7 ways to make your home feel like a beach house (even if you live far from the coast)

Perhaps you have a home {or a holiday home} by the sea, or maybe you live deep in the landlocked countryside, or in the heart of a bustling city.

Wherever you live, you can create a coastal style home so it feels like you're living in a beach house, even if the view outside is less lapping waves and more honking traffic!

There are all sorts of ways to make a home feel more beachy. My tastes tend to run towards the natural, so that's what I've shared here. The point is to create a home that reflects who you are, that makes you feel happy to be in, and reflects your values.

1. Natural colours

The colours of the coast can vary quite widely, from the bright blues and golden evenings of summer and the jewel toned seaweeds beneath the waves, to the washed out neutrals and colder hues of winter.

So if you're more of a zingy brights person, it doesn't have to be all understated whitewash and sun bleached driftwood to feel coastal! 

Contrast can be part of it too. In my bedroom I have deep blue tongue and groove panelling behind the bed, which also gives me a narrow ledge for treasures.

2. Textures

Think thick pile rugs you can sink your feet into, creaky wicker chairs layered with cushions and blankets, and woven baskets for holding anything from logs to toiletries.

Typically wood, soft layers of textiles, and soft furnishings featuring coastal colours and patterns, will bring a beach life vibe to your home.

3. Artworks

Of course I'm going to say this, but art can play a significant part in making a home feel like a seaside retreat, especially if you add to your collection when you're on coastal holidays, or focus on buying art that reminds you of your love for the sea.

A big seascape over a fireplace, a gallery wall of coastal paintings and prints in different sizes, or a small painting of a shell in the bathroom will all bring that energy in, and create talking points when visitors come over, or little boosts to your mood when they evoke memories.

And coastal art doesn't have to be literal seascapes! My work is a more abstract take on being in and beside the sea.

Copper in The Blue | Fine art print

4. Light

The light is one of the things about the coast that most uplifts us I think, even if we don't realise. Light bouncing off the sea on a clear day brings a sharpness of vision, while a sea fret diffuses light and softens the edges of everything, so it feels still and quiet.

Considering how light is - or can be - a feature in your home can make a big difference to how uplifting or cosy or energising it feels.

While adding more windows or creating a more open plan space may not be possible, using lighting and light - or dark! - colours can make a big difference.

Typically, a few lamps create more atmosphere than sharp overhead lighting {unless it's on a dimmer}, and you can play with different lightbulbs, LED strips, and lampshades to get the feel you want. 

If privacy is an issue but you still want to bring as much light as possible into your home, I love window film. It's easy to apply and remove, and comes with all sorts of patterns and images, so you can create a coastal vibe that way too. 

 

5. Motifs

This can be as fun and themed, or as subtle and simple as you like.

Maybe you love lighthouses, and collect images or small models of them to have around the home.  Or perhaps, like me, you have an abiding love for seaweed, and it shows up on printed tea towels and napkins, or pressings, or dried out finds from beach walks for a nature display on a shelf. 

Having a theme based around a coastal motif or two can be a lovely way to bring the beach home, without the extra sand!

6. Memory keepers

Jars of gathered shells, bowls of sea glass, pebbles lined up on a shelf, or pinboards of postcards and photos - there are lots of ways to display your coastal memories around the house.

You can find glass topped coffee tables that can hold an ever evolving display in the sections below. Or a lamp base that can be filled with shells, pebbles, or layers of different sand.

7. Sounds and Visuals

There are other ways to bring the coast into your home that can be more temporary or occasional. 

Apps like Calm, or Headspace, often have audios you can play featuring the sound of the waves.

Maybe you have a TV that can show a beach scene, or set the screensaver on your computer or phone to show your favourite coastal location.

I set the lock screen on my phone to show a video of the sea that I took while swimming, with the sun sparkling on the surface, so I get to see the sea multiple times a day!

If you'd like to add my art to your devices, I shared some free downloads here.

 

I hope this post has given you some ideas, whatever your style preferences. 

And if you'd like to bring some of my art to your coastal style home, you'll find framed and ready to ship abstract coastal paintings here.