Nautical lover’s heaven
STEPPING foot into Coastal Vintage, I immediately wanted to cover one eye with a black patch, grab a wooden stein of rum and perch a parrot named Flint on my shoulder. Ahoy, me hearties… This place at Noosaville is a nautical lover’s dream and that’s exactly what Sally Oulton had in mind when she opened two years ago. After spending a decade travelling the world by boat and then settling on the Sunshine Coast, Sally wanted to bring those memories of being at the sea into the home.
Coastal Vintage products will not suit every style: it targets a niche market. But sometimes specialising in something will mean more success than supplying a broader range and catering for the masses.
This is most certainly the case for Coastal Vintage, which not only supplies products to Queenslanders, and consumers Australia-wide, but to overseas coastal lovers too.
Sally has an impressive client portfolio including interior designers and stylists, wedding planners, hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars and, would you believe, movie sets?
Yes, their homewares featured in Pirates of the Caribbean. Shiver me timbers!
My recent visit was like a festival for my eyeballs and a funeral for my credit card because I wanted one of everything.
They have oars, traditional glass floats, anchors, ship’s wheels, portholes and propellers, vintage maritime charts, fishing reels, flags, coral, clams and shells, and everything brass. It’s seriously boatie heaven.
And the best part about the wondrous items at Coastal Vintage? You can purchase all of their authentic nautical and coastal collections online and have the products shipped straight to your home. Again, with the funeral for your credit card.
With a satisfied smile on my face, I walked out with the most magnificent piece of coral and a traditional Japanese glass float.
I had previously purchased my navy and white-striped oars from their huge collection, which you’ll see in my photos. How oarsome!
Coastal styling should look effortless, casual and relaxed. With the right mix of colours, decor and furniture, you can create a space that’s beautiful and tranquil.
Selecting the right colour palette is one of the most important factors to consider when creating a coastal and nautical-inspired room. The simplest strategy is to think of the beach and the ocean to find the right colour ways – deep and moody blues, whites, beiges and touches of grey all have their place in this environment. Choose a couple of hero nautical
pieces when styling your room. Items might include a sailing boat, ship’s wheel or two large oars.
Style these pieces with simpler decor in muted blues, chrome accents and white. Smaller items like shells, coral and glass floats work perfectly with these larger hero pieces.
Consider hanging a beach hat and bag on hooks with rolled up blue and white towels placed in a wicker basket underneath. This could feature in an entry to create a beautiful and relaxed space.