5 Tips to Create a Coastal-Inspired Home
Ahhhh, coastal style. Its laid-back, elegant, yet casual aesthetic is what makes it so adored and highly coveted. Whether you’re living beachfront, a few miles inland, or nowhere near the coast, this style transcends geography and, in this blog, we’re sharing 5 ways to channel the iconic, coastal vibe in your home.
As a San Diego based Design Studio, we’ve had the honor of transforming so many homes into coastal retreats and are thrilled to share these tips with you. You’ll discover ideas for soft finishes, like decor and accessories, and material suggestions for remodels plus, tons of inspiration! We suggest implementing all these tips to effortlessly nail a coastal aesthetic, or just adopt one or two to inject a little seaside flair into your spaces!
Happy reading!
Blue & Green Color Palette
For a classic take on coastal style, an airy color palette is a beautiful choice! When it comes to choosing colors, look no further than the natural coastal landscape. Blue skies, sandy shores and foaming waves provide all the color inspiration you need. Blues and greens effortlessly create a seaside atmosphere while whites and sandy neutrals instantly infuse your space with a refined and elevated vibe.
Balance these light and airy colors with some moody hues to create contrast, depth and richness in your space.
FAVORITE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COASTAL PAINT COLORS
We especially love these colors paired with natural wood tones and organic textures. Embrace these colors through your furniture, art, decor and accessories, and also through hard finishes like tile and cabinetry!
2. Coastal themed artwork
Is a home even a home without art on the walls? We think not. Art brings visual interest, color and texture to a room while also having the ability to evoke emotions and greatly impact the energy of a space. Coastal-inspired homes typically aim to channel a sense of calm, a feeling we surely all get as we watch the waves roll into the shore. Hanging coastal-themed artwork, such as beach scenes or abstract ocean paintings are a wonderful way to invite that feeling indoors.
Design tips:
Avoid overdoing it to maintain a casual elegance. No beach house rental energy here!
Display artwork on your TV! If you have a Samsung The Frame TV, you’ll find an extensive library of coastal-themed imagery.
No Frame TV? No worries! Check out our favorite, free beach landscape imagery from YouTube!
3. ORGANIC MATERIALS
Organic materials are a must-have for a coastal-inspired home and contribute to a natural, relaxed, and breezy aesthetic. Here’s a few examples of how to integrate organic materials into your space:
Rattan: Furniture, baskets and decor, like a beautiful rattan mirror, add texture and an earthy feel to your spaces.
Seagrass: It doesn’t get much more coastal than this! Natural fiber rugs made from seagrass, jute, or sisal are ideal for coastal homes. We also love woven light fixtures and baskets made from these materials. They’re durable, eco-friendly, and their sandy hues complement a coastal color palette perfectly.
Linen Textiles: Use linen for curtains, throw pillows, and upholstery. With its casual elegance, subtle texture and airy feel, this lightweight fabric is the perfect textile for a coastal home.
Natural Wood: Use wood for flooring, accent walls, or furniture to bring an inviting warmth and natural feeling.
Glass: Decor pieces, such as vases, lamps, and tabletop accessories, have a timeless elegance that can seamlessly blend with various design elements while adding a water-like fluidity to your space.
By incorporating these organic materials you’ll make your home feel more natural, inviting, and reminiscent of a seaside retreat!
4. ocean-inspired Finishes
If a kitchen or bathroom remodel is on your radar, and you want to embrace this aesthetic, picking coastal-inspired tile is key!
Materials: While most tile materials can complement a coastal design, pebble, stone and glass are fun choices to embody this vibe.
Style & Shape: There are several tile shapes that are classicly coastal. One of the most recognizable is scallop tile (sometimes called fish scale) which adds a fun whimsical feel. Organic shaped materials are also a fabulous option - think pebble or stone mosaics. Square and rectangle tile, like subway, can also work beautifully, so long as their pattern, texture or color lends itself to the coastal aesthetic. Check out the selection below!
Color: This is where those sandy neutrals, white, blues and greens that we talked about earlier can come into play!
By incorporating these coastal-inspired tiles, you can create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere that brings the essence of the seaside into your home.
5. POPS OF COLOR
While a neutral color palette is ideal for a laidback coastal vibe, pops of bolder colors can evoke a more playful, energized and summery feeling. Bathrooms are a great place to showcase more daring material selections and can make for a fun surprise element for guests. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is through wallpaper. For coastal-inspired spaces, choose something with movement, for example, a pattern that mimics the rolling waves.
Even smaller, more subtle additions of color, like a vibrant pot or patterned throw pillow, can bring a cheerful, “sunshiny” energy.
SHOP THE LOOK
Thanks for reading!
We hope these tips and ideas help you bring the beauty of the coast into your own space. If you’re looking for specific advice about your space, give us a call for an in-person or virtual consultation!
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