Design cues inspired by the coast

Establishing a relaxed and cohesive connection between indoors and outdoors is key to designing a coastal-inspired home. With an emphasis on natural materials and open-plan living, new beach-side developments - as well as those located in the city - are increasingly taking design cues from the coast.

Neutral colours

Coastal designs take inspiration from the natural world to create a calming sense of serenity. Neutral colour schemes are integral in achieving this, which is why beach homes so often incorporate calming, cream-toned colour palettes. Balancing these neutral colours with earthy finishes further mirrors the beachy environment. 

Whilst calming natural tones are an essential element of the coastal aesthetic, colour can easily be incorporated into the palette. Pops of navy in addition to different blue and green hues are popular additions to many coastal homes. These tones effectively capture the colour of the ocean, so they integrate seamlessly into the natural colour palette of coastal design. 

Open-plan layout 

Coastal design evokes the laid-back beach lifestyle of seaside towns. Open-plan layouts allow for seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor living spaces, creating an informal relaxed atmosphere within the home. 

Perfect for entertaining, open-plan designs often centre around the communal kitchen and living spaces. These designs are ideal for those seeking spaces to relax with family and friends. The popularity of this relaxed atmosphere is evident in the growing popularity of open-plan living in new developments. 

The indoor-outdoor element of an open-plan layout has the added benefit of flooding the space with natural light. Having this kind of light can dramatically elevate the general atmosphere and sense of joy in a home. Incorporating lighting fixtures that mirror this natural light, and aren’t too harsh, is key to establishing a calm yet sophisticated coastal-inspired home. 

Natural materials

One of the key elements of coastal homes is a dedication to natural materials, which is being increasingly adopted in non-coastal homes. Using materials like timber or rattan for lighting features establishes the relaxed coastal atmosphere, as does furniture made from natural materials. 

Incorporating these design elements into your home will help to create the coastal-inspired home of your dreams. By adding natural materials or a neutral colour palette into your design you can even achieve similar effects on a smaller scale, showing the accessibility and versatility of coastal living design. 

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