There’s nothing more Summery than a trip to the seaside and going coastal is a great way to capture happy days spent by the sea. We’re lucky in the UK as most of us are within easy reach of a beach and while the sun is shining there’s nothing nicer than soaking up some rays! Transferring this idyllic way of life into our homes may seem a little Kitsch and yet going coastal remains firmly on-trend within the world of interior design.
Cool blues and whites typify a coastal theme, along with displays of sea-shells and driftwood. You may not like to decorate your entire house in this manner, however you don’t have to let bathrooms take all the limelight – for some reason, probably the association with water, it’s typically bathrooms which are given the beach or coastal look.
There are some fabulous curtain fabrics available which depict the seaside, with sail boats beach huts and bunting and these are perfect for making your own soft furnishings, such as curtains, cushions and Roman blinds, particularly in children’s rooms where these whimsical designs can easily be incorporated within a light-hearted beach theme.
For a maturer coastal look, with it’s whites, creams and blues, makes a chic and very stylish theme for bedrooms as well as living and dining rooms. Take a look for interior design ideas online and you’ll find some superb coastal styled rooms which you can adapt to suit your home.
If you’re looking for elegance and style rather than the whimsical approach stick to stripes and/or checks and opt for navy blues rather than paler tones. Bring depth into your soft furnishings and accessories by using plenty of contrasting textures; mix cotton blends with natural fabrics – for example cotton duvet cover sets and cheap rugs made from sisal.
You can take the theme as deep as you wish to get the look but you don’t have to go overboard (deliberate choice of words!!). Use accessories wisely and choose them carefully – open shelving displaying pretty shells can look extremely chic but too many and visual impact will be lost. Ships wheels, oars, fishing nets and glass buoys can all be used either a single feature pieces or as part of the overall theme. Fishing nets look great when used as an informal notice style board to post messages, shopping lists or used to hold photos – little shells can be glued onto mini-pegs to complete the look.
There are so many different approaches and ways you can go coastal, you just have to find the one which suit the style of your home and your budget the best.
