Decorating
Decorating: How to Channel Seascapes in Your Colour Schemes
From sheltered, sandy coves to windswept shores, the seaside contains a wealth of beautiful colour inspiration for your home
Nature in all its many forms provides rich inspiration for a harmonious colour scheme, but in this feature, I’m focusing on the coast. Seascapes offer a wonderfully varied palette you can plunder for use in your own home. Look closely at the sea and you’ll spot various colours, from bright blue to mossy green, coffee shades to creamy whites, all of which can work beautifully in your interior. Browse these 9 schemes to get you in the coastal mood.
Celebrate coastal tones
Look at the land that borders the sea, too, for colour inspiration. From the white of chalk cliffs to the golden yellow of sandy beaches, there are numerous shades that work harmoniously and naturally with watery tones.
Observe a seascape this way, scrutinising all its colours, and suddenly, a whole range of schemes and combinations present themselves. Here are 9 great examples.
Look at the land that borders the sea, too, for colour inspiration. From the white of chalk cliffs to the golden yellow of sandy beaches, there are numerous shades that work harmoniously and naturally with watery tones.
Observe a seascape this way, scrutinising all its colours, and suddenly, a whole range of schemes and combinations present themselves. Here are 9 great examples.
Channel the Jurassic coast
A World Heritage Site, stretching along the coastline of Dorset and east Devon, the Jurassic coast is a landscape of soaring cliffs and pebble beaches rich with fossils. Around Sidmouth in Devon the cliffs are a rusty red colour, providing excellent inspiration for an interior. Try punctuating a blue scheme with a shot of orangey-red to capture the mood.
A World Heritage Site, stretching along the coastline of Dorset and east Devon, the Jurassic coast is a landscape of soaring cliffs and pebble beaches rich with fossils. Around Sidmouth in Devon the cliffs are a rusty red colour, providing excellent inspiration for an interior. Try punctuating a blue scheme with a shot of orangey-red to capture the mood.
Tap into Icelandic inspiration
Some beaches in Iceland are formed from black volcanic lava. Replicate that look by teaming icy blue with a dark slate floor.
Some beaches in Iceland are formed from black volcanic lava. Replicate that look by teaming icy blue with a dark slate floor.
Create a Cornish cove
Combine the three colours of a sunny Cornish cove in summertime for a bold but natural mix: brilliant blue for the sea, deep green for the grass on the clifftops and a soft yellow shade to represent the sand on the beach.
Combine the three colours of a sunny Cornish cove in summertime for a bold but natural mix: brilliant blue for the sea, deep green for the grass on the clifftops and a soft yellow shade to represent the sand on the beach.
Sail on stormy seas
We might think of the sea as blue, but see it when a winter storm is whipping it into huge, angry breakers and the colours it contains are anything but tranquil. Grey, beige, darkest blue and even greenish tints all swirl in the waves, topped off with white foam.
Explore 12 wonderful ways with wooden wall panelling
We might think of the sea as blue, but see it when a winter storm is whipping it into huge, angry breakers and the colours it contains are anything but tranquil. Grey, beige, darkest blue and even greenish tints all swirl in the waves, topped off with white foam.
Explore 12 wonderful ways with wooden wall panelling
Enjoy springtime at the seaside
Combine a mix of blues and complementary tones – lavender, soft green, white – for a fresh, sunny coastal feel. Imagine the spring sunlight on the sea and the cliffs blooming with wildflowers. Consolidate the look with a seascape painting for good measure.
Browse 10 splashbacks with punch and personality
Combine a mix of blues and complementary tones – lavender, soft green, white – for a fresh, sunny coastal feel. Imagine the spring sunlight on the sea and the cliffs blooming with wildflowers. Consolidate the look with a seascape painting for good measure.
Browse 10 splashbacks with punch and personality
Pick a pebble palette
Look closely at the pebbles on a British beach and they combine a variety of colours, typically including grey, beige and white. It’s a harmonious mix that works perfectly in a room that needs to feel relaxed and calm, such as a bedroom or grown-up living space.
Look closely at the pebbles on a British beach and they combine a variety of colours, typically including grey, beige and white. It’s a harmonious mix that works perfectly in a room that needs to feel relaxed and calm, such as a bedroom or grown-up living space.
Head to a Caribbean island
The strong sunlight of a tropical island can be replicated with lots of fresh white, which creates a bright, clean backdrop. Then just add blues and greens in a handful of super-strong tones to call to mind the sparkling sea washing over white sand on a Caribbean beach.
The strong sunlight of a tropical island can be replicated with lots of fresh white, which creates a bright, clean backdrop. Then just add blues and greens in a handful of super-strong tones to call to mind the sparkling sea washing over white sand on a Caribbean beach.
Dive into a coral reef
Leave British shores behind and take inspiration from warmer waters. The colours of a reef are many and vibrant, but teaming lots of tones of blue with a rich coral shade is a great way to capture its feel.
Leave British shores behind and take inspiration from warmer waters. The colours of a reef are many and vibrant, but teaming lots of tones of blue with a rich coral shade is a great way to capture its feel.
Dip into rock pools
Containing a range of seaweeds, anemones, crabs and other sea life, rock pools are beautiful mini habitats that are visible when the tide goes out. Use their colours to create a naturalistic scheme, with lots of brown, green and blue.
TELL US…
Have you channelled the colours of the coast in your decorating schemes? Tell or show us how in the Comments below.
Containing a range of seaweeds, anemones, crabs and other sea life, rock pools are beautiful mini habitats that are visible when the tide goes out. Use their colours to create a naturalistic scheme, with lots of brown, green and blue.
TELL US…
Have you channelled the colours of the coast in your decorating schemes? Tell or show us how in the Comments below.
Expand your field of vision and you can spot other natural colours that exist alongside the sea and work beautifully with its tones. The huge horizons of many seascapes afford expansive views of the sky as well as the ocean, ranging in colour from brilliant blue to the reds, oranges and purples of sunset.