The coastal decorating style will be coming back into the mainstream this year and not necessarily limited to holiday homes by the sea! There are many different takes on the coastal style of decorating, so it is interesting to know which direction it will be taking off – be prepared for a natural and rustic approach where design goes back to basics; there will be an air of nostalgia with old sailing maps and hand-crafted boats. The overall feel of this decorating trend is one of simplicity and relaxation in a comfortable and homely environment.
Colours – Generally speaking there will be a nautical colour palette of white, cream and beige/sand for neutrals; dominating hues will be various blues and red as an accent. What should be noted is that the colours are really relaxed; light and airy rather than bold and saturated. Another option is to use soft greens and olive accents alongside your blues – this is a perfect solution if you want to try out the trend loosely without going full on coastal.
Floors, Walls & Ceilings – Natural wooden flooring in a light to mid tone is optimal for this trend but if isn’t an option you can achieve the look with the use of natural material rugs such as sisal or sea-grass – a large area rug has the capability of hiding any unwanted flooring. Paint walls and ceiling in white for a light and fresh background.
Furniture – I think that the classic look of Shaker style furniture will work hand in hand with Rustic Coastal and it is flexible enough to work into a range of other styles should you seek a change later down the line; in any case paint your furniture in white, cream or if you have rustic-looking wood pieces you will not wish to conceal the natural grain and tone of them – let them au-natural!
It is also worth mentioning that you can absolutely get away with mixing white painted pieces and natural wood; a little tip though is to place your white pieces to white walls if you have a small space – this will keep it looking open and with a good flow, a natural wood central piece will highlight a focal point and achieve ‘cosiness’. This tip can be applied in most rooms – a kitchen with white units and natural wood island, a lounge with white shelving units and natural wood coffee table and so forth.
Textiles – Nautical stripes in colour ways such as blue-grey and white or soft green with blue and cream – red can be used too but let it take a minor role this time around unless you are a big fan of course! You can create interest through this basic pattern by mixing different widths and several tones of one or two colours – try this look out with slip-covers for a sofa in wide stripes and a floor rug to compliment in slimmer stripes; if you catch my drift! In the bedroom you would get this trend right with bedding and curtain sets in your chosen colours – in which you really can’t go wrong with the natural hues of the coast.
Lighting & Accessories – We recommend hurricane lanterns for really enhancing this 2011 trend. How you accessorise will depend on how ‘coastal’ you are willing to go – obviously antique looking ship models, maps, globes and shells or pebbles are specific to the coastal trend but if you are happy to just appreciate the natural materials and colour palette, play it down with clear glass vases, unglazed pottery and wicker baskets instead.
