As the saying goes, you are what you eat. But, what I think resonates more with an individual’s personality and taste is what they live in. When you walk into someone’s personal space, or home, you immediately garner a sense of what they love—their passions, their lifestyles and their panache. For instance, I lean more toward a “beach-meets-shabby-chic” style. I love reclaimed wood and coastal-inspired decor, yet I also have a faux antique chandelier and rugged farmhouse-style end tables that contrast nicely with some of the more beachy pieces in my home. As a recent homeowner, I’m always looking for ways to spice up my living spaces. My outdoor patio/balcony is my next project, and I’ve already gathered a few tips from our “Outdoor Escapes” feature (page 56), which takes a look at how you can create a backyard oasis. One takeaway that I’m keeping in mind as I devise the concept for my open-air retreat is to think about mixing and matching furniture, rather than buying standard, multipiece sets.
Additionally, those with little ones will be inspired by this issue’s story, titled “Room to Grow,” on well-designed kids’ rooms (page 62). From a modern, sleek space to a Hollywood glamour-style bedroom and posh nursery, kids’ rooms these days are getting the Cadillac of design treatments. (And I thought having my own TV and purple futon in my room was cool growing up!)
For the architecture geeks in the room, our story that looks at five homes inspired by nature (page 48) won’t disappoint. Laguna Beach has some incredible natural surroundings, and it’s clear that many local architects have been stimulated by the environment, from the curves of the shoreline to the curvilinear shapes of the hillsides. In fact, you can actually go inside the homes with LB Mag Plus—a way to interact firsthand with the content through the Taggar app. If you spot a small banner on any of these pages with the words “LB Mag Plus,” it means that images on those pages will take on a completely new life when you view them through the app. Go ahead, give it a whirl!
With the bounty of warm weather and longer daylight this spring, I encourage you to spruce up and renew your home or outdoor spaces in homage to the “spring cleaning” mentality. Reward yourself by having your friends or family over for an alfresco dinner party to relish in your creative labor. If you choose to do so, be sure to check out “Dining on the Deck” (page 34) for some helpful tips for home entertaining.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Alli Tong
Editor, Laguna Beach Magazine
alli@firebrandmediainc.com
