Bring laidback coastal style back home

Take inspiration from the natural colours of the coast

Back from a holiday by the sea and feeling inspired by the rugged landscape and calming coastal colours? Then bring some of that relaxed holiday vibe back home with a decorating scheme inspired by the natural beauty of the seashore.

Seascape colours

Coastal colours are ideal for a family dining area, giving a cool laidback freshness to what can often be a hectic and cluttered space. Think simple with flat blue-grey walls and ship's deck-style plank flooring. Mid-century inspired furniture will give shapely elegance to this rough-edged look, while a mixture of glossy and textured ceramics in a palette of grey, white and pale pink will add soft colour and subtle detail to the scheme.

pink and green dining room with wooden shelves

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Jack dining table, Benchmark Furniture. Hans Wegner wishbone chairs, Blue Sun Tree.

How to put the elements together:

Mix pale aqua and weathered wood with hints of pink and greys for a scheme with natural beauty.

pink and green moodboard

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Skylight No 205 estate emulsion, Fired Earth; Grey Teak shipdeck flooring, Quick-Step.

Weathered woods

Take weathered wood as the starting point of a coastal living space like this - as real or fake paneling on the walls, and in details like the stool and wall art in this room. But don't take it too far - the trick is to tame the roughness and balance casual with formal using glossy flooring, smooth woods, fine fabrics and elegant ceramics, otherwise your room will look more shabby than stylish.

pink and neutral living room with sofa cushions coffee table and sakka rug

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Aldo lounge chairs, Blue Sun Tree. Sakka rug, Bo Concept.

How to put the elements together:

Go for a pure look inspired by the coast with pale weatherboard walls and a mix of natural materials.

blush pink moodboard and timber wallpaper in limed

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Timber wallpaper in Limed, Andrew Martin. Up the Garden Path fabric, Vanessa Arbuthnott.

Pebbles and driftwood

For a coastal-inspired bedroom, build a headboard and bed platform with reclaimed planks, choose sisal flooring and nubbly rugs, and dress the bed with wool blankets and cushions. Against simple, pale-grey walls, all those natural and woven textures will stand out beautifully.

coastal bedroom with driftwood side table and lazy linen duvet cover in pink

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Driftwood side table, French Connection. Lazy Linen duvet cover in pink, Loaf.

How to put the elements together:

Layer up textures to warm up a neutral scheme - rough sisal, chunky weaves, smooth pebbles, sawn driftwood.

coral moodboard with big boucle accents sisal flooring in aluminium

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Big Boucle Accents sisal flooring in Aluminium, Crucial Trading. Pavillion Gray No 242 estate emulsion, Farrow & Ball.

Slate and shell

Pair up opposites for a look that's inspired by nature but glam, too: team slate floor tiles with pretty polished-stone mosaics; concrete-grey walls with soft pink towels; smooth wood with rustic wicker; iridescent shells with roughened driftwood.

shell pink bathroom stockholm cabinet basin and basket

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Stockholm cabinet and basin, Fired Earth. Basket, Rowen and Wren.

How to put the elements together:

Create a pamper zone with soothing pebble shades, soft fluffy towels and luxe pearlescent finishes.

shell pink moodboard with caserta limestone floor tiles and venetian stone avorio mosaic wall tiles

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Caserta limestone floor tiles; Venetian Stone Avorio mosaic wall tiles; both Fired Earth

Rustic woodgrain

Introduce an unexpected element to your scheme with a rustic woodgrain wallpaper used in a feature area. Bring in more woody accents and textured finishes to add contrast - polished wood furniture, driftwood panelling, natural cork and glossy ceramics.

dining room with woodgrain wallpaper pendant light and nek vase

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Pendant light, Skandium. Nek vase, Villeroy & Boch.

How to put the elements together:

Start with a bold ‘log pile' wallpaper as your backdrop, bringing in contrasting wood finishes and subtle changes of colour.

woodgrain moodboard

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

Lumberjack wallpaper, Andrew Martin. Grey Teak shipdeck flooring, Quick-Step.

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Lisa Fazzani
Deputy Editor

Lisa is Deputy Editor of Style at Home magazine and regularly contributes to sister title Ideal Home. She has written about interiors for more than 25 years and about pretty much every area of the home, from shopping and decorating, crafts and DIY to real home transformations and kitchen and bathroom makeovers. Homes and interiors have always been a passion and she never tires of nosying around gorgeous homes, whether on TV, online, in print or in person.