This Florida Beach House Mixes Urban Flair and Rustic Charm

Interior designer Georgia Carlee and architect John Thurber delivered this Houston couple a second home with a mix of urban flair and rustic charm. The three-story house in the Florida Panhandle features graceful proportions, a welcoming scale, and old-world craftsmanship.

Reflecting the family's Texas roots, interiors lean toward earthy and muted rather than beachy and bright. They created a coastal-industrial feel with subtle neutrals, textured finishes, and natural brown linens. Stairway railings feature cattle fencing and wood posts. The palette takes a turn toward grays, browns, greens, and creams, with a few splashes of soft blue.

The three-story house offers a fanciful take on a Texas farmhouse and plays to outdoor living with a variety of covered porches. Rounded balcony rooflines, louvered shutters, decorative brackets, and a traditional metal roof celebrate the nautical address.

The swinging daybed on the porch nods subtly to the family's cattle country roots. It was crafted of old barn doors and is suspended by ropes. On the stairway landing, two vintage modern chairs pair with a distressed wood trunk. The railings feature cattle fencing and textured wood posts; a large mounted mirror reflects natural light.

The living area is one open space, perfect for relaxed beach living. A tall fireplace crafted of the same white brick as the kitchen anchors the space. Glass folding doors open to the back porch and pool. A built-in bar framed by curtains creates a functional focal point.

The kitchen features a generous island and an efficient galley-style work area, plus casual seating. Antique brick painted white lends texture and warmth to the walls. "The tall vaulted ceiling adds volume, with the brick wall and overscale range hood creating a dramatic focal point," Georgia says.

The large farmhouse table in the dining area seats up to 10 people, emphasizing the way the home celebrates its setting and savors the joys of time spent with family and friends. The floors are reclaimed white oak, which gives the room a beachy yet muted and earthy feel.

Rattan chairs face off near the foot of the bed, creating a sitting area in the small primary bedroom. The two sets of French doors swing open to a porch, embracing the connection between luxury and nature and creating the perfect spot to drink morning coffee.

In the powder room, tabby walls crafted of oyster shells combine with a contemporary concrete sink. This balance of coastal and industrial is exactly the kind of juxtaposition the homeowners wanted for their vacation home and is also a stand-out design aspect.

Reclaimed doors frame a sunny bunk room that houses queen bunk beds. The doors are placed on barn-style sliders, which are huge space-savers since they don't jut into a room—and they beautifully frame a view. For industrial-meets-antique character, use old doors from a salvage shop.

Built-in drawers provide storage space in lower bunks in one of the bedrooms, making the space perfect to accommodate a big family getaway. The desired color palette also comes into play in this room with the use of cream, white, and soft blue.