Bohemian Meets Beachy in California

This time of year when the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, I daydream about packing up our family and running away to California. Sunshine, salt water and fresh air seem like the magic ingredients for a happy life and floral designer Julie Martin has them all at her home, along with her wonderful husband, J.T. and their dog, Roscoe. A year ago Julie and J.T. discovered this home in Capitola, California and quickly renovated and decorated until it felt like their own. Julie’s eclectic bohemian style married perfectly with J.T.’s love of all things beachy, creating a space that both hosts friends and family and houses Julie’s business. The couple now has a place where they can relax and work, as well as welcome their neighbors and loved ones for great parties and get-togethers. On a cold Brooklyn day like today, it’s a real treat to take a virtual tour through a space so filled with sun and happiness. Thanks to Julie, J.T. and Roscoe for sharing their home with us. xo, grace

Photographs by Molly Watson

Images above: The top image is the door to Julie and J.T.’s home. J.T. found the buoys washed up on the beach during a run. The second picture highlights the family’s colorful fireplace. Julie didn’t love all the white in the home, so she immediately painted the fireplace a bright turquoise. The third picture above is one of Julie’s stunning floral creations.

Click through for the rest of Julie’s sneak peek after the jump!

Image above: Julie designed and built the dining table herself. She used a salvaged window that serves as both a chic dining surface and a display box.

Image above: This small office nook in the living room was created using a desk that Julie’s mother gave her after moving back to her native France.

Image above: Julie loves to cook and spends a lot of time in the kitchen. A friend of Julie and J.T.’s built the custom chopping block table as a wedding gift.

Image above: The bathroom was the biggest challenge for J.T. and Julie. The previous pink and gray linoleum wasn’t working for them so they decided to remodel the entire space and use a salvaged redwood slab as the new countertop. The terrariums hanging next to the counter were created for one of Julie’s clients and spent some time in the bathroom for a while where the steamy air helped them start growing.

Image above: The bathroom’s copper tub was a Craigslist score and, once it was safe in her online shopping cart, inspired the renovation of the entire bathroom that very day.

Image above: Julie and J.T. love all the natural light in their bedroom that accents their stunning brass bed. Julie found the bed frame sitting in a pile of plywood at a horse ranch and the owner said, “That headboard is a classic! An antique! It’s worth a lot of money. But if you can haul it, you can have it!” Julie brought it back home and it’s been the focal point of their bedroom ever since.

Image above: When Julie first met her husband J.T., he had a collection of suitcases mounted on the wall in his bedroom to serve as shelves. She loved the look so much that they decided to recreate the look in their bedroom.

Image above: Julie uses the home’s garage as her work studio. She loves that it stays cool on hot days and has plenty of room (including a loft storage space) for flower arranging and a huge rolling barn door that makes moving arrangements in and out a breeze.