Home Decor & Garden

Small Steps for Great Impact: How to Use Decor to Create a Coastal Home

August 8, 2024 — by Valeriya Vimon

There are many ways to give your home the easy-breezy, laidback appeal of the coastal style. With its sea-inspired colours, natural textures, and lived-in appeal, coastal can let your home have any vibe, from modern and elegant to traditional and more formal. When transforming your home into a Hamptons haven making the more important decisions, like choosing the furniture pieces, can be more obvious.

On the other hand, curating the decor may be more challenging. Some of the challenges may be the fear of going overboard or picking trendy pieces that’ll quickly fade away or become boring. Here’s what you need to know if you’re wondering how to use decor to infuse that timeless Hamptons charm into your space.

Is Coastal Decor Still in Style?

living room designed in coastal style with neutral and blue colours
source: stylecurator.com.au

Coastal decor aims to create calm environments that mimic the colours and materials seen in coastal surroundings, which is a universally appealing feature of a home. Is becoming outdated possible for this design? The answer is that coastal decor is timeless. It’s flexible and can be made to fit any budget. Thus, it’ll always be in style.

Since design is subjective, everyone’s perception of coastal decor will be diverse. However, as long as you effectively capture the style’s essence, coastal interiors are infinite. The coast has influenced homes for many years with timeless characteristics.

How to Decorate in Coastal Style?

You don’t have to live in a dreamy little seaside cottage in a charming beach town to create its undeniable appeal. You only need to pick the right pieces from the vast selection of coastal decor in Australia available to complete the look and feel of your space. Here are some great ideas on how to use decor for the perfect Hamptons vibe.

Make It Playful, Yet Sophisticated

You can easily go all in when decorating a beach-like house, as many things bring waves to mind – seashells, swim artwork, wallpaper, etc. Yet, it can quickly turn into kitsch if you don’t find the right balance. Using clean lines, an adventurous colour palette (to add vibrancy to the neutrals), and plenty of white between the pops of colour and theme is the key to balance. Placing accent decor pieces neatly in a tray can help you achieve the look – use a silver mirrored tray with handles in different shapes or a set of natural wooden or white rattan trays.

Layer Blue Hues

Blue comes from both the sea and the sky so it’s unsurprisingly present in most coastal colour palettes. Use different blue hues, from deep ocean to light sky tones, and try to layer the look. For example, if you have a white or beige slipcover sofa, you can use cushions in different blue hues and patterns, and arrange them interchangeably to create visual interest. A throw and pillows in a single pattern can have the same effect.

Incorporate Meaningful Artwork

Suitable and well-chosen artwork is an excellent way to show appreciation for space. Selecting interior colours inspired by the views can help establish a connection to the home’s surroundings. Choosing the correct frames can also impact the art looks in a room. Showcase your art or significant photos in silver bamboo frames to add a touch of Hamptons to any room. You can either create a gallery wall or display them one by one.

Create Your Own Aesthetic

living room with coastal wooden furniture
source: thespruce.com

As mentioned before, decorating in coastal requires balance, and sometimes this balance needs to be achieved intentionally. You don’t have to go all-in with the theme but be intentional and pick the pieces from the available options of coastal decor in Australia stores that truly resonates with you. That means creating a visually pleasing environment that expresses your tastes by adding standout components that resonate with you. Maintain a minimalist look with terrazzo countertops, a striking window treatment, and a clean colour scheme.

Try Colours Other Than Blue

While blues are a great choice for décor with a seaside theme, you should consider using a palette of pure white and cool sea green for a somewhat retro vibe. Fresh flowers and bamboo light fixtures are two earthy elements that may add warmth to a room.

Although we might assume that beige, green, and blue tones are essential for seaside decor, you can deviate from the norm. For example, seashell tones like pink and orange are ideal for adding a pop of colour with beach-themed designs. They’re especially beneficial in compact areas such as hallways and powder rooms.

Experiment with Texture

Playing with textural accents is another way to embrace the beach vibes without sticking to a literal blue motif. One way to embrace the style without going overboard is to use more abstract ideas, such as colours and textures related to the coastal theme. A coastal vibe may be easily created by adding a woven texture to an accent piece of furniture or a wall covering while keeping the bigger items more neutral.

Pick Natural Objects

Try filling vases or terrariums with driftwood, sea glass, seashells, or other similar things. Seek out other beach-inspired items, such as artwork and literature, incorporating aspects of the neighbourhood and the beach. You can go more maximalist or keep it understated.