While coastal decor has been a widely-used interior design style for decades, contemporary sea-inspired homes have found clever twists on an old staple by totally reimagining what a beachy, coastal interior can be. Combining eclectic elements, borrowing from the bohemian decor trend, and incorporating Scandinavian minimalism are just a few of the ways these modern near-water homes stand out. Read on to find out how to incorporate the new coastal look into your home.

Sun-Kissed Materials

While coastal decor has traditionally relied on furniture and textiles in sun-bleached whites and beiges, they often came painted or artificially dyed, and some manufacturers even added faux scuffing to make each piece look “aged”. As we move away from the faux vintage aesthetic, we are seeing more and more homes that incorporate natural or unfinished pieces from the start— this allows each piece to stand in its own natural blemishes and beauty, and age gracefully with time. These scandi-inspired wooden beach chairs in the above Palm Beach abode absorb sunlight beautifully and match the wood tones throughout the rest of the home, to create a more natural beachy environment as opposed to a forced one.

Reimagined Blues

Water tones have been an unmitigated standard for coastal style homes since the trend’s infancy, but the traditional baby blues and teals of the past are quickly becoming stale by today’s standards. When incorporating coastal blues into the home, think about ways to add a unique edge to your space— this Newport Beach home, for example, chose a neutral shade of stormy or seafaring blue for its kitchen, but then incorporated touches of brass and mid-century fixtures to heighten the room’s sense of style. The modern textured backsplash pattern also plays with traditional coastal colors in a unique way to add visual interest while not completely departing from the coastal theme.

Dramatic Textures

No coastal beach would be complete without stony cliffs from which to watch the waves, smooth stones found where the tide rolls in, and dried remnants of trees which have washed ashore. Incorporating these kinds of textures into the home can add a tangible and dramatic presence, while also allowing for more flexibility in combining items that may not necessarily match otherwise. The above Southern California home features rough stone walls, woven floor pillows, a soft and sandy area rug, and a large salvaged wood coffee table.

Eclectic Voyages

One’s affinity for sea-inspired decor shouldn’t restrict one to a single theme or motif. Just as the ocean encompasses an astonishing variety of plant and animal life, so can your home exhibit an eclectic style without departing from its oceanic inspiration. This bold and lively coastal bar can simultaneously exist within the hull of a boat with its sturdy shiplap ceilings and wood flooring, in a beachside restaurant with its glamorous pendant lights and chevron-style backsplashes, and underneath the sea itself with its colorful upholstered barstools and coral reef artwork.

Seaside Simplicity

Many contemporary coastal homes are taking minimalism to a new level and stripping away all the old motifs that once populated the decor style, leaving only the essentials so that the space itself can become as breathtakingly calm as the coastal areas it is inspired by. The above beachside dining room, utilizing only a few natural bohemian and Japandi decor elements in a neutral color palette, stands on its graceful use of balance and natural light alone, unfettered by the clutter of its predecessor.

Want more decor guides and inspiration for designing your perfect home? Stay tuned to our Design Tips series!