This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, Breezy Blue Home may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep this coastal life afloat.
I grew up on Long Beach Island, NJ, back when the yards were full of bayberry and beach plum bushes and the houses were primarily modest Cape Cods. We rode our bikes everywhere, went to the beach “when the lifeguard was there,” and waited for the ice cream truck in the afternoons. On rainy days we’d go to a matinee at one of the movie theatres that are long gone now. Each summer ended with a little variety show we put on for our parents in a neighboring backyard. Over the years, those houses started disappearing one by one, replaced by bigger ones, without the architectural details and charm.
Our family’s cottage is one of the last originals — over a hundred years old, having weathered its share of nor’easters and hurricanes over the decades, and still standing.
The garden outside is just as relaxed, with barrel planters full of summer annuals placed among indigenous grasses and trees, a bench repurposed from a curbside find down the street, perfect for morning coffee and chatting with passersby, and a whimsical red rooster mailbox, a nod to the cottage’s name.
Inside, the details tell you exactly how old this cottage is. A few of the original windows still have their wavy panes, paired with vintage glass doorknobs. A peaked archway with soft curves, rare to find these days, connects two of the main rooms. A built-in hutch with scalloped edges holds a mix of books and beach finds.
Watercolors painted by family members hang alongside beach art collected over the years. Small vignettes of shells, sea glass, and coastal treasures sit on windowsills and shelves throughout. A fish-shaped stool and a set of octopus wall hooks add a playful touch to the front porch. A row of antique brass duck decoy bookends line a windowsill, one of the first things you notice.
Change is inevitable, even on a barrier island with as much history as this one has. The few remaining vintage cottages are the thread connecting that history to present day, and we’re glad ours gets to be part of it.
Stay breezy 🌊
Love coastal style? Follow Breezy Blue Home on Pinterest for more beach cottage inspiration. And for more of my favorite finds, shop my Amazon storefront.
Comments
Post a Comment