How to Design The Ultimate Classic Coastal Style Home
Organise + design your Reno with these resources
Does the idea of balmy breezes, sun-soaked rooms and an air of relaxed luxury sound like perfection to you? What if we told you it’s possible to create that same look and feel in your home?
Classic Coastal homes embrace light, airy spaces, natural fibres and colours - resulting in an atmosphere that’s comparable to a beachside resort. It’s amongst our favourite home styles because Classic Coastal houses feel so good to live in. So how do you achieve this look in your home, and what are the must-have inclusions?
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Kitchen featuring kitchen island bench with rattan pendant lights
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Laundry
Colours and Finishes
A Classic Coastal home should feel uncomplicated, organic and comfortable. Colour selections and material finishes are vital to achieving this and will affect other decisions like furniture and soft furnishings. Taking the time to gather samples to compare colours and materials is essential to ensuring you get your colour scheme right.
Incorporating whites should be high on your agenda, and is essential to creating the feeling of light, open spaces. From painted wall panelling to kitchen cabinetry and splashback tiles, injecting white elements into every room in the house will create the perfect base for your Classic Coastal home.
Next, you’ll want to add timber or timber-look materials to introduce natural materials found in nature. There are many ways to effectively add timber to your home design, like timber wood flooring, cabinetry, handrails and panelling, or through features like floating shelves and furniture.
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Powder Room
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Ensuite
Finally, to up the warmth and add contrast, incorporate light, neutral colours like greys or beige through finishes like tiles, cabinetry, carpet and paint, as well as furnishings. These soft, neutral colours work seamlessly with white and timber and will stand the test of time and changing trends. Remember when choosing colours, to also stick to either warm or cool tones throughout your home for consistency.
Just Add Brass
Adding metallic elements to a Classic Coastal home is the perfect way to add a touch of luxe. In every space from the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry to a walk-in closet, adding the warm golden hue of a brass tap or handle pairs beautifully with timber tones, and results in a soft and sophisticated space. You can incorporate brass in a range of finishes, like tapware, knobs and handles, and through accessories like towel rails and hooks. These elements can really make or break a space - so take the time to compare your options, and opt for classic, simple shapes so they don’t overpower or dominate the room.
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Bathroom
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Home Dinning Room
Design Elements
If you take a moment to imagine your ideal coastal getaway, stand-out features include ample natural light, fabulous cross-ventilation, and big picturesque views. Of course, not all homes have the luxury of being built by the water, but you can definitely incorporate these classic design elements in your Coastal style home to replicate that resort-style feeling.
For a home that feels comfortable all year round, positioning windows and doors to maximise the Winter sun and Summer breezes is essential. Incorporating large windows and sliding doors is vital, and for homes with warmer climates, louvre windows are ideal for adjusting airflow and keeping homes cool. For rooms where large windows aren’t viable, skylights are a fantastic option for flooding a space with natural light whilst creating a beautiful feature.
Pattern And Texture
Especially when incorporating a predominantly white interior, softening a space and adding pattern and texture are essential. This can be achieved with a range of interior finishes, including wall panelling, carpet, sheer curtains and soft furnishings.
Use wall panelling to create feature walls in bedrooms and living areas, and instantly add pattern and a relaxed element to your space. You can also use similar panelled profiles for your cabinetry to continue this look in different spaces throughout your home.
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Walk in Wardrobe
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Bedroom featuring DIY Blinds Sheers in colour Allusion ‘Snow’
Then choose a light, looped pile carpet to add texture and contrast with white finishes, and soft sheer curtains to create a relaxed yet luxurious atmosphere. Sheer curtains allow sunlight into your home whilst providing good privacy by day. Sheer curtains are our go-to window furnishing, especially for bedrooms and living rooms, as they instantly finish and soften a space like nothing else.
Coastal Furniture
We’re often asked how we’re able to pull together furniture pieces for a consistent and cohesive look. Our secret? Keep it simple! A Classic Coastal home should have a connection to natural materials and casual comfort that makes you feel instantly at home.
When investing in pieces like sofas, dining tables or chairs, choosing light, neutral pieces results in spaces that feel light, calm and uplifting. Opting for neutral colours for larger furniture pieces, allows you to add soft colour through cushions and accessories. These smaller pieces are inexpensive to change if you want to refresh your space down the track, or as interior and colour trends change over time.
Worried about light colours with kids and pets? Opt for slipcover sofas that can be removed and washed, and timber tables that have been sealed for easy clean-ups.
Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Dining Room
Choose light timbers like Oak, and keep your timber tones consistent in colour to achieve balance and cohesion in each space and throughout your home. The natural texture of these pieces will help bring a sense of the outdoors and create a relaxed atmosphere. If you’re installing pendant lights in your kitchen or dining room, natural fibres like rattan also provide the perfect pairing for Oak elements in the same space.
Love the Classic Coastal look and want to recreate it in your home? Download our Classic Coastal Home Design Bundle. It’s the complete interior design solution, including cabinetry plans, bathroom layouts, colours schemes, products and more - taking all the guesswork out of your new project.
