Sand between your toes, the smell of saltwater in the air and long, sunlit days. These are the quintessential sensations of a summer spent on the beach. If you’ve ever stepped inside a house that recreated this exact feeling and hoped to capture it in your own home, coastal design is the perfect way to do it. This design style is more varied than you might expect, with options that evoke different parts of the country. Here’s how you can make this relaxed, welcoming style part of your new home.
The coastal color palette is one of this style’s key features. Soft, light hues create a bright, spacious feeling. Interior walls are often white or a pale neutral shade, which helps reflect sunlight and keeps rooms fresh and airy. Soft accent colors—like light greens, delicate grays and a range of blues—are often prime choices for a coastal home design.
But you’re not limited to these shades. Coastal styles can vary by region, so you can incorporate a southern Gulf Coast style with warmer shades, like light pinks and oranges. Rugs, pillows and throw blankets all let you add splashes of color while keeping the flooring and furniture neutral.
The color palette should extend to the fixtures as well, such as tinted cabinetry and white countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. Matte black and chrome are popular choices for plumbing and lighting fixtures as well.
Airy colors are essential for a coastal home style, but there’s another crucial feature: natural light. Having large windows throughout the house will help you achieve this, and your decorating choices can help maximize the effect. Choose lightweight blinds and shades for privacy and gauzy curtains for texture.
Avoid framing windows with bulky furniture or shelving, as this can create shadows. Instead, pull furniture away from the windows or look for pieces that fit under or between the windows. Accessorizing with tabletop air plants or hanging plants near windows will also help you take advantage of natural light and bring organic colors and textures into the space.
An open floor plan is another key component of that comfortable coastal feel. But it’s still important for the space to have some structure and zoning. For example, a kitchen island provides some delineation between spaces and allows for ease of movement. How do you create clear distinctions between other parts of the home, like the living and dining areas? Furniture and rugs both help frame an open space. Choose rugs in your chosen accent colors to keep your design cohesive throughout the main living area.
When we think of indoor furniture, we often think of big cozy couches and stately tables. With coastal style, the lightness of the space is also reflected in the future. Take inspiration from the outdoors with wicker chairs, which can easily be rearranged, and glass-top tables with light wood or metallic bases. Instead of heavy bookcases, try open geometric and etagere shelving units, which don’t have backs and still allow light to flow through the room. The goal is to choose furniture that feels casual and has a sense of movement. It’s also important for these pieces to feature light colors to tie in with your home’s color palette.
The beach is one place where people can feel connected with the natural world, from the sand between bare toes to the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore. Coastal interior design brings some of these natural elements indoors. Look for opportunities to use natural stone slabs and tiles in the kitchen and bathroom. Textured wood flooring with a weathered finish also adds a beachy flourish.
For furniture and accessories, look for opportunities to incorporate wicker, rattan and woven grasses. Linen is the fabric of choice for soft, billowy curtains, and you can mimic the look with woven upholstery in light colors. Incorporate seashells as small decorative touches to avoid an overly literal interpretation of coastal theme decor.
The name “coastal design” might conjure up images of classic Cape Cod houses, but this style varies throughout the country. Whitewashed wood and stone exteriors are iconic elements of northern coastal homes found throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic, while the Carolina coastal style features an upside-down floor plan that puts the living areas on the upper floor with balconies for the best views of the Outer Banks. Gulf Coast style borrows elements from Colonial, Georgian and Greek Revival styles that are emblematic of Southern architecture for an unmistakably elegant yet relaxed design.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 25 locations in 12 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award winning company has built over 20,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends.