Brooke Steuart - Outdoor Living

Have you missed my Featured House series?  I know I've missed giving you a glimpse into more beautiful homes over the past few weeks, but the series is back and I'm bringing it back with a bang!

For months now I've been trying to take you inside this beautiful beach house owned by Brooke Steuart, and over the next week I'll be taking you on a tour of her beautiful home situated along the Atlantic Ocean.  I was lucky enough to meet Brooke a few years ago when I wrote a feature about the home she shares with her husband and four darling children.  Brooke is the design genius behind Brooke Steuart Interiors, LLC, a full service design firm located in Calvert County, Maryland.  Brooke has a long list of faithful clients, and she was also asked to design a social living room in the Fall 2009 Design House in Washington, D.C.  The room she designed has been featured all over the web and in numerous print publications.  To see more of Brooke's "Georgetown" inspired living room you can visit Apartment Therapy.

Brooke and her husband both have demanding careers, and with four active children to raise, they needed a place where they could turn off their cells phones, kick up their feet, and just relax as a family from time to time.  So the couple purchased a beach house just a few hours from home, and Brooke used her design talents to create a vacation home that is not only comfortable and inviting, but drop dead gorgeous as well!

Because there are so many wonderful aspects of Brooke's vacation home in Delaware, I've decided to feature her beach house in a series of posts so that you can savor each area and take in the beauty of each and every room.  All of the photos you'll see in this series of posts are by a wonderful Maryland photographer by the name of Mike Busada of Mike B Photography.

I thought with warm weather approaching and the lure of soft sand and crashing waves, I would start the tour off by showing you the outdoor spaces at the Steuart's beach house.  So kick back, grab yourself a margarita and enjoy! 

Brooke's design philosophy of "surround yourself with the things you love," to create "the art of living" is evident both indoors and out in her vacation home.  She loves bold colors and isn't afraid to use them to create eye catching spaces which draw visitors in and make them want to stay awhile.

These bold punches of color sizzle just like the summer heat and give a fun, tropical feel to the wide decks that overlook the water.  These coral colored lounge chairs, adorned with colorful pillows, provide the perfect spot to catch a few rays or get caught up on some summertime reading.

And because dining alfresco is what summer is all about, Brooke created a family friendly dining area on the upper deck where she and her family of six can enjoy fresh fish from the grill, corn on the cob, and homemade ice cream!

And where do you go when you want to escape the searing summer sun?  To this comfortable oasis complete with mosquito netting.  This oversized lounge chair would be where I would want to spend the night, gazing up at the moon and the stars!  I love the nautical striped outdoor fabric Brooke chose to upholster the lounger with, and the extra layer of comfort provided by those beautiful tropical blue pillows and the throws in case it gets chilly when the sun goes down.

The Steuarts thought of everything when it comes to creating the perfect beach getaway, including an outdoor fire pit just right for making s'mores.  It's surrounded by comfortable indoor/outdoor wicker to create a casual, flexible seating area.  And the robin's egg blue cushions echo the color of the ocean while the orange accent pillows carry the blue and orange theme to every area of the expansive upper deck giving it a cohesive look without being too monotonous.

Downstairs, a covered porch has a completely different beach vibe going on.  Bold, bright colors give way to a more natural color palette on the porch.  Teak and wicker furniture set the tone for this quiet shade covered retreat. 

A striped rug, cushions in muted earth tones reminiscent of the sand, and ceiling fans make this an ideal spot to wind down after a long day at the beach.  The porch also provides a gathering place for friends and neighbors as they pass by on their way to the beach.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing the outside of Brooke's beautiful beach house as much as I've enjoyed showing it to you, and I hope you'll come back soon as I take you inside to see more of this stunning vacation home.  You'll see how Brooke throws design caution to the wind and combines old and new to create the perfect second home for her and her family.

I would like to thank  Mike B. Photography for allowing me to use his great pictures.  To see more of his eye catching photography, be sure to check out his blog by clicking here!  Thanks, Mike!

And because Brooke's website is currently undergoing some changes and may not be up, you can contact her at:


Brooke Steuart Interiors, LLC

Phone:	(410) 257-6100
Fax:	(410) 257-6137
Website:	http://www.brookesteuart.com
Email:	bsteuart@comcast.net