Eyeing Lately: West Coast Prep

A trend that I’ve been eyeing lately and LOVING…introducing West Coast Prep. I say “introducing” like it’s something new, however, we’ve actually been seeing this trend for years–and repeated over past generations which makes it more of a style, versus a trend itself. Stemming back to the early 90’s, this style is all about combining relaxed and refined elements with an organic and collected feel.

Imagine combining the refined structure and elegance of east coast interiors with the effortless and natural vibe of the west coast in terms of materials, colors, and textures.

Now, when I hear “preppy” – my mind immediately goes to the east coast not only for its aesthetic but lifestyle and formality. The exact image that comes to mind is a popped collar…and how that visual translates directly to interiors is veeery top of mind for me when it comes to this style.

Being a west coast gal myself, I am drawn to the natural simplicity of our interiors and lifestyle. The west coast is famous for “bringing the outside in” by way of natural materials, colors and living things (plants, florals, etc). So a style that combines the formality and refinement by way of “prep” with an earthy, airy aesthetic is something that I’m incredibly drawn to right now. I do think there are elements of classic and traditional that come along with the preppy side–which makes this look timeless and definitely speaks to why its so generationally popular.

Think Jane’s home from It’s Complicated married with Erica’s Hamptons beach abode in Something’s Gotta Give…that is what I’m imagining here.

A Spanish-style Mediterranean home would be perfect for this style–for it’s a beautiful combination of earthy material meets formal structure. Slipcover sofas, woven natural textures like jute, subtle prints like stripes and even a hint of scalloped edges could all work in this style.

I’ve been particularly eyeing this style for our future home – because not only is it so versatile, in that you can build upon it for years and years, but it’s also a wonderful combination of two very different aesthetics–traditional/prep and natural eclectic.