Over the Rainbow

The architecture of Alys Beach evokes a collection of magical sandcastles. Inspired by exotic locations, including Bermuda, Antigua, Guatemala, and North Africa, the community has a design language all its own. The white exteriors are simple and clean, providing a visual cohesion that creates a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere for Gulf Coast living. They also serve as the perfect canvas for the rainbow of colors incorporated into the trim, finishes, pergolas, doors, and shutters of every home and building. And when it comes to interiors, anything goes. 

Orange

Photo by Kurt Lischka/Moon Creek Studios

Orange is a joyful color that encourages socializing and creativity, so it’s perfect for gathering spaces like the courtyards and public areas around town. And the orange being the state fruit of Florida might have something to do with how it is incorporated into interior designs as well. Mixed with a bit of red for depth, a warm orange can mimic a Florida sunrise. A juicier, bright shade adds a pop of color in a neutral room.

Red

Photo by Kurt Lischka/Moon Creek Studios

Red draws attention like no other color. Its many shades can be passionate and loud but also intimate and warm. Red inspires appetite and hunger, making bright tomato, apple, and cherry shades perfect for a kitchen. A warmer tone brings the drama to a dining room, as seen in the Red Loggia in the poolside Caliza Restaurant, where the Moorish design elements are accented with punches of red. On the lighter side of red, shades of pink pop up around town almost like bursts of tropical flowers.

Yellow

Photo by Layne Lillie

Florida is, of course, the Sunshine State, so it’s not surprising that shades of sunny yellow can be seen all around Alys Beach. Lemon-colored shutters stand out among the shades of blue and green. The color of happiness, yellow brings the sunshine in, making a darker hallway or smaller room seem brighter as it reflects the light. It makes an excellent accent color to bring some cheer to any room, like drops of joy throughout the house.

Green

Photo by Layne Lillie

Alys Beach is a walkable community filled with paths, parks, and greenspace, as well as a 20-acre nature preserve, so it’s only natural that the color green is a popular design choice. Ranging from light seafoam to bright limes to deep forest shades, green is the color of harmony and health. Outside, green shutters evoke climbing ivy, while courtyard ceilings feel like sitting under a canopy of trees. A light, soft green inside makes a space feel airy. Fabrics and wallpaper with leaf patterns are a way of bringing a bit of the outside in.

Blue

Photo by Kurt Lischka/Moon Creek Studios

From green-tinged turquoise to deeper navy hues, blue is a popular color both inside and out, evoking both the Gulf waters and the clear blue sky. The bright, public art sculpture, Recline in Blue by Dhruva Mistry, lies in the grass of the town center. Throughout Alys Beach, the blues are well represented in accents, shutters, and exterior trims, inviting a feel of the Mediterranean. Inside, blue brings tranquility and peace to just about any room in the house, again reflecting the outdoor surroundings and grounding the design focus to the elements of water and sand.

Violet

Photo by Chris Luker

Making a stunning accent color, violet evokes luxury and elegance. Villa Violetta, designed by architect Bobby McAlpine with interiors by Susan Ferrier, features shades of lavender and mauve. Inspired by “the violet hour,” the colors call to mind the muted sunset or the inside of an oyster shell. Deeper, softer purple tones are used as accents throughout, as pillows or decorative elements, creating a soothing escape overlooking the Gulf.