Hailing from the Hamptons on New York's Long Island, coastal style is an aesthetic that embraces the laid-back lifestyle and beachy decor influence of life on the coast. With its soft colour palette and airy open spaces, coastal style has captured hearts with its ability to transform any living space into an oasis of understated luxury. The coastal aesthetic is inspired by the textures and hues found in nature, and seeks to create a sense of effortless elegance, evoking a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. Despite its origins in the decor style of an affluent seaside community, coastal style has spread inland and across the globe, providing homes everywhere with their own slice of beach retrieve. At French Knot, we have compiled a list of the key design elements and essential decor pieces found in costal style, so that you too can transform your living space into a tranquil coastal retreat.

Key Elements

Light and Open Living Spaces

One of the most important features of coastal style houses are the characteristic light, breezy, and open living spaces. The beach lifestyle is all about an easy-going attitude and connection to the outdoors, thus the use of natural light and open-plan living spaces is vital to blurring that distinction between the indoors and outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors flood a room with sunshine, evoking that feeling of lying on sun-soaked shorelines. Oversized light sources, especially pendant lights, are another essential element in beach-inspired design, helping to create that light, bright atmosphere and oceanic ambiance. Stay away from any design elements that make the space feel cramped or "heavy" and instead choose elements that emphasise this seamless fusion between the indoors and outdoors - think breezy sheer curtains, white walls, and wide wood plank flooring in light colours.

Beachy Hues

The use of light, beachy colours - such as those found in the sand, sea, and clouds - is a vital aspect of coastal style. The base palette for your walls, furniture and decor pieces should be centred around neutrals, especially white, cream, and light grey. Pops of colour draw inspiration from the soft natural hues of the seaside landscape, such as the gentle blues and greens of the ocean, coastal plant life, and even the frosted colours of sea glass. Ocean-inspired colours like touches of navy blue and stormy grey add an element of sophistication to your decor and evoke imagery of dark ocean waters, but be careful to not go overboard with incorporating navy and royal blues, as coastal interior design uses a mainly muted colour palette, to create a sense of soft luxury and an uplifting, serene mood.

Natural Materials

The coastal style home features an abundance of natural materials, in order to emphasise the connection with the outdoors and create a soothing atmosphere. Furniture pieces made from light, matte-finished woods and woven materials such as rattan and bamboo are classic coastal design elements. Coastal textiles such as linen, cotton, leather, and jute are a must, as they introduce the sand and sea hues and highly varied textures of nature into the home. Straw, sisal, and seagrass decor pieces are fantastic additions to a coastal-inspired space, and really convey the notion of bringing the beach indoors. Ultimately, the coastal style home should be infused with a feel of timeless, easy-going elegance, and the organic colours and textures of natural materials are vital to capturing that sense of authenticity and harmony with nature.

Tips for Decorating in the Coastal Style

Coastal Style Furniture

Choosing the right furniture is an important step in creating the relaxed, casual vibe of the coastal style. Opt for furniture made of natural materials, such as driftwood furniture, light oak bookshelves and tables, leather sling chairs, and rattan armchairs. No coastal home is complete without a white couch, and selecting other furniture that is whitewashed or has a soft finish (think white chalk paint) is another great option for achieving the coastal aesthetic. It is important to choose furniture that wears well, especially if your house really is by the coast, as pieces can quickly become ruined by salty sea air, scratchy sand, and wet swimmers and clothes. Keep stainless steel to a minimum or choose marine-grade stainless steel, stay away from highly polished wood furniture, and use slipcovers for couches.

Coastal Decor

Coastal decor heavily utilises organic materials and natural imagery, and is a wonderful opportunity for you to express your unique connection to the coastal landscape. The rich textural variation and soothing earthy tones of natural materials feature prominently in coastal accessories, such as using oversized rattan basket pendant lights, textured cushions in natural fibres, and woven baskets or hanging planters. Sculptural elements such as faux coral, chunky beaded tassels, and shells draw the eye and evoke a nostalgic feel. Blue vases are classic beachy decor pieces, and frosted vases in sea breeze tones give that "sea glass" look. It may be tempting to overload your space with nautical-inspired trinkets and motifs like anchors, oars, and fish, but these can detract from the authentically elegant feel of the coastal style, and can make your decor feel cliched or kitschy. Fibres like jute or sisal are excellent choices for rugs or wall hangings, and are complemented beautifully by the smooth textures of white concrete pots and bowls. Add greenery to soften the space, and opt for coastal or salt-hardy plants such as banksias, pigface, and coastal rosemary. Wall art is a fantastic way to bring seaside landscapes indoors, especially if you do not live by the coast. Coastal art work prints of vast ocean waters, seaside scenery, and coral and marine life specimens are a stunning way to infuse your space with authentic beach house vibes.

The coastal style is rooted in notions of simple elegance, understated luxury, and natural tranquillity, allowing you to experience coastal elegance and the beach lifestyle no matter where you live. By infusing your home with the colours, textures, and soothing atmosphere of nature, the coastal aesthetic will transform your space into a serene oasis that will endlessly delight and refresh. Explore French Knot's gorgeous range of Coastal Style Decor and Homewares for more style inspiration.