New Coastal: Inspiration for a Life by the Sea

Weir (New Rural), an interior designer and photographer, has crafted a beautiful book that considers seaside life. She showcases houses and communities located in Australia and the U.S. and a range of moods and gives advice on designing for a coastal aesthetic. An ocean’s worth of atmosphere is created by lavish and lovely images of the sea, the shore, and the homes, like a photo of a giant shell chandelier dominating an A-frame house and one of a floaty, hazy wash of seagrass. There’s also a soothing color palette and select quotes from the likes of William Carlos Williams and Mary Oliver. The main content flows across a range of homes (from the palatial to trailers), with intimate profiles highlighting their design aesthetics and philosophies, expanded upon by detailed images of interior and exterior spaces. Widening even more, the essays focus on the locations as well, giving a sense of seaside site like Venice, Laguna Beach, and Malibu in California; Kepa Kurl in Australia; Montauk, NY; and Portland, ME.