Coastal Trends
Often considered an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of busy life, coastal trends are offering homeowners the chance to retreat to a calming home inspired by the palettes and stress-free lifestyle of beach living.
It’s remained popular due to its uncomplicated principles of neutral tones with maximum airy and spacial impact. We look at seven ways to incorporate this theme into home design.
Light and airy
left: Impressive Soft Oak Medium from £27.99 per m2, right Muse, Sandstone from £32.49 per m2, Quick-Step, quick-step.co.uk
To truly create a light and airy aesthetic, avoid overcomplicating the space with clutter or unused elements. Pairing back allows the focus to remain on the room’s principle elements, while a few well chosen accessories help set the theme.
Tip: When choosing your floor, consider how well it will reflect natural light. This can be particularly helpful when planning a north-facing or darker room where natural light may be at a premium.
Nautical elements
Hand block print cotton frilled cushion – Lime and Pink Seahorse from £40 each, huddlecollection.com, [email protected]
A nod to coastal icons such as seashells, seafaring, and ocean life is an excellent way of adding a cohesive and recognisable scheme. These seahorse-inspired cushions provide a playful and colourful nautical reference, without the often overused anchor motifs.
Natural shores
Sorrento 3055-Naturale, hand woven 100% wool chevron carpet from £85 per m2, Riviera Home UK, rivierahomeuk.co.uk
For a sustainable coastal style, consider incorporating natural materials into your flooring selection. Wool carpets are a hardwearing and comfy alternative to other natural fibres while offering a cosy solution that often includes patterns created using undyed wools for interest, such as these soft herringbone styles from Riviera Home UK.
Download Riviera Home UK images
Wave goodbye to traditional art
Swim collection 9351 Surf from £175 (80 x 150cm), Louis De Poortere, louisdepoortere.com
Rather than traditional seascapes, consider incorporating soft furnishings and accessories that reinterpret the visual experiences of visiting the beach. The Swim collection from Louis De Poortere offers the shimmering, undulating wave patterns of beaches and waterways.
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Sun kissed
left Capture, Patina Oak Grey laminate from £35.49 per m2 right Disegno, Creamy Oak Extra Matt hardwood from £71.99 per m2, Quick-Step, quick-step.co.uk
Think sun-bleached finishes for the ultimate beach paradise. These examples from Quick-Step show how an authentic coastal theme can easily be achieved with the right choice of floor.
Ocean-inspired
Coastal moodboard featuring Moduleo Roots Blackjack Oak 22937, Nashville Oak 88211 and Triana 46922 luxury vinyl tile from £35.29 per m2, Moduleo, moduleo.com
This moodboard from Moduleo highlights how adaptable this style can be. It focuses on the appeal of worn timbers with a balance of light colour contrasts. For those looking to avoid wood effects, a stone or poured concrete style floor in a light, neutral tone can work just as effectively.
Clutter free
Comfytex collection, Balmani cushion vinyl from £23 per m2, LeoLine, leoline.co.uk
Ditch the clutter with clever storage solutions so that surfaces remain clear. This will help provide the illusion of space in even small rooms, such as guest bathrooms and ensuites. Incorporating a neutral-toned stone-effect floor in this example helps add interest and balance that supports the raw materials and exposed beams.