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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

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A new take on “coastal style”

Annie Elliott | August 28, 2022

How’s your summer going, Gentle Readers? Swimmingly, I hope.

If you’ve picked up a design magazine over the past several months, you undoubtedly have seen an article or two about “coastal style.” Have you noticed that the pictures are ALL THE SAME?

Coastal style in blue and white
Coastal style on Houzz

White walls, white slipcovered sofas, navy blue pillows and lamps, seagrass rugs, blue and white rugs, rattan furniture…and the MOTIFS! Sailboat motifs, seashell motifs, coral motifs, anchors, crabs, lobsters…you get the idea.

Navy and blue coastal motif pillows
Not that these are bad, but…on Etsy

There’s a reason coastal style is so popular. If it doesn’t get too kitschy via the aforementioned motifs (and pillows embroidered with sayings like “life is better in flip flops”), coastal style can be pretty!

Coastal style room
Design by Tidal Interiors in The Spruce

Navy + white = nautical = seashore = breezy = refreshing = summery. As a bonus, because it’s so familiar, it’s relaxing. There’s nothing confusing or challenging about coastal style as we know it.

Navy blue and white coastal style kitchen
Design by Bright Bazaar in House Beautiful

But we can do better!

Imagine how different coastal style would be if navy blue were banished! Could it even be called coastal style? I say yes! We currently are redecorating the lake house of lovely clients who FORBADE us to use a navy and white palette.

Large living room with vaulted ceiling
We will be painting the pickled oak walls white, though ;)

Here are a few new ways to achieve costal style.

DITCH THE NAVY BLUE

I’m all for light and bright spaces. So we can keep the white walls, but we don’t need navy blue to create a crisp room. Black with white is more sophisticated than navy. Or how about dark green with white? Or yellow with white? Mint green in a seaside bungalow sounds pretty divine, too.

Kitchen with mint green cabinets and a black and white floor
Designer Caitlin Murray in the blog, SF Girl

DITCH COLOR ALTOGETHER

Can you believe I just wrote that?! A house layered with warm neutrals can be extremely lovely, though — and interesting if you layer textures, too.

Nancy Myers’ Hamptons masterpiece in the movie Something’s Gotta Give

SPREAD OUT THE NATURAL MATERIALS

Natural materials are intrinsic to any interpretation of coastal style, but let’s spread them out. The room below is really pretty, but I’m counting a sisal rug, natural woven shades, possibly not one but two baskets flanking the fireplace, and a woven side table next to the chair. It’s a lot.

Coastal style room with large sisal rug
Design by Becca Interiors on The Spruce

INTRODUCE CAMEL-COLORED LEATHER

It’s super durable, looks beautiful with bright whites, works great with linen, and, critically, it’s not navy blue.

Bright living room with leather Chesterfield sofa
This isn’t quite camel, but you see where I’m going. From the blog, Thayer & Reed

DITCH THE MOTIFS

You don’t need ’em. I promise. Not in your artwork, not on your pillows, and definitely not on your lamps.

Lamp shaped like an anchor
This is gross. From LampsPlus

The bottom line: please feel free to embrace coastal design, Gentle Readers, but do it creatively. I have faith in you.

Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, DC, and we have offices in St. Michaels, Maryland, and Middlebury, Vermont. Be sure and catch our advice in House Beautiful about transitioning between design styles!

Category: How-to, TrendsTag: beach house decor, beach house design, blue and white, coastal decor, coastal style, country house, navy and white, weekend house

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