Coastal:Ocean-inspired serenity with breezy elegance.
Coastal design borrows from the sea without becoming a theme. Whites, natural linen, weathered wood, one shade of blue — the colours of a beach house without the seashell soap dishes or the anchor cushions.
Coastal design borrows from the sea without becoming a theme. Whites, natural linen, weathered wood, one shade of blue — the colours of a beach house without the seashell soap dishes or the anchor cushions.
The best coastal rooms are more about light than about ocean references. Big windows, sheer curtains, pale floors, low-slung upholstery in linen. The style is about ease.
This guide walks through what defines the look, the palette we work from when a client asks for it, the pieces and materials that make a room feel like Coastal instead of "generic contemporary," and where in a home it lands best.
Key characteristics.
Coastal is a way of feeling in a room — never a decorative theme.
Colours we build the room around.
Primary Palette
Accent Colours
Colours to Avoid
Colours specified from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams — the two catalogues carried by every serious paint store, with codes any designer can quote and any store can mix.
Materials & textures.
Materials
- Whitewashed wood
- Rattan and wicker
- Natural rope and jute
- Linen fabric
- Seagrass
- Driftwood
- Shell and coral
- Light-toned marble
Patterns
- Stripes (especially blue and white)
- Coral and seashell motifs
- Wave patterns
- Fish scale designs
- Botanical prints with coastal plants
Textures
- Woven rattan and cane
- Nubby linen
- Rough-hewn wood
- Smooth pebbles and sea glass
- Soft cotton canvas
Furniture & decor.
Iconic Pieces
- Slipcovered sofas in white or natural linen
- Rattan armchairs and accent pieces
- Whitewashed wood dining tables
- Wicker coffee tables with glass tops
- Upholstered headboards in soft neutrals
- Canvas director chairs
- Bamboo frame mirrors
Decor Elements
- Decorative coral and shells
- Rope-wrapped accessories
- Glass bottles and hurricane lanterns
- Driftwood sculptures
- Woven baskets
- Nautical artwork
- Potted palms and tropical plants
- Blue and white ceramic vases
Lighting style.
Rope and rattan pendants, ceramic lamps with linen shades, brushed brass sconces flanking the bed. Warm-white bulbs; the sun is doing most of the work.
Best rooms.
Space & approach.
Small Spaces
Coastal style excels in small spaces. Embrace the light color palette to expand the room visually. Choose rattan and wicker furniture with open weaves that allow light to pass through. Use mirrors strategically to reflect light. Keep decor minimal—a single statement piece like a driftwood mirror beats multiple small accessories.
Large Spaces
In larger coastal spaces, create intimate conversation areas using furniture groupings. Layer textures generously—mix linen, rattan, sisal, and cotton. Incorporate larger scale elements like substantial rattan room dividers or oversized coral sculptures. Consider a statement light fixture like a large capiz shell chandelier.
Starting a Collection
Paint one room white, add linen slipcovers to the sofa, a jute rug on the floor, and one substantial piece of natural wood. The palette does the rest.
The Considered Room
Commissioned Coastal work is upholstered in performance linens, joined in white oak or bleached ash, and finished to survive real coastal life — humidity, salt, sand tracked in from the beach.
Pieces that live in this idiom.
Every piece above is designed and built in our workroom. Prices are our to-the-trade rates; no retail middleman.
Related styles.
Bring Coastal home.
Our workroom designs and builds bespoke furniture in the Coastal tradition — commissioned to your room, delivered white-glove. To-the-trade access; no retail middleman.
