up!

You have such a great eye for finding new things, I love seeing what you come up with every Friday!

Best,
~Angela

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2 Christine Aldinger April 15, 2011 at 5:39 am

i’m in love and the apartment is well i’m in love………

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3 Jenny @ Kerrfect April 15, 2011 at 5:52 am

Does it smell any better than it used to there in St. Joe? Last time I was there, even though the papermill was gone you could still smell it in the air.

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4 Tamara Styles April 15, 2011 at 6:05 am

i love that church…i am on the hunt for one locally…love these images. great post.

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5 Lauren@SimplyLKJ April 15, 2011 at 6:30 am

Beautiful cottage with so much charm. The wall color is perfect. So soothing.

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6 Deb McKathan April 15, 2011 at 7:03 am

How gracious of the couple and what lovely style they have. Thanks to them and your friend and great photos of all too!

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7 Cindy April 15, 2011 at 7:09 am

What a sweet couple and such a charming home :)

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8 La April 15, 2011 at 7:38 am

Happy Friday, Rhoda!

Thank you for sharing such a sweet beach cottage. The painted window pane on the sideboard really caught my eye. Love it!

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9 Becky K. April 15, 2011 at 7:40 am

What a fun spontaneous tour. I love that wall color too. So fresh and airy. A very nice couple, indeed, to share this much with you…and us.

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10 Sherri S April 15, 2011 at 8:17 am

Oh my gosh it is ADORABLE! Love the colors, style, decor …ALL.of.it. What a dreamy beach spot. And heck yeah to them for living their ‘dream’ NOW. We get to call you the house crasher now. ;-)

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11 Nicolle April 15, 2011 at 8:25 am

Rhoda! I met Lauren yesterday! I bought a rug & a cute little strawberry bowl from her. She’s just as sweet & adorable as you described her!

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12 Carolyn@SweetChaos April 15, 2011 at 8:27 am

So glad they let you inside! It’s adorable! Makes me want to move to the beach…

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13 Barb Boyack April 15, 2011 at 8:38 am

Hi Rhoda, thanks for sharing their lovely cottage..I have the exact same comforter set in my master bedroom that they do..love the color on the walls, too…

Have a great weekend!

Barb

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14 Kathy April 15, 2011 at 8:40 am

I loved this! What a lovely home and what an adventure this couple is on! How fun!

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15 Joyce Ackley April 15, 2011 at 8:44 am

What a charming cottage! It’s so serene and cozy. The Sea Salt color is perfect for it. I loved the white church, too. You always find neat things to photograph on your travels.

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16 Fairfield House April 15, 2011 at 9:02 am

Rhoda,

Isn’t it funny how HE opens doors for us? I adore what Wes and Lindsey have done to their arts and crafts style beach bungalow. The ice chest cabinet, the stained glass in the front door, the kitchen renovation — all of it is beautiful. The added bonus of the apartment with tin ceiling and sliding barn door is icing on the cake!

Your Friend,
Deborah

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17 Ricki Jill Treleaven April 15, 2011 at 9:11 am

What a *fun* post, Rhoda! The beach cottage is so cute, and so is the guest apartment! I think the sea salt paint color is lovely, too. There is a lot to see inside the cottage. I need to scroll back up and look some more! I love the painted wood ceilings and the kitchen. :D Are they definitely painting the exterior olive green?

Thanks, Rhoda!
~Ricki Jill

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18 Kristin April 15, 2011 at 9:18 am

I absolutely adore this cottage! Thank you so much for posting this! I have recently been transplanted from Georgia to the ‘Great White North’ (a.k.a. Canada!), and this beachy southern home is just the inspiration I needed for our work-in-progress (hopefully soon-to-be blissful) master bedroom. Thanks again!

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19 Vici Tobias April 15, 2011 at 9:25 am

What a smart move on their part – to have their retirement home earloy, so they can enjoy NOW. I lived in Jacksonville, FL for 10 year ansd couldn’t stay away from the beach! They are doing a great job in making this house a wonderful home! So cute!

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20 refresh restyle April 15, 2011 at 9:37 am

Their cottage is beautiful! SW Sea Salt is a great color, thanks for making me fall in love with it!
Debbie

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21 Sandy April 15, 2011 at 9:47 am

Lovely home! Love their colors and I wish I had their kitchen! So appreciated the tour of their beautiful beach home.

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22 Layla April 15, 2011 at 9:51 am

Oh my gosh this was such a fun post!
I am in love with ALL OF IT!
Those little black tiles on the bathroom floor are ADORABLE and that apartment is TO DIE FOR!

Thank you so much for featuring them Rhoda…what an absolute treat!

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23 patti g April 15, 2011 at 9:56 am

ohhh myy goodnsss! a dream house if ever i saw one.
thanks for the tip on the paint color! it is in my close future.
and – another reason I am lovin it – she evidently loved
Southern Living at HOME & Willow House; Simply Good Design.
my heart is completely WON!!!

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24 Talia April 15, 2011 at 10:02 am

What a darling house! I am so jealous! Who wouldn’t want to live there?

Thank you for sharing! What a great post.

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25 Karyn April 15, 2011 at 10:41 am

I kind of like the arrow pointing to the toilet- sense of humor! Love it. The house is beautiful. It seems like a wonderful life. I am so happy for them. It looks like a dream house. Way to go!

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26 sherry hart April 15, 2011 at 10:47 am

What a cute little place…and I would be thrilled to live in the guest house…just to be close to the beach!

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27 Karen April 15, 2011 at 10:58 am

The first words that popped into my head when I saw these pictures were “calm” and “cool”. The colors are just wonderful and perfect for a sea side home.

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28 Marilyn Holeman April 15, 2011 at 11:23 am

Wow, Rhoda! That girl needs to seriously have her own blog. Thanks for sharing.

Praying for you,
Marilyn

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29 helen April 15, 2011 at 12:03 pm

This is one cool couple and one super-cool cottage!!!!!

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30 Sallie Baker April 15, 2011 at 1:23 pm

The chest inside the front door is actually an old ICE BOX! I have one out in my parents barn that was my grandmothers….but don’t have it in my house because it seemed too ” country”. Love the way it looks painted white!!
thanks for sharing….!

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31 melesa garrison April 15, 2011 at 1:43 pm

I love it! Great taste and how cute is the apartment too? I was drooling over the tin ceiling ADORABLE!

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32 Lindsay Fisher April 15, 2011 at 1:57 pm

Sweet Rhoda! I have SO enjoyed looking through your pictures, and seeing our home through YOUR camera lense! I am absolutely thrilled that ya’ll came down our street and that we were outside to meet ya’ll that day! What a wonderful surprise visit we had! Now… as I look through the pictures, I see about a million things that I wish I’d “hidden” or “straightened up”.. haha.. but it’s all about the imperfection with us! Thank you for your wonderful feature of our home. It certainly is a work in progress, and we will just continue to settle in and make it our own! We are tackeling the yard now!
Please come back to visit PSJ! … and for those of ya’ll who have not visited, you would love our town! We have our own little paradise here on the Gulf Coast with the most beautiful beaches and plenty of fishing! It’s the best kept secret on the Panhandle… and no it does not stink here! There used to be a paper mill here, and after that, a chemical company remained in operation for a little while. Each of these businesses did emit an “odor”, but the air just smells salty these days! :)

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33 Pam April 19, 2011 at 8:56 pm

Hi Lindsay,
Your cottage is A-maze-ing! What a beautiful job you and your husband have done! I love everything about it, ha! I have similar colors in my house and I was curious about your living room rug. I’ve had the hardest time finding one I like other than Pottery Barn and I refuse to use their rugs anymore after some really strange shedding events with them (another post, another day, haha!) Where did you get yours?
Thanks!

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34 Erika April 15, 2011 at 6:59 pm

What a cute house. By the water the best. I love the kitchen so beautiful.. Thanks to you and them of course for sharing their wonderful home.

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35 Andrea April 15, 2011 at 8:09 pm

What a beatiful beach cottage….and I am so happy for them that they made their move to the beach now…..our family loves PSJ and Cape San Blas……we are hopeing to buy there once our children are off on their own….PSJ smells heavenly by the way……sea air all the way….Panama City has a awful smelling chemical factory, but PSJ….is a beautful little town with the most beatiful beaches……we found it through HGTV….where a dream home was built at nearby Mexico Beach………we have been visiting since 2006 and wouldn’t miss it for anything……..
Andrea

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36 Sarah April 15, 2011 at 8:33 pm

What a great post Rhoda! It is such a charming cottage – thanks for sharing!! :) )

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37 Jojo April 15, 2011 at 8:39 pm

It makes us all want to drop in on Wes and Lindsey! Did you make it over to the museum. If you did, and you decide to post about it, I’ll have to share a story with you!

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38 Beverly Price April 15, 2011 at 8:58 pm

Rhoda—what a treat for Lindsay and Wes’ families. We have not seen their new home. Your photos were wonderful. They are an awesome young couple and your readers were very lucky to get a glimpse into their new lives. And we have a new favorite blog! Love, Aunt Beverly

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39 Linda April 15, 2011 at 9:07 pm

What a lovely couple. They were so smart to do what they longed to do now instead of later. Good for them. So cute!

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40 Lou Cinda April 15, 2011 at 10:10 pm

Rhoda, only you would get this lucky! lol What a gorgeous place! The kitchen was just heavenly! The colors I loved! They have impeccable taste!

I want to live in that apartment!

Lou Cinda

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41 Valerie @ Chateau a La Mode April 15, 2011 at 10:37 pm

Oh, my heart be still. Loving that cute couple’s beach cottage! They have some great ideas.

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42 Lou Ann April 15, 2011 at 11:25 pm

Hi Rhoda, what a great story, and that cottage is drop-dead drool-worthy!!! What impressed me the most was that this is the way it looked when they just happened to meet you and invite you in? Please tell me they were preparing for a magazine shoot–If someone dropped by and wanted to see MY place, they’d have to wait outside a couple hours! LOL! Cute house for a cute couple. Thanks for sharing!

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43 Melinda April 16, 2011 at 2:12 am

What a precious cottage! I could move right in. I have always wanted to live in a cottage like that. I am in love with that paint color. So pretty. Thanks for sharing your pictures. And what a cute couple. Love & blessings from NC!

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44 nancy April 16, 2011 at 7:38 am

Such an adorable couple and an equally adorable cottage. My dream is to live in a cottage near the beach so kudos to them for achieving their dream so early in their lives.

It must be that southern hospitality to allow someone into their home and take pictures. A warm and friendly friendship right off the bat.

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45 Sharon H. - Texas April 16, 2011 at 10:33 am

What an adorable beach cottage. We love the entire Port St. Joe, Indian Pass and Cape San Blas area. Have been going there each summer for the past 10 years as the beaches there are prettier than the ones here! Lots of places to poke around and some of the best seafood I’ve eaten.

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46 Nancy April 16, 2011 at 10:33 am

Rhoda, could you please put a space at the end of your sentence before you add a photo? When I read it in my blog reader (Google Reader), it gets very annoying having to scroll down to the bottom of the next photo to be able to read the last of the previous sentence. I’m not 100% sure if it needs a space or to hit enter to make it look right. But it would make your blog so much easier to read if all of the sentence came before the photo. Thanks!

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47 Dee April 16, 2011 at 2:54 pm

I love looking at BLOG homes, but it is so refreshing to see a couple without a blog have a really cute and personal space. Very nice of them to share their home.

Dee

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48 Pinky April 16, 2011 at 2:54 pm

OMGoodness, I just fell in love! They are both adorable and their cottage is wonderful! The Apt. out back is perfection too! So nice that they let you in to take these wonderful photos! I am going to GET to PSJ ASAP!!!! Have visited the Fl. gulf coast forever but have never been to PSJ! Something to add to my bucket list! XO, Pinky

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49 Lori April 16, 2011 at 10:39 pm

What a darling couple and a charming cottage! Cute story. Thanks for sharing.

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50 Victoria April 17, 2011 at 11:41 am

Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you just happened upon such a gorgeous cottage! They have a wonderful sense of style, everything is gorgeous!!! I looooove the kitchen, you’d have to drag me kicking and screaming out of there!

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51 lori lucas April 17, 2011 at 9:04 pm

The house and apartment were absolutely adorable….Even better…the fact that they followed their dreams and went for it while they are still young enough to enjoy it. Others of us live with that regret!!! Lori L

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52 Leigh cohoon April 21, 2011 at 6:56 pm

Lindsay and Wes did a amazing job….so pretty and beachy….love the sea salt color too! My husband and i just bought a vacation home in port st Joe in march…such a wonderful place…..girls trip end of may and I will be there all summer w the kids! Such a small friendly town, can’t get over how welcoming everyone is…..maybe run into you guys one of these days! Leigh c

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53 Really Rainey August 17, 2011 at 3:15 pm

What an adorable cottage and couple! They are doing an amazing job with their home!

Rainey

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54 Kathi September 11, 2011 at 7:29 pm

Rhoda you found my dream house! Too bad that Lindsay and Wes live there. :D I love everything they’ve done inside. I would LOVE to own a home like this someday…. Thanks for sharing another one of your great adventures!

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