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Situated on the Pacific shoreline just a few minute’s walk (or bike ride) from the historic Santa Monica Pier, Shutters on the Beach offers a breath of fresh sea air from LA's see-and-be-seen scene. Linen, wicker, and toile de Jouy replace the city’s usual flashy neon and leather. (The leather in the hotel’s cozy lobby is more library than rock concert—warm and worn.) A color palette of soft blues, creams, and sand transports you to Cape Cod…without losing that classic California cool atmosphere.
This Nancy Meyers aesthetic and “make yourself at home” vibe is all very deliberate, and it’s one that designer Amy Kehoe, cofounder of interior design studio Nickey Kehoe, was eager to embrace when she was tasked with refurbishing Shutters’ lobby in anticipation of Santa Monica’s 150th birthday, which the property will be celebrating all of 2025 with a special cocktail menu that nods to each decade of the city’s history.
“Shutters on the Beach has always been a beloved, sun-washed meeting place by the ocean, and with that comes a responsibility. Our approach was never to reinvent, but to carefully evolve what people already loved,” Kehoe says. “We wanted the lobby, or as it’s called, the Living Room, to feel like the heart of a well-loved coastal home, one that greets you with warmth and familiarity the moment you arrive.”
The key to nailing this look without veering into kitsch, says Kehoe, is to establish a foundation with color and texture, then add in unique items that reflect your personal style. “At Shutters, we layered a fresh base palette of ivory and tan, brought in rich mahogany as a subtle nod to the East Coast, and then combined vintage finds with custom pieces to create a sense of something collected over time,” she says. “For those shopping for their own homes, I always recommend a similar approach: Start with a few classic, well-made anchor pieces, then mix in vintage finds or something handmade to give the room personality and depth.”
Ready to embrace your inner (chic) coastal grandma? Kehoe shares how you can achieve an airy, welcoming ambiance in your own kitchen, dining room, or sitting room.
Go for glow
“Lighting is everything,” Kehoe says. To set the right mood in the Shutters Living Room, Kehoe says she doubled the number of pendant lights in the room and introduced gilded sconces that give off a warm glow.
“I always prefer decorative fixtures to overhead architectural lighting because they transform a room into something more akin to a living room than a public space,” she says. “A single table lamp or sculptural sconce can change the psychology of a space. It draws you in and makes you feel comfortable. It’s less about uniform brightness and more about layering light so it feels natural and atmospheric.”
Curate for comfort
Kehoe thinks, a cozy room should feel like a “big warm hug.” To make a space that invites guests to stay a while, Kehoe opts for sumptuous fabrics and upholstered, cushiony pieces of furniture.
Swap your linens with the seasons
We don’t all live in Los Angeles where it’s 75 degrees and sunny nearly all year long—a New England beach home needs to be able to transition from warmer months to chilly ones without leaving anyone feeling cold. Kehoe says you can outfit a room for year-round use by “grounding the lightness of summer with warmer, richer textures” and making smaller changes each season.
“In a dining room, I would swap airy linens for heavier woven textiles, drape throws over the backs of chairs, and introduce a darker-toned runner or ceramic vessels down the table,” she says.
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Switch out your glassware and dishes too
Your table settings can also help your space evolve throughout the year. “You can go clear and bright in summer, then more earthy, matte, or jewel-toned in the cooler months,” Kehoe says. No surprise: “Lighting plays a huge role here,” she adds. “The addition of candlelight in abundance immediately brings intimacy and makes the space feel seasonally right without abandoning the coastal spirit.”
Add your personal touch
“A scattering of personal objects, whether books, ceramics, or collected treasures, softens a room and makes it feel lived in,” Kehoe says. Scour rummage sales, antiques markets, and boutiques while you travel for knicknacks and artifacts that feel like you. “Whether a private home or a hotel lobby, the design should feel like it unfolded organically over time. When you balance comfort with beauty, restraint with warmth, you create rooms that people truly want to inhabit.”
Just remember: It’s easy for seaside decor to turn really tacky, really quickly. So while seashell and anchor motifs may scream “the beach,” sometimes a whisper works best. “Think about how light, air, and texture come together” to create that coastal ambiance, Kehoe recommends, then let your personal taste guide you.
