The excitement of post-pandemic freedom has everyone flocking to the beach this summer. No seriously, everyone. If you’ve tried to book a beach trip this year, then you know that feat is near impossible. The surge to the shores means Gulf-coast condos were quickly snatched up, leaving very limited availability behind.

This season’s stresses of searching for a vacation rental—or even worse, having no luck finding one—gives us another idea. Why not invest our senses in a little walk down memory lane? Or better yet, build up some interior decorating ideas for the dreamy day when we might land a beach house of our very own?

To entertain our new imaginary investment, we rounded up some of our favorite spaces from beach homes featured in past issues of inRegister. Baton Rouge designers Erin Mixson, Cati Hardy and Rachel Cannon inspire our must-have list for a stylish seaside space:

Open-shelved wet bar 

First on our list for a perfect beach house is the ideal place to make beach drinks. And it doesn’t get much better than this open-shelved wet bar by designer Erin Mixson. Fulfilling her clients’ request for a “light and bright” makeover of their Destin condo, Mixson’s combination of quartz countertop and antiqued mirror tile backsplash make the space sparkle like the sun reflecting off waves.

Wallpapered powder room 

Why just be by the ocean when you can have it in your home? Designer Cati Hardy shares our sentiment with this bold wallpapered powder room in her client’s Destin home. A sophisticated nod to surrounding sea creatures, the Scalamandre pattern makes a big impact in the small space. 

Light and bright bedroom

For a more subtle ode to outdoor setting, designer Rachel Cannon explains that natural textures and colors are all you need for a beachy feel to your space. In this Orange Beach condo, Cannon pairs a muted color palette and small pops of pattern with a bright white backdrop so as not to distract from the view. This adorable airy bedroom may have been designed for little ones, but can you blame us for wanting it for ourselves?

Colorfully cozy dining area

Bigger isn’t always better. Rachel Cannon demonstrates in this space that cozy corners are easily turned into inviting, functional spaces. To accommodate the limited dining area in her client’s Palm Beach home, Cannon used banquette seating to maximize the space. Complete with fresh citrus-hued fabrics, this cheery nook is the ideal spot for a bite of breakfast before hitting the beach.