Cherry Grove, a community on New York’s Fire Island, has been one of the area’s most picturesque destinations for decades. It was even made a National Historic Landmark in 2015. For event planner Jove Meyer, though, it’s much more than just a slice of sun and serenity. It’s a sanctuary where he and his friends can unwind and be their authentic queer selves away from the noise and turbulence of the city.
Jove’s journey to owning a home on Fire Island started a decade ago when he left California for New York City and Columbia University. At the time, he was fully prepared to step off the plane, out of the closet and into a classroom to start chipping away at a law degree. Not long after, however, his friend asked him to help organize her wedding, and the rest, as they say, is history. Seemingly overnight, “law school went out the window, and the beginning of Jove Meyer Events was born!” he tells us.
Since then Jove has branched out and become an LGBTQ+ advocate and speaker, traveling around the world to talk to other creatives about inclusivity in the field of wedding planning. It’s a big operation – one you’d think would have a huge office to match. On the contrary, Jove has found a way to run the outfit from this quaint Fire Island bungalow during the summer months. And it’s all thanks to some clever planning.
As you can imagine, decorating an apartment on an island presented some unique challenges, but Jove isn’t one to easily be defeated. Knowing it’d be difficult to get furniture and decor from NYC to Cherry Grove, he used digital tools to help him carefully plan what he’d need and how to make it happen in the most efficient way possible. This meant creating fewer, larger shipments that were packed to be ferry-friendly and an occasional bit of sweet talk (aka begging) with the boat’s captain. Jove explains, “Items are shipped to a warehouse then packed onto a boat and freighted to Cherry Grove and left at the end of the dock.” As if getting the furnishings there wasn’t hard enough, he had to then hire a mover to bring the pieces to his bungalow.
It took two years to slowly curate his home and many more for Jove to find his way to Fire Island from California, but having a space in one of America’s queer meccas where he can both work and play has made every bit of the journey worth it. Scroll down to peek inside his bungalow, and be on the lookout for a few decorating tips from Jove as you look around. Enjoy! —Garrett
Photography by Chellise Michael Photography
Image above: Palm fronds, chilly – and easy-to-clean – tile and white sheers: three beach house staples.
from Design*Sponge https://www.designsponge.com/2018/07/an-event-planners-beachy-bungalow-on-nys-fire-island.html
from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/175744929124
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