Interior designer Chad Graci‘s client spent her childhood in Bay St. Louis where she developed a special appreciation for the beauty and charm of the Mississippi coastline. Her family has owned property in the area since the early 1900s, and they envisioned a vacation home where grandchildren could play in the pool, adults would convene on the porch, and everyone could stay under one roof.

Two of her nephews, Regan Kane and Sanders Kane (of Kane Construction) helped with the development and building of the home. Architect Eric Greishaber worked with Chad Graci to design an elegant, not-so-beachy beach house with a youthful feel that will stand up to the wear and tear of sandy feet as well as the southern Mississippi coastal weather. The house is on the water and needed to be flood proof, so all the flooring downstairs is tile or stone.

The client’s collection of English and American antiques served as a starting point for the design which is grounded in tradition but lightened by fresh fun and practical textiles and surfaces. Other elements create a collected-over-time feel to the newly constructed home, including a variety of artwork the homeowners acquired through local vendors and travels, bamboo-inspired pieces in the living room, and straw and raffia details throughout the home.

“I knew she wanted something that wasn’t a cliché beach house look,” Graci said. “Clients come to me for a style that is grounded in tradition but feels fresh, fun, and collected.”

Photography by Sara Essex Bradley

To learn more, please visit Chad Graci Interiors and follow @graciinteriors on Instagram for ongoing inspiration. Described by Traditional Home magazine as a New Traditionalist, we are huge fans of Chad’s work and will be featuring more here at The Glam Pad… stay tuned! You can also click here to see a beautiful historic New Orleans home he designed.