Marty Bell has a knack for bottling nostalgia and expanding it into entire worlds you want to live in. As the founder of Poolsuite and Vacation, he’s built sun-drenched realms that feel both timeless and impossibly fresh. His next project, Club Poolsuite, imagines an internet society where a select crew will co-curate the ultimate black book of places, tools, and products — a guide to the many interpretations of the good life.

What do you do when you hit a creative block?

My partner Alyssa and I collect inspiration as we move through life, building a trove we can dive into whenever we need ideas. That might be noting how a multi-generational artisan wraps pottery in Japan, or adding to my collection of old Caribbean stamps and ’80s Walkmans. We tend to accumulate things not directly connected to current work, just anything that resonates. Often, we’ll recall something we picked up years earlier for a current project.

Where do you go to find peace?

I live a few minutes drive from a beach with world-class sunsets, which happens to be right beside a graveyard that’s always bursting with flowers. There’s something about that combo that makes day-to-day problems feel small. I go here with a book and float around on my back in the sea at sunset whenever I need a reset, and usually leave thinking about how little I really need to be happy.

What book have you gifted most?

A More Exciting Life by The School of Life.

What’s something you bought under $100 that changed your life?

I recently bought this heat-it® keychain that plugs into the USB-C port of your phone and applies a sharp heat to instantly cure insect bites. I just moved to the Caribbean and it is seriously life changing. Everyone’s sick of me talking about it.

What’s the last article you sent to a friend?

It was an interview with 101-year-old Roland Reisley, the last original client of Frank Lloyd Wright, who credits his longevity to an appreciation of beauty. “Neuroscientists tell us that awareness of beauty in one’s environment reduces stress, has physiological benefits, perhaps even extends life,” he explained. “And I realized there’s not a day of my life I didn’t see something beautiful.”

Who is your forever inspo?

I think Jimmy Buffett is the greatest brand builder of all time. And ‘Boat Drinks’ is the best song ever written.

Find Marty on Cosmos and Instagram