40 Coastal Living Rooms That Feel Like a Day at the Beach

Coastal living rooms are decorated to remind the unluckily landlocked of a carefree day at the beach. Airy and light, coastal living rooms feature breezy palettes of white, sandy beige, blue, and green that are reminiscent of sandy beaches and ocean waves.

With the use of natural materials like wood and rattan and a focus on maximizing natural light and minimizing clutter, these spaces are naturally suited to waterfront settings. But today’s coastal decor is a crowd-pleasing and ubiquitous style that can work in a variety of spaces.

Check out these coastal-style living rooms for inspiration, whether you live in a beach cottage, new-build apartment, lake house, or a suburban home located miles from an actual beach.

Go Boho

Senior Home Stylist Joseph Wanek scattered patterned blue and white throw pillows and natural textures against a neutral backdrop to create a coastal, yet boho essence in this tranquil living room.

Incorporate Inky Blues

K+Co. Living mixed white and blue dip-dyed curtains with a trio of blue-and-white abstract wall art pieces and pale modern furniture with clean lines to create a coastal feel in this airy living room.

Add a Gallery Wall

Add variation to a blue-and-white cottage style living room with a colorful gallery wall, like this Florida cottage living room from interior designer Maite Granda.

Use Wavy Patterns

Evoke the water with textile accents like a large area rug. Curated Nest Interiors chose a patterned rug with a swirly marble effect in shades of gray and white that evokes white-capped waves. The understated coastal room is finished with a modern gold pendant light, wood accents, white walls, and blue accent pillows.

Draw Colors From the View

If your living room has a view of the water, use it as inspiration for your color palette. Tyler Karu Design + Interiors complemented the waterfront view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of this Maine living room with blues, whites, beiges, and wood tones that harmonize with the landscape and bring the outdoors inside.

Mix Navy and Sandy Beige

Dark navy floor-to-ceiling built-ins and a large sandy beige leather sectional set the tone for this coastal living room from Curated Nest Interiors. A blue-and-tan patterned area rug and a warm hammered metal coffee table styled with blue coffee table books bring it all together.

Decorate With Patterns

Mixing blue-and-white patterned textiles adds depth to a coastal color scheme.Amanda Barnes Interiors created a breezy coastal palette mixed with a laid-back desert feel thanks to the oversized cactus in the corner (and the black-and-white cactus photo over the couch). Natural wood accents like the organic coffee table add warmth.

Add Tonal Blues

Folding Chair Design Co. added a mix of blue tones in this living room from the wall art to the throw pillows to create a coastal feel that isn't too calculated. An airy glass bubble floor lamp adds a lighthearted note.

Paint Walls Sky Blue

Desiree Burns Interiors painted this spacious living room in pale sky blue, then mixed whites, beiges, grays, and rusty brown tones on the furnishings and upholstery to create a subtle coastal feel. The pair of rounded sandy beige armchairs add a sculptural feel.

Layer With Eclectic Pieces

This living room from Allison Babcock Design in Sag Harbor, NY has a coastal feel that doesn't feel too obvious thanks to its subtle blue-and-white palette, rustic wood accents, and eclectic mix of furnishings.

Maximize Light and Views

Christina Kim Interior Design decorated this beachfront living room with clean whites, wood tones, and notes of blue that maximize the natural light and views from the wall of paned glass doors looking out at the sand and sea.

Add Dramatic Lighting

K+Co. Living elevated this bright blue and white coastal living room with a beaded chandelier that draws the eye up to the dramatic wood ceiling beams.

Mix With Midcentury Modern

Louis Duncan-He Designs gave this modern living room a mix of coastal and midcentury styles with clean lines and shades of blue, white, and sandy beige.

Add Sailor Stripes

Emily Henderson Design added blue-and-white sailor stripe details on the pillows, throw blanket, and artwork of this light and bright living room for an easy, coastal feel. A painted white shiplap ceiling adds a cozy note.

Use Pale Blues and Woods

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added the palest of blue accents on the comfy sectional sofa in this Southern California living room decorated in shades of white, light wood, and woven accents that give it a laid-back coastal feel.

Contrast With Dark Wood

If darker tones are more your style, create a coastal look with darker tones on hardwood flooring and ceiling beams.

Amanda Barnes Interiors focused on warm browns and beiges in this coastal living room, adding hints of blue to boost its coastal look.

Upholster Armchairs in Blue

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added denim blue upholstery to the armchairs of this coastal living room for a sun-bleached look. Board and batten detailing on the white walls and a chunky natural wood mantel enhance the coastal feel.

Mix With Earth Tones

Desiree Burns Interiors added earth tones to this coastal living room to create a surf and turf color palette that is both soothing and warm.

Use Weathered Wood

Weathered ceiling beams add a warm rustic note that complements the calming modern furnishings and coastal palette in this living room from Christina Kim Interior Design.

Style the Built-Ins

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added plenty of natural textures and styled the built-ins with a range of objects that add warmth to the neutral-toned coastal living room space.

Display Vintage Paddles

Becca Interiors honored the coastal spirit of this New York fishing village summer home living room with white beaded shiplap walls, a vintage wood mantel, a jute rug, a denim blue sofa, and a pair of boat paddles that decorate an empty corner. A framed ocean-themed painting above the fireplace adds a homey touch.

Use Moody Blues

Mix dark and light tones to create a color palette that is as rich and variable as the sea.

Tyler Karu Design + Interiors painted the wall behind the couch in this coastal Maine living room in a moody grayish blue that is contrasted with pale textiles, rattan chairs, and wall sconces lit with warm Edison bulbs for an atmospheric glow.

Add Minimal Touches of Blue

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added hints of blue to create a relaxing feel in this slightly formal coastal living room decorated in pale neutrals and mixed wood and leather accents.

Try Coastal Minimalism

Desiree Burns Interiors used a simple palette of whites, beiges, and the palest of blue tones to create an uncluttered feel in this spacious living room that is a hallmark of coastal style.

Mix Blue and Pink

When decorating a coastal living room, don't be afraid to add sunset colors like pink and peach that will complement the whites, blues, and natural tones.

White Sands added pastel blue accents to this all-white living room, on the ottoman seating, and painted built-ins—then complemented them with gold accents and pink throw pillows to add variation.

Try Coastal Farmhouse

Pair coastal and farmhouse influences to create a calming transitional atmosphere.Kate Marker Interiors used a minimal palette of white and soft blue in this light and airy living room that keeps the focus on the dramatic vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, black metal accents, and whitewashed brick fireplace.

Try Coastal Cottage Style

Desiree Burns Interiors used a coastal palette of pale blues and bright whites with woven accents to create a cottage feel in this light-flooded living room.

Add Calming Beige Tones

White Sands added a large beige area rug that complements the soft blue and white tones of this coastal living room flooded with light from every angle. A coffered ceiling and built-ins adds a custom feel.

Mix Shades of Blue

Kate Marker Interiors upholstered a pair of armchairs in dark navy that grounds the pale white tones and soaring ceilings of this coastal living room, while a pair of tall fiddle leaf fig trees adds a note of greenery.

Mix in Some Green Tones

Add interest to your coastal living room by mixing in shades of green.

Desiree Burns Interiors decorated this coastal living room in shades of white, blue, and green, adding rounded and organic shapes and a dynamic patterned rug that energizes the space.

Add Comfy Seating

Kate Marker Interiors created a calming conversation area that promotes lingering and relaxation with a palette of coastal blues and whites, comfortable seating, mixed wood tones, and a round table to encourage flow.

Hang Coastal Photography

Look for ways to add coastal flair using accessories, finishes, and decor. Interior designer Maite Granda gave this Florida living room a beachy feel with framed black-and-white seaside photography, a weathered wood table, and a pair of woven vases full of palm leaves.

Try a Live Edge Table

A live edge coffee table will add an organic feel to a coastal living room. White Sands accented this Southern California living room with patterned textiles in shades of blue and poppy orange on the throw pillows and ottomans that add punch to the soothing whites, beiges, and wood tones.

Connect to the Outdoors

French doors or a double fireplace that provides a view of the patio will give your coastal living room an indoor-outdoor atmosphere. Kate Marker Interiors used a range of blue and brown tones for a natural feel.

Mix Brick and Wood

Kate Marker Interiors mixed weathered brick and wood on the other side of the double fireplace for a relaxed feel, finishing off the cozy outdoor space with a beige-and-white striped rug and pale blue painted wicker chairs.

Make It Family-Friendly

Christina Kim Interior Design used white walls, furniture, curtains, varied wood tones, woven accents, patterned blue-and-white throw pillows, and black-and-white beach photography to add coastal flair to this family living room.

Embrace the Outdoors

If you live in a warm climate or near an actual beach, open up your living room in fair weather with an external bifold door, like this space from White Sands that opens onto an outdoor patio and grilling station.

Large solid blue ottomans under the coffee table add extra seating and a subtle coastal feel.

Use Contrasting Details

The breezy coastal feel of this living room from Michelle Berwick Design creates a soothing all-weather ambiance that contrasts with the snow-topped trees outside the windows in the Canadian mountain setting, proving that coastal style can work in just about any context.

Mix Materials

Complement a quintessential Southern California view of palm trees with coastal blues, soft whites, and leather and wood accents, like this casual modern living room from Brophy Interiors.

Vary Wood Tones

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added darker wood tones to this coastal living room, from the hardwood flooring to the furniture, that creates a warm and grounded feel in a room with a wall of glass doors.

How Do You Make a Living Room Look Coastal?

Style your coastal living room with shades of white, beige, sandy tones, and shades of blue and green that recall the sand and the sea. Keep it soft and light—don’t be afraid to mix in shades of yellow, pink, peach, and other soft colors found in nature that will add nuance.

Prioritize natural fabrics such as linen and cotton—incorporate natural materials on furniture and accessories such as weathered wood furniture, a jute rug, or a rattan mirror. Maximize natural light by keeping window treatments minimal, like clean solar shades or gauzy curtains, and don’t clutter the room with too much decor to maintain an easy, breezy feel.

What Makes a Room Coastal?

Coastal rooms often feature a color palette that is reminiscent of the colors of the seashore such as pale blues, greens, and shades of white and sandy beige. Natural materials such as weathered wood and natural textures such as rattan, jute, wicker, or rattan complement a coastal room, which may also feature warm gold metal accents that mimic the sun.

In general, a room decorated in coastal style is a more refined and sometimes abstract interpretation of a beachy interior that can work in any setting, from a city apartment to a suburban home located miles from an actual beach.

How Do I Make My House Look Coastal?

Coastal spaces are airy, breezy, uncluttered, and relaxing. The simplest way to broadcast a coastal vibe is to stick to a natural palette of white and blue. You can channel the Greek islands with a minimalist color palette with white walls and bright blue textiles, or use moodier shades of blue-gray with dark or weathered woods depending on your taste and style.

Also, feel free to add color or black-and-white wall art that depicts beach scenes; palm print wallpaper; or decor accents in natural materials like driftwood, rattan, or jute.

Read the original article on The Spruce.