I was actually in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (2016) with my Best Friend at her vacation rental when I got the call from Brian that our offer to purchase our St Croix vacation rental was accepted. We immediately went to work finding my inspiration pieces to start our decorating plan for the not yet named … Casa de Vista!
Being in a beach/ocean community started the process quickly. A fake orchid and an outdoor pillow gave us the perfect color pallet for the island home. And talking with someone who has their own beach rental property & like us have stayed in many vacation rentals – we had lots of thoughts and ideas about what is needed in a vacation rental … and THE LISTS in the planning book started!!
The Turtle Room
I worked on each room individually. First up … Bedroom #1 aka Blake’s Room … I refer to it as The Turtle Room. Blake is not necessarily a fan of bright colors so I had to put a bit of thought into it. My color pallet leaned a bit on the “bright side”, but no worries I took the color of that fake orchid & a turtle pillow from Pier One, and off I went getting deep into the theme – turtles, the burnt orange-red coral color along with splashes of khaki, blues, and greens – perfect for our boy & the turtles. I have taken away and added too since the beginning but the colors are still the same and it’s still the Turtle Room with a complimentary ensuite bathroom (some bright turquoise may have made an appearance in there.)
The Palm Room
Next up … Bedroom #2 aka Brooke’s Room!! She is definitely not a fan of bright colors in her bedroom so some thinking began. She likes simple subtle colors, she’s simple & laid back, and growing up she always had a Southern California Girl-type vibe. In all of our moves, we never landed in CA, but she did!! San Diego State University was her choice for Undergrad. Go Aztecs!! So, “palms & green foliage” was the theme/vibe of the bedroom and the ensuite bathroom.
Master Bedroom
And finally … Bedroom #3, Our Room – The Master … SHOW ME THE COLOR!!!
I am the COLOR person!! Bring it on!! And you will see it throughout the house inside & outside. The inspiration for this room came from the queen comforter that I found online from Steinmart. That’s how this room was pulled together. But I am sad to say that we don’t use that comforter anymore because we upgraded that bed to a king-size. I searched for another one but wasn’t able to find that print. That’s ok – because I pulled out all the colors in the pillows, pictures, and paint in the bedroom and the ensuite bathroom!!
The Great Room – Living Room / Kitchen
And the color continues. It draws you outside to the view. So settle down in this area relax, nap, and enjoy the breezes and that view! Brian and I wanted plenty of durable seating for our guests for the reason just mentioned. We did invest in some indoor/outdoor couches, chairs, and poufs which have been there for over 5 years and are still going strong!!
Desert Coral (orange) wouldn’t typically be my color of choice for any of my rooms – and I like/love color. But, Brian had a vision and I went with it, AND WOW. We really think that it works! It works with lots of other colors – in the pillows, accessories & Cruzan Rum bottles in every flavor (with colored labels). And it ties the whole space together.
The Kitchen
We had opened up the kitchen to be part of the great room which wasn’t like that when we bought Casa de Vista. But who wants to be trapped in the kitchen on vacation and not enjoy seeing family and/or friends and the view! The wall came down and we opened up the space. I thought long and hard about what I was going to do in the cabinets and drawers.
We want “our guests” at our St Croix vacation rental to have everything that they need … if they are wanting to cook. Our kitchen is well appointed with utensils, dinnerware, drinkware, pots & pans, and containers to serve or store in. A microwave, toaster, Keurig machine, coffee maker, and blender are all on the counter and ready to be used. And we even keep a drawer full of baggies, foil, and coffee filters for our guests. As an added treat, there are Keurig coffee pods, tea bags, and various oils and spices.
So, if you feel the need to want to prepare a snack or meal … you are set!! But we highly recommend one of St Croix’s many restaurants!! Take a break and enjoy some good eating, check out the MyStCroix.VI Restaurant Guide to find just the right place
The Game Room and Family Activities
Casa de Vista is ready to entertain you and your family!! There’s something for everyone – of all ages – located right off of the great room.
It’s a place to send the kids while you are getting ready to go out to eat, you are preparing a meal, it’s raining outside, or you are just staying up on the hill for the day. There is lots of color & things to look at and enjoy. As a family, the Runkles brainstormed & came up with a list of things that we wanted to include:
- Ping Pong Table
- Connect 4 (Large Version – that can be moved around)
- Jenga (Large Version – made by us!! For indoor/outdoor use)
Never Get Bored at Our St Croix Vacation Rental
Right outside that room in the green cabinet are a variety of books & magazines for all ages. And don’t forget to look in the drawers of the couch table and the bins. You’ll find games & puzzles for all ages! Casa de Vista even has coloring books for adults & kids – with crayons & colored pencils in the writing desk drawers.
Outside by the front entrance is a life-sized version of chess & checkers. And out by the Pool Area is a Corn Hole game. If you get into the hallway closet – there are large Yard Dice, Spikeball, Tennis Rackets & balls, kid’s toy lacrosse sticks, and umbrellas should you need them. Go to the laundry room by the pool …where you’ll find pool toys, sand toys, and floats. And finally, you’ll find a full assortment of beach towels in a large basket in the living room.
We have really tried to think of everything because we want you to ENJOY and feel at home. There really is no way that anyone can say that they are bored and there is nothing to do. If this sounds like the perfect spot for you and your crew, be sure to reserve your vacation time today.
