What is a Coastal Grandmother? And why is it trending? Welcome to my mother’s home in Coastal Maine, an authentic Coastal Grandma summer home tour.
Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tour 22
Welcome to the Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tour 22 hosted by my friend, Kelly over at The Tattered Pew. 30 inspiring bloggers opening up their homes to you along with amazing summer decorating ideas.
If you are joining me here today from Shawna over at Willow Bloom Home, welcome! I just love Shawna’s beautiful modern farmhouse charm from her amazing home in Ottowa Canada and how she brings the outdoors inside.
What is a Coastal Grandma?
Influencer Lex Nicoleta coined the term and explains all about the “Coastal Grandmother” style in her short video here:
@lexnicoleta Reply to @herathehund KITCHEN TOUR #coastalgrandmother #kitchentour ♬ pennies from heaven lofi remix with super haz – LLusion
It’s basically all about living your best life with a chic yet comfortable fashion sense, and the same in home decor. The Coastal Grandmother surrounds herself with all the things she loves.
My mother definitely lived her best life here in Coastal Maine and now her home is ours to enjoy, which I’m excited to share with you here today.
A home we inherited almost 3 years ago now and have been renovating and restyling ever since. You may visit our Coastal Maine Home Tour to see the before and after renovations and follow the blog series “In My Mother’s Home” too!
Love of Coastal Maine
Have you ever been to Maine? It’s a beautiful state with an amazing rocky coast, beaches, quaint towns, fishing communities, and always plenty of lobster.
Mainers enjoy swimming in cold ocean water, ok freezing ocean water… Tretorn sneakers, faded pastel clothing, lobster buoys and lobster traps in our decor, silver bracelets, antiquing, beachcombing, summer nights on the beach, big hats, and lots of suntan lotion.
And if you live on the ocean, you may be seen in a sweatshirt in the summertime too.
Or cozy up on the beach in the evenings with my favorite blanket, by Maine’s Chappy Wrap.
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.”
SHOP CHAPPY WRAP BLANKETS
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Outdoor Thrifted Lobster Table
Backyard lobster bakes are always a must when in Maine.
You may also enjoy this Authentic Maine Lobster Themed Table Setting in our main dining room.
Lobster is a messy summer tradition for sure but it’s so worth it!!
Here I set up an all-thrifted backyard lobster table for friends and family.
You may see more of this table HERE!
Outdoor Vintage Beverage Table
This Charming Antique Table and Chairs for Two I found while out “Thrifting with the Gals” a couple of years ago.
And I love using it outdoors as The Cutest Little Outdoor Beverage Table.
Enhanced with collected glassware, a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers from the backyard, an infused water station, and a candle for ambiance.
You may also enjoy How We Restored our Aged Cedar Shake Siding and Beautiful Essex Green Coastal House Trim.
Easy Summer Style
Early last week, I hosted my friend Molly from Molly in Maine, who is right now launching her new blog!
Everything Dawn had just gifted me this handcrafted Faux Berry Mousseline Tarte and I created this welcoming dessert table for Molly’s visit.
But don’t worry we had other snacks to munch on too…
I have wanted one of these “fakery bakeries” for some time now and I’m so excited to display it here in our dining room and in the kitchen throughout the summer.
You may see more of this TABLE READY FAKERY BAKERY here.
SHOP CAKE STANDS
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Patriotic Summer Touches
Summer hasn’t quite arrived here in Maine just yet so we are still gearing up for the hustle and bustle of Coastal Maine’s busiest season, kicking off annually on the July 4th weekend.
A Patriotic Basket Full of Hydrangeas centers the table for the upcoming holiday weekend.
SHOP PATRIOTIC HOME DECOR
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A Coastal Grandmother Loves Her Dogs
A coastal grandmother always has a dog by her side. At least that’s how I view her. A love of dogs on the couch, in the bed, and riding in the car by her side.
Large dogs, small dogs, all dogs!
This is Ella, our Bernese Mountain Dog on one of her many Cozy Couch Moments in the main living room.
And this was my mother’s basset hound, Boozer in her convertible at the Nubble Lighthouse sometime before I was even born. I hope you’re getting a feel for the Coastal Grandmother…
You may enjoy reading about our family’s Coastal Maine Heritage – Embracing My Roots too.
Coastal Grandmother Heirlooms
Coastal Grandmothers love to stay busy. They are social, community involved, and family-oriented.
I treasure the heirloom quilts today that my mother made alongside all of her dear lifelong friends.
You may also enjoy VINTAGE VIBE AESTHETICS TO TREASURE.
Today these heirloom quilts are displayed in the guest bedroom on the first floor of our home.
You may also enjoy How to Fold and Display Heirloom Quilts or SMALL COTTAGE GUEST BEDROOM, VINTAGE AND DELIGHTFUL.
My mother also loved making braided rugs, which are now displayed on the newly refinished soft pine floors throughout the home.
You may also enjoy this DIY License Plate Hat Rack and Wall Decor I made for this room too from vanity license plates I found in my father’s old shed.
I recently found this video of my mother around 1975 playing tennis with her dear friend Judy Seedner at their home on the ocean in York Beach, Maine. A home I spent a great deal of my childhood at, with my best friend at the time, Jenny Seedner. The best of #coastalgrandmothers!
And I know you are going to love this DIY License Plate Hat Rack and Wall Decor that I made out of old vanity license plates, 10SANY1?
A Summer Table Setting
Collected McCoy, blue and white dishes, pewter goblets, colored glassware, and more beautify our vintage dining room table for summer.
See more of this thrifted and collected table “In My Mother’s Home” HERE.
You may also enjoy last year’s COASTAL MAINE HOME TOUR.
7 Old Galvanized Bucket Planter Ideas
Don’t you just love this galvanized red bucket?
I picked it up last year while out “Thrifting with the Gals” and I had forgotten all about it!
Geraniums remind me so much of a Coastal Grandmother as I reflect on the days when my mother would ride out to their gift shop at the Nubble Lighthouse daily to water the red geranium window boxes.
Check out these 6 ideas for decorating with old galvanized buckets that I shared last week.
You may also enjoy these RED GERANIUM TIME-HONORED WINDOW FLOWER BOXES.
A Coastal Grandmother’s Charm Bracelet
Do you remember when charm bracelets were so popular and then there were the Pandora bracelets?
I think every Coastal Grandma I know has or had a precious charm bracelet.
And at the end of last summer, I found this long-lost charm bracelet that was my mother’s and I wrote and shared all about it in this post Embracing Summer’s End.
START YOUR OWN CHARM BRACELET TRADITION
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You may enjoy seeing our Behind the Scenes Photo Shoot with Country Sampler Magazine this summer too.
Antiquing and Thrifting
Now, not all coastal grandmothers love to go antiquing and thrifting, but mine sure did. And I do too! Join me every month here on the blog for a round-up of all my coastal thrifting this summer in the series “Thrifting with the Gals“.
Or daily over on Instagram with my sidekick, Ella!
Take Our Video Home Tour of Earlier this Spring
I’m so glad you dropped by, and if you are new to my blog, welcome! I hope you enjoyed your visit with us here today at our Home in Coastal Maine.
Be sure to also check out our Home in Vermont too, where we spend winters enjoying the coziness of home in the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Please join me as a regular here at Dabbling & Decorating by signing up for my Saturday morning newsletter and never miss an update!
I’ve created the above custom pin just for this post! Hearing from you makes my day and your comments mean so much to me! Please join me over on Instagram & Pinterest to see more!
Next up on today’s Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tour 22 is Michelle from Thistlekey Lane. And you are going to be so impressed. I adore Michelle’s beautiful and simple summer decorating ideas. We’ve been on many of these blog hops together and she’s definitely a favorite!
Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours
This week I am joining some of my blogging friends for the Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours. Thirty talented and creative women will be opening their homes up for you to tour all week long. You can visit each summer home tour by clicking the links below.
Monday’s Tours
The Tattered Pew / Cottage On Bunker Hill / She Gave It A Go
Cottage In The Mitten / Stonegable / My Wee Abode
Tuesday’s Tours
Thistle Key Lane / Midwest Life & Style / White Lilac Farmhouse
My Thrift Store Addiction / Willow Bloom Home Blog / Dabbling and Decorating
Wednesday’s Tours
Bricks ‘n Blooms /Amy Sadler Designs / Peacock Ridge Farm
White Arrows Home / Pasha Is Home / The Ponds Farmhouse
Thursday’s Tours
Simply2Moms / Country Peony / Southern Home and Hospitality
Shiplap and Shells / Eleanor Rose Home / Cloches and Lavender
Friday’s Tours
Le Cultivateur / Lora Bloomquist Create & Ponder / Noting Grace
My Family Thyme / Vintage and Grace Living / County Road 407
So pretty ann! I love that vintage table cloth with the lobster plates.
Thank you Stacy🦞
Hi Ann!
So many beautiful coastal vibes in your mother’s lovely home! Pinned! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
Thank you so much Cecilia🙌🏻
Ann,
This is all so LOVELY! I am digging this style and you nailed it. Thank you for all the wonderful decor ideas.
Happy Summer!
xoxo,
Brendt
I’m so glad you enjoyed it
Brendt😃
Oh my goodness, Ann. Your home is so inviting. The perfect coastal grandmother style. Hugs and blessings to you.
Thank you so much Renae🙏🏻
Ann I loved learning more about the coastal grandmother style! But of course I loved seeing peeks of your home as well. Also, so jealous that you got to host Molly! If I could hang out with you both that would be a treat. Happy Summer!
I get see Molly every now and then. And we catch up on so much. Thanks as always Kelly🙏
Ann, I’m really inspired by your summer home tour and the whole Coastal Grandmother theming. I love how you’ve incorporated vintage and meaningful elements into your decor. The quilt is so gorgeous! After this tour, I think I need to go digging through my photo collection.
I’m so glad Shawna. It was going down memory lane and the summer here in Maine is filled with so many wonderful memories. I need to pull together some more I think🙏
It was so fun learning more about the concept of a “coastal grandmother,” Ann! My mother has a similar charm bracelet that always brings back so many memories whenever I see her wearing it. I love all your decorating details, but especially those heirloom quilts. As we are in the middle of 90-100 degree temperatures this week and into next, I have to laugh to think that it isn’t even summery up in Maine yet! Happy Summer!
I can’t even imagine that kind of heat Anne. I’m sitting on the beach now with 55 degree waters in front of me😂
Ann, I may just fall into that Coastal Grandma Style. Especially when you talk about always having a dog by your side. My little French Bulldog, Piper rides with my in my VW Bug Convertible with little googles on. LOL You home is beautiful with all the coastal touches. I love the beautiful vintage finds incorporated into your rooms too. We are traveling to Maine in September and looking so forward to it.
That is so funny Tammy what a picture that must be. I hope you have a wonderful trip to Maine💙
I forgot to add…in love with all of the beautiful quilts! Love them all!!!!
💙💙💙
Ann,
I love all the history you have in your Maine home and what a perfect way to honor your mother’s lifestyle. She would be the poster child for Coastal Grandmothers.
Thank you Rachel💙💙
Well, in my heart I am a coastal grandmother–I live just outside Augusta, Maine. But I grew up in NH and York Beach reamins my favoirte place in the world–it was my teenaged stomping grounds! I enjoy being a grandmother although I am not as good at it as my grandmother and mother! I agirate for day trips to Rockland, Camden, and Belfast as well as trips to Popham for a real beach on a regular basis! Can’t wait to get my energy and ambition back from having Covid to get out thrifting again!
My teenage stopping ground too. Thank you so much for stopping by😉💙
So pretty, Ann. I adore everything about your summer home and the way you’ve incorporated unique vintage finds. I’ve never been to Maine, but it is on my husband and my’s bucket list of places we’d like to visit. The way you describe it makes it sound so wonderful. I can’t wait to go. So glad to be touring with you this week. Pinned!
Thank you so much Jen. I hope you get to Maine someday you’d love it💙💙💙
Thanks for teaching me about this style, Ann! Enjoyed seeing pics & the video of your mom; what a treasure. Love seeing your Maine home decorated in vintage style:)
Thank you so much Lora😘
This is such a fun blog post to read Ann. Your mother was the perfect “coastal grandmother kind-of-gal”! I love this style. I think I knew it was a style deep down inside when I used to watch Diane Keaton movies with the cute houses. Maine is definitely on my bucket list. It looks like a wonderful place to be in the summer.
You would love Maine Kim. It’s a lot like Washington honestly. Washington and Oregon’s coast always remind me of Maine.
Ann, Your Mom was a talented woman…between the quilting, making rugs, and her tennis skills! Gosh, that was fun watching the video…it brings me back! Beautifully written piece! Oh, and I just found my charm bracelet this week in a little jewelry bag!
No way, that’s awesome. The charm bracelets jingle a lot but I love them! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Jennifer. See you next weekend!
Always so fun touring your homes, Ann. They both are gorgeous and I love how you incorporated the Coast Grandmother aspect in your tour! Always love touring with you!
Thank you so much Julie💙
Ann, everything about your home is lovely! I enjoy everything you share. What treasures you have from the home to the quilts and braided rugs. Such a beautiful coastal tour! Pinned and so nice sharing a hop with you!!💙
Thank you so much, Kim!
You are living the dream girlfriend! Love your authentic coastal grandmother style and all the treasures. I’ve never been to Maine but it’s on my bucket list! It sounds so fun and your tour makes me think I’ve already been. Love it all!
Thank you so much Cindy😘
I loved this blog post! The vintage tablecloth with lobsters was so beautiful. I am in New England as well. We are on the south coast of Massachusetts!
Heidi thank you so much. I’m so glad you stopped by👏🏻👏🏻
Ann, this is such a fun post! I love reading about the coastal grandmother style and seeing your mother’s lovely home. Such a treat! I hope to make it to Maine someday and go antiquing! 😊
Thank you Michelle. I always love seeing your beautiful posts too😘
Ann your home is always beautiful. So many cozy pieces. You have such a wonderful vintage collection.
Send some of your shops to NJ. Love seeing Ella’s too!
I wish I could Cindy, I understand you don’t have a lot there. Well if it makes you feel better, we hardly have any big box stores in Vermont…
I’m so in love with this post! It’s so special and such a fun way to look at your collections and entertaining.
Thank you so much Kristin😃
Your dining table is so quaint! And I always love when Ella makes an appearance! You capture my favorite way to style family treasures and accomplish it so beautifully!
Thank you kindly Jennifer!
Maine is one of my very favorite places…I need my feet under your table for that lobster…oh, my! I may truly fit into the coastal grandmother category…quilts, charm bracelets and geraniums are all favorites! Thank you for sharing your beautiful home!
Thank you Leslie, I’m so grateful that you stopped by today!
It’s a wonderful home and some great memories. Your mother had a wonderful place to live and her quilts were just beautiful.
Thank you kindly Marlene!
What a wonderful home & great memories. The quilts are so beautiful. So glad to join you on this Summer Home tour.
Thank you Cynthia!
Your home fits the Coastal Grandmother style to the tee, Ann! The quilts your mom made are such a treasure. Old quilts are beautiful but when they have meaning to the owner, that makes them really special. I love your home – both of them! Your style is so casual and comfortable and welcoming! Pinned!
Thank you so much Cindy, I really appreciate it!
Hi Ann! Loved the home tour! What color is the trim in the bedroom on the first floor? I am considering painting all of my walls white and the trim a blueish gray. Cheers!
Hi Peg, thank you so much. The color is beautiful we love it. However, it’s a formula, not just a named color. If you drop me an email at [email protected] I’ll gladly email you the formula.
Ann, your mom’s home definitely nails the coastal grandmother style! I love your collected style on that tablescape too. Everything is so lovely and welcoming. Happy to be touring with you. Enjoy your summer!
Thank you so much Kate😃
I love your style so much!!! Your home is so beautiful!!! Everything looks so fresh and cozy for summer! I love it!!
This Coastal Grandmother Summer Decor is perfect for your mother’s home. It features stylish Coastal accents in a cheerful and inviting color scheme. The pieces are easy to assemble and look great when finished.
Thank you for your kind words😃