Coastal style and what it is
Style Secret: Beachy Treasures What did you bring home from your last trip to the shore? Odds are, you filled your tote bag with shells, sea glass, bottles, maybe an old ship’s cleat or two. Take inspiration from these finds in choosing small accents. The key word is restraint. One or two starfish on a shelf look striking and sculptural; baskets and vases full of them can be overkill. You don’t have to make a trip to the coast to get beach style decor Something different: Bring in a few objects that have a foot in coastal design but venture into broader territory. French glass wine jugs or Japanese fishing-net floats, for instance, hew to the look yet aren’t cornerstones of American coastal style. Or experiment with new ways to display old favorites — instead of filling a lamp base with shells, frame them solo or in pairs and hang them in a grid.
Style Secret: Casual Furniture Imagine flopping into a velvet armchair in a wet swimsuit or dumping shells onto a gleaming mahogany table. Did you wince? Coastal furniture should give the impression that it can stand up to salty air and sandy feet, even if you actually live on a suburban street in Dallas. Slipcovers, sturdy wood tables and case goods, wicker and even thick glass fit the bill. Something different: Casual doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice elegance. You’ll find lots of high-style pieces in materials that can take a little wear and tear. For upholstered furnishings, consider outdoor fabrics, which come in designs and colors that look as spot on in a living room as in a screened porch.
Style Secret: Open Space Like the beach itself, coastal rooms should feel breezy, so don’t stifle them with a surfeit of furniture and bric-a-brac. Decorate with an eye to maintaining clear vistas and sight lines — accent the periphery of a space rather than clogging its center. Even if there’s no briny air to blow through the house, it’s nice to feel as though it could. Something different: Our advice? Don’t deviate. As with light, there’s really no substitute for an expansive interior. If you have the budget and the inclination, you could consider remodeling to open up a home that begs for some extra breathing room. If not, arrange furniture in a way that feels as streamlined as possible and go easy on the accessorizing.
Style Secret: Light, Weathered Woods While exotic hardwoods may jibe with tropical interiors, American coastal style dictates a lighter touch. Picture driftwood: worn smooth and bleached out, with a salt-kissed patina. That's the look you're after. Whitewashed or pickled woods, blond maple and ash, or bamboo — on flooring as well as furniture — feel pitch perfect. Painted planks and beadboard are coastal classics as well. Something different: Darker woods have a place in this style, but they're generally the exception rather than the rule. A walnut chest or teak armoire can look stunning against a room full of light colors, as long as the deeper tones don't overtake the space.
Style Secret: Natural Fibers Organic materials such as sea grass, straw and jute, in the guise of rugs, furnishings and accessories, bring a natural warmth and texture to coastal interiors. A few touches of rope — nautical balls, cabinet and drawer pulls, even stairway spindles — add lighthearted appeal yet stay true to the theme. Something different: Break up organic surfaces with contrast. A wicker coffee table next to a rattan chaise on top of a sisal rug might be a bit much. This dining area juxtaposes a sleek table with woven, cushioned armchairs to streamline the space.
Did we mention that white is key to the coastal palette? When they’re done right, crisp white rooms are arresting in their purity and simplicity. But if they feel too austere or one-dimensional to suit you, branch out a bit. Layers of cream, beige and khaki evoke the subtlety of shifting dunes. Matte and honed finishes, rather than shine and glimmer, give the colors a soft, chalky spin. Barely-there blue is a close runner-up as an iconic coastal color, calling to mind the essence of ocean and sky. It’s a classic choice for bathroom tile and bedroom walls, but it can function as a neutral anywhere, especially when you keep it tone on tone. Something different: Does this mean you can’t have brights in a beachy interior? Nope. While a high-octane mix of persimmon, turquoise and lime might seem more like the Caribbean than the Eastern seaboard, you could certainly go in that direction if you don’t mind sacrificing the serene feel. Another strategy: Bring in varying shades of a single color, such as coral. Or add hints of classic nautical hues — navy and white, for example, looks as fresh as a sailor’s just-pressed uniform. The key is to stay consistent; too many color schemes in diff...
Style Secret: Crisp, Clean Fabrics In coastal interiors, fabrics are simple, unassuming and put-your-feet-up comfy. Think linen slipcovers, cotton rugs, and muslin curtain panels or floaty sheers that billow in the breeze. You can’t go wrong with pure white, but washed-out pastels or tailored stripes fit with the look as well. Something different: The market is loaded with shell- and nautical-print fabrics — many of them tasteful and chic — so go ahead and give in to temptation. But don’t layer them to the point of kitsch. Keep these patterns minimal: a pair of throw pillows, perhaps, or a single side chair. (The same goes for wallpaper, incidentally.)
What it is: If you wanted to split hairs, you could argue that coastal style is as individual as its location: a saltbox in New England, a Mediterranean villa, a tropical cottage in Belize. For this guide, though, we’ll stick with what’s commonly called American coastal — the style that probably springs to mind when you think “beach house.” Light and breezy, with a palette drawn from sand and shells as much as sea and sky, it whispers “summer” all year round. Why it works: Coastal style is at its best when it sets a mood rather than hitting people over the head with its beachiness (oars! fish! life preservers!). Although seaside motifs feel apt and appropriate, you don’t need to scoop up every piece you spot with a sand dollar on it; a coastal space simply evokes the easy, carefree feel of boating and beachcombing. And the bonus? You can pull off the look even if you’re hundreds of miles from a shoreline. You’ll love it if… You never miss a Jimmy Buffett show. A pedicure means strolling barefoot in the sand. You chose your silver pattern for its shell motif. In your world, it’s always linen season. It’s not a question of whether to vacation at the beach, but which beach you haven...
Love the photo transfer to wood on the wall
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