Having moved back to the United States recently from overseas, retired military veteran Mike DeFrancisco decided to purchase a home at the shore and settle down. He had grown up visiting Long Beach Island and selected Beach Haven West to be his new permanent residence. After much searching, Mike found a wonderful home looking out over the lagoon.
While in the process of closing on his new home, Mike launched into the search for furnishings. Prior to moving the last time, Mike had sold all his possessions and was starting completely fresh in Beach Haven West. Unsure of what he wanted, he began, as most people do, in the big box furniture stores. Unfortunately he felt that he kept seeing the same pieces and trends at each store and website he visited. Remembering a local furniture store, Mike traveled the short distance over the causeway to Oskar Huber Furniture, a fourth generation family-owned business located in Ship Bottom. Upon walking through the front doors and seeing the showroom, the veteran found exactly what he was looking for. Drawn to the cool colors, distressed woods, and “beachy” vibes, Mike loved the feeling of his home. Since his favorite colors are white, blue, and gray, Oskar Huber was the perfect fit for him.
Designer Russ Heckman greeted Mike at the door and listened to DeFrancisco’s story and current situation. The two gentlemen immediately hit it off, especially with their design aesthetics. Mike felt comfortable with Russ’s design ability and intuition and decided to enlist him to furnish his entire home. Other than the coastal feel, Mike had few requirements and definitely wanted to be sure the space was mature, not reminiscent of a college fraternity house. Heckman’s first step in the design process was to visit the home and measure each room. Next he was able to input the floor plans on the computer and start choosing furniture options for Mike. On the day of the return appointment, Russ presented the choices and walked Mike around to the different selections. Several follow up visits were made where Russ and Mike worked on the finishing touches defining Mike’s vision and making the house into Mike’s home.
In addition to the furnishing, Russ assisted Mike in selecting the paint colors for the house. The designer chose unique blues on the walls to make them pop, while deep navy and turquoise were used as accent colors. Beach themed accessories and small décor items were placed thoughtfully in each room. Putting the personal touch to the home, Mike and Russ placed photographs of the owner’s girlfriend, family, and beloved bulldog scattered throughout the home. The end result is a warm and inviting space filled with cool neutrals and shades of blue, exactly what Mike had envisioned.
Initially nervous of the size and dark background, one of the client’s and designer’s favorite pieces were the gold mermaid canvas prints hung above the family room sofa. With such large statement pieces and the navy sofa beneath it, the rest of the room is balanced with lighter tones and distressed woods.
The living room is styled more brightly with turquoise and spring greens. A double window lets enormous amounts of daylight into the space, highlighting the mismatched ocean—themed throw pillows. A large round cocktail table sits in the middle of the room surrounded by a cushy sectional. A seven foot tall fig tree is placed behind the sectional to soften the room and create some height to the space.
Separating the living room and family room is a well appointed dining area. The deep navy rug anchors the white and natural wood table, while defining the designated eating area. Completing the dining area is a bar framed by two wooden candle sconces to create height and ambiance. Centered above the bar hangs a round mirror framed with small capiz shells. The mirror helps reflect light in addition to giving the space the “beachy” charm Mike wanted.
The master bedroom offers a great deal of natural light. Russ selected a dusty blue color for the walls and paired it beautifully with a fluffy white comforter for the top of the bed. Rustic wooden nightstands flank the bed, decorated with mercury glass mirrored lamps, to create a rustic lux look. Located at the foot of the bed sits a large bench for added storage; on the opposite wall is a dresser, topped with white and blue porcelain accent lamps and snapshots of memories and events from Mike’s life.
The second and third bedroom, are decorated in blues and grays. Navy-colored coral sculptures top the dressers with bright yellow flowers to add even more natural elements. These cozy spaces will make any guest feel comfortable in Mike’s coastal home.
Just as important as the inside of the house, Mike wanted his backyard to be an outdoor retreat. Overlooking the end of the canal sits a pair of bar stools connected with a table perfectly situated for watching the sunset and having a refreshing cocktail. A matching dining table perches higher up on a patio off of the kitchen. The final touch to complete this oasis will be a fire pit and accompanying seating.
Mike compares living in his new home to being on a permanent vacation. He loves the peacefulness it brings him and prefers no other place than home. The designer had achieved his ultimate goal of a masculine coastal aesthetic. The client loved how seamless the design process was, how quickly the project came together, and how clear Russ’s vision was.
Oskar Huber Furniture & Design offers full design services; no project is too big nor too small. If you need to freshen up your room with a piece or two, complete an entire house installation or give the room a fresh look with new art, pillows, or lamps, our design team is here to help. Oskar Huber Furniture & Design offers fabulous costal furniture and accessories, and our design process is customized just for you.