With furry friends on the mind this month thanks to our annual Dog Days of Summer contest, we couldn’t help but put Teddy, the pint-size Pomeranian of our featured homeowners this month, Clint and Penny Tetrick, on our cover. But while their dog is adorable, the interiors of their Bay St. Louis vacation home, which was designed by Baton Rouge-based Karen Giffel, are what really caught our attention.

Starting with sea-inspired hues and finishing with plenty of personal touches, the home is as polished as it is collected, and that’s just the way Giffel likes it. From breaking ground to the finishing touches, this month’s cover story follows the entire process, all of which Giffel had a hand in.

To check out this story and the rest of July’s features, pick up a copy of this month’s issue, on newsstands now.