Coastal style is classic and timeless. A look that caters for all tastes from the elegant luxury of a glass fronted grand design of a beach home to a more laid back rustic boho beach hut vibe.
The beach house style brings the sunny outdoors in. The key to the look is to create rooms filled with lots of light. The eye is drawn to a mixture of textures found around the seaside. Inspiration comes from boats, beach huts, blue horizons and the white washed walls of seaside cottages.
The Coastal Style Colour Palette
Chalky whites, sandy neutrals, bleached sea tones of turquoise, navy, teal, sea greens and greys. White walls and furniture form a background with neutral tones for weathered wood and nautical blues to create a pop of colour in a subtle way. Wooden floors washed white or in natural warm tones add to the natural palette. Mixing whites through the subtle changes in tone in walls, furniture and accessories will create a natural white backdrop and avoid looking clinical.
French Connection Coast Grande Sofa £1,299 from DFS
The washed blue of this French Connection sofa fits perfectly with a coastal colour scheme. The whitewashed wooden walls, cream carpet and global traveler chic of the navy cushions combine to create a coastal theme. The rustic lampshade adds textures of fisherman's nets and lobster pots.
Classic coastal style
Think colonial beach houses and seaside homes in The Hamptons. Crisp cottons and elegantly crafted furniture. Formal sofas carved woods and antiques and accessories with a nautical theme - wooden oars, ships lanterns and rope. Whites are teamed with navy, light blues, charcoals and greys. Darker woods on floors and furniture contrast for a more formal style.
Off white walls and nautical stripes combine with warm woods to give a seaside feel to this formal lounge.
Painted white wooden walls, dark wooden floors and an elegant wooden bed create a sophisticated beach house bedroom.
Coastal Navy Stripe Bedding by The Secret Linen Store from £45
The Secret Linen Store have created an elegant seaside theme with striped navy bedding set against natural tones and panelled white wooden walls.
The rustic beach house
In contrast the rustic beach house is a more laid back look. Swap formal sofas for slip covered comfy couches. Elegant antiques exchanged for vintage treasures and shabby chic painted furniture.
Salvaged and recycled materials work well in a rustic beach house. Dark woods are exchanged for whitewashed wooden flooring, driftwood and bleached wood.
Less formality means less rules to follow so you can mix more colours and tones in this look. Deck chairs, bamboo or vintage wicker furniture layered with textiles.
Don't go overboard
Use natural materials and textiles to get the look right. Avoid over theming with too many sets of nautical stripes or faux accessories such as boat sculptures or cushions with quotes. Here's our pick of how to get the look from the high street.
1. Cari Peshtemel £39 from Luks Linen
2. Indoor Outdoor Clarence Rug £475 from Cuckooland.com
3. Distressed Iron Counter Stool £175 from Cuckooland.com
4. Large White Batari Lantern £100 from National Trust
5. St Eval Glass Lantern £12 from Daisy Park
6. Cumi Side Table £175 from Cuckooland.com