12 Breezy Coastal Decorating Ideas
Grab your sandals.
Coastal decorating is crisp and light. Whether your home is actually at the beach or far from it, your guests will feel like they’re right by the coast. Seaside-inspired colors and coastal decor ideas will make your home casual, breezy, and relaxing. Ready to feel inspired? Take a look at our simple coastal decorating ideas below.
1. Find the Right Color Palette
Choose a seaside-inspired color palette to build your home around. Use weathered driftwood grays and warm sand as your neutrals. Use crisp whites like the ones you'd see on sailboat canvases and sand dollars. Add a few muted greens that make you think of beach grass and sea glass. Don't forget the aquas and blues of the sea and the navy and steel grays of storm clouds.
2. Keep Decor Top-Shelf
Coastal decorating ideas should give a nod to all things beachy without going overboard. There’s something to be said for subtlety. Instead of kitsch, set out driftwood and coral. Incorporate natural texture with rattan or rope accents. Mix newer pieces with sand dollars and shells from family trips. A good story or two for everything on the shelf is one of the keys to creating a cozy, coastal home.
Too much coastal wall art can start to feel cliché, so we recommend sticking to simple shoreline- and ocean-inspired art. If you have space for a gallery wall, choose pieces of the same color palette. This will be more subtle than having numerous pieces with the same theme. We love adding an oversized drawing or painting for a statement piece.
Frame a set of wall shelves with subtle coastal decor. If you own nautical maps, antique postcards, family beach photos, or other coastal images, mat them in a set of picture frames for a sea-inspired focal point. Offset your art and vintage coastal decor with bookends to keep things tidy.
One of our favorite coastal decorating ideas is adding as much natural light into our space as possible. One sure way to bring in more light is to hang a mirror to reflect natural sunlight and create a brighter space. Choose coastal materials, such as wood-framed, shell-inlay, and driftwood mirrors, to make a beach-inspired statement while lightening up your space.
Another way to bring a little more color into your coastal home is with a vase or glassware set in a sea-glass-inspired shade. Think: aqua, turquoise, gray, or sun-bleached Kelly green. We love using a bubble vase to create a floral centerpiece or adding a glass lamp to a side table for an inviting living room. Set out glassware in a similar color for guests – because the beach is always better when you are sipping from a beautiful glass.
A throw pillow or three in the right color, print, or pattern is an easy way to to add a bit of coastal style to any living space. Add coastal throw pillows to your accent chairs, sofas, benches, or ottomans (we even toss a few Euros pillows on the floor near the coffee table). Drape lightweight cotton throw blankets over chairs for chilly evenings. Keep the beach house color scheme consistent by choosing pillows and throws in shades of watery blues and sandy tans.
A rug that's made to last is a necessity whether your foot traffic is bringing in sand or not. When it comes to coastal decorating, we like to choose a textured or rope-like rug in a neutral color. One of our favorites is a jute rug. The natural texture makes us think of seaside grasses and the color reminds us of the sand on our favorite shorelines. Plus they're sturdy and made to withstand years of foot traffic in the living room or dining room. If you'd rather have a rug that adds a pop of color on light hardwood floors, choose a navy or pale blue rug.
Coastal decorating is all about making your interiors feel light, bright, and airy. Keep window treatments to a minimum to let in as much natural sunlight as possible. We love keeping them open all day long to let in all the sun we can. Opt for sheer or semi-sheer curtains or drapes or install neutral-colored blinds.
If you don't have a lot of natural light in your space, consider hanging a few pendants instead. They're smaller than a chandelier, so they fit right into any corner, hallway, or reading nook. Choose a glass bell pendant or lantern-style light for a look that fits right in with your coastal decor and furniture.
Create a family-ready table by mixing durable staples with a few coastal accessories. We love well-made tablecloths and placemats for protecting your dining table from the occasional spill (plus, tablecloths add an extra layer of color to complement the coastal design). There’s no night of the week that doesn’t feel right to use coastal dinnerware on the deck for a barbecue.
Coastal decorating ideas for the bathroom include a light-toned wood vanity and cabinet. Keep wicker or rattan baskets at the ready to store fluffy, white towels and extra shampoo bottles – because you know your guests are going to need to rinse the sand off after a day spent on the beach.
Pro Tip:
Can't get enough of our coastal decor ideas? Bookmark "Your Guide to Coastal Style & Decor" for your next read.
Ready to bring these coastal decorating ideas into your home?
