Bohemian by the Bay (Artists, Dreamers & Free Spirits of Coastal Mississippi)

“As you turn these pages, enter the spaces. The porch light is on, and the music is playing. The jambalaya’s almost ready. Come meet the bay’s dreamers, drummers, and artists—its keepers of kitsch, its champions of resilience. Welcome to Bohemian by the Bay. Let the stories and the good times roll.”—Margaret McMullan, from the foreword

In a tribute to the enchanting Mississippi Gulf Coast, writer and designer Valorie Hart and photographer Sara Essex Bradley bid you to explore twenty of the region’s very best abodes and meet the inspiring free spirits who live in them. A complement to their book Bohemian Soul (Rizzoli, 2024), which is an homage to New Orleans’s unique interiors, Bohemian by the Bay is a jaunt down to the coast. 

In the bohemian community of Bay St. Louis—known for its wide-armed welcome, resilience, and charm—originality flourishes and the bons vivants, the mavericks, and artists of every medium make their homes. It’s no surprise then that these living spaces are filled with fine art, an eclectic blend of antiques and hand-me-down furnishings, and so much heart. From the architecture to the beloved tchotchkes, crossing each threshold is a unique experience, and Bohemian by the Bay is an invitation to wander the halls, pull up a chair at the table, relax on the porch, and see for yourself the magic of the Southern coast.