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I want to live by the sea – coastal inspired style

by | Jun 28, 2012 | Coastal, Decorating Inspiration, Summer Decorating

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I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Inspired Style Rooms via BHG

Want to know what I think is so awesome thing about coastal inspired rooms? I love that you can interpret coastal-inspired style decorating any way you want to. No two coastal-inspired rooms need to look the same!

You can stick with the watery soft blues that have been popular for quite a while now. Or you can go bolder, brighter, vintage, modern, natural, or stick with tried and true red & white & blue…how you interpret coastal style is up to you. Last I checked there are quite a few coasts in this world, and they are all different! So go ahead and dream up your favorite home by the sea style!

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Inspired Style via Tiffany Eastman Interiors

You can add a palm tree to a beautiful white and blue kitchen for a nod to island living.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Chandelier BHG

Interpret coastal style through subtle hints of glass and sea blue beads in a funky chandelier.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Phoebe Howard

Or frame elements from the sea right on the wall for all to see.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Style Wallpaper BHG

You can rebel against being safe and wallpaper your room with playful paper of ocean creatures!

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

BHG

Or bring the sea home with you sealed in glass jars.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

 BHG

Create a cozy little vintage cottage by the sea.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Living

Go nautical all the way with a classic patriotic color scheme and boats.

I want to live by the sea - coastal inspired style

Coastal Living

Or fill your home with tasteful textures, whites and grays for the perfectly modern yet traditional seaside escape.

No matter how you interpret style at the sea, we can all share the dream of cool breezes blowing off the water and the warm sand under our toes. And that feeling is the best part of coastal living, don’t you think?

 What is your idea of a dream home by the sea?

19 Comments

  1. Sharon

    So many pretty ideas! I’m still loving the soft blues and creams together. Living near the ocean they just seem to resinate with my lifestyle. And the idea of keeping a little sand from different beaches is lovely! I just may have to do that! How I love white porcelain sinks. Still my favorite.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Me too Sharon, white porcelain sinks are my favorite too!

      Reply
  2. kelly at Talk of the House

    Just being BY the sea would be my dream! Love all of these…beautiful. I did a total nautical house with model ships and everything (only not by the sea!) 16 years ago, so my new coastal home (ha ha) would not be that. It would be hard to choose. The Outer Banks look with wood and rustic accents appeals to me (classic Nags Head), but I would probably go with the “vintage Florida” style like Mary Kay Andrews’ house at Tybee Island (the green BHG one above) just because it is so darn fun!

    Reply
  3. Jenny

    Love this. Coastal living as you’ve depicted is just one of my favorite looks. It just begs for relaxation and a sense of Zen. If only I had a coastal home by the sea where I could hear the ocean – that would be AMAZING.

    Reply
  4. Linda Stoll

    We continue our hunt for a little cottage, walking distance to the sea. Small, light, airy, lots of windows, privacy, still, peace-filled. I’m going minimalist when I get there. Because I don’t want the beauty of that place and my desire to be outdoors to be marred by endless cleaning, sorting, accumulating, fixing.

    Til then, I collect seaglass whenever we can steal away to where I hope will one day be our home …

    Reply
  5. Rachel

    This is the perfect post since I am thinking of making a coastal themed living room! Thanks for all the inspiration !

    Reply
  6. Lori

    Oh how I love this look, but my home is SO far away from achieving it.
    Thanks for letting me dream a bit. :)

    Reply
  7. Laura

    Thanks for the mini-vacation from the 100+ degree days. Our home is mostly soft blues and greens with white. I think I love coastal because it is so restful and cooling and gives at least the illusion of a relaxing lifestyle!

    Reply
  8. Fairfield House

    Hi Melissa,
    I do live in my dream home by the sea! “The Necessary Room” shows how we choose to decorate our 1880 Victorian farmhouse on the shore.
    Your Friend,
    Deborah

    Reply
  9. Diane

    Gorgeous photos!!
    For most of my life I lived within a mile or two of the stunning Lake Michigan coastline. And generally no more than a block or two from another beautiful body of water. Who knew that I was coastal living!?! While there we built our forever house. It was a 1600’s style saltbox with lots of goregous gardens. Now, I’ve exchanged my coast living for mountain living. But, I’m keeping my (who knew!) coastal style!!! :D

    Reply
    • Melissa

      I’ve always loved to live by water too! I’ve never lived in the mountains but I can see how that would be wonderful too :-) Nature is just beautiful!

      Reply
  10. Laura

    We share the same dream! When it comes time to downsize and the kids are gone we plan to find a place near the CA coast…and I will incorporate every element you feature in this post! I love all the colors and textures of this beautiful style.

    Reply
  11. Garden, Home and Party

    Oh Melissa,
    These are so pretty. It makes me want to get, leave my office and head to the beach, barefoot!
    So pretty.
    karen

    Reply
  12. how2home

    These are such beautiful inspirations. I’d love to live by the ocean one day…it’ll be amazing to wake up to the breeze and smell of ocean!

    Reply
  13. Kristen

    Really great blog Melissa, it’s amazing how many different ways we can incorporate nautical style in our homes.

    Reply
  14. Stacey

    I am currently planning on redoing all the rooms in my house litle by little with coastal style in mind. The colors in my house currently are dark greens, dark maroons, mustards. Living in the NW, as I am sure you know, the dark colors can feel a little drab, so I want to now lighten up my house. The top BHG picture has been a favorite inspirational picture for me for quite some time now. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  15. Debbie

    I grew up on Long Island, NY. Our house was across the street from the canal where all the clam boats lined up. They would go out very early and return with their clams to sell to the seafood restaurants. I loved the water!

    Now I live in Phoenix, AZ which is landlocked except for lakes. But I still love the water and love to vacation where there is a beach. Living by the sea would be a dream come true.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

    Reply
  16. Sofia - WinterStays

    I love that colorful chandelier! You’re right, there are so many ways to design coastal style rooms, I always love it when they bring in the surrounding nature into the house, with stones and wood from the beach..

    Reply
  17. Mary Coakley

    WOW I do like your round window,the pictures of a house by the sea are amazing,great ideas for the home I love your blog for the wonderful photographs.Thank you

    Reply

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