There’s something so peaceful about coastal cottage decor — you can’t go wrong with natural materials, subtle pops of color, and laid-back design ideas inspired by a tranquil seaside scene.
A beautifully-decorated coastal cottage home begins with a foundation of furniture that you can build upon through accents that express your unique personality and style. You don’t need to be a professional interior designer to create photo-worthy looks, either.
This article will cover the basics of coastal cottage decor and some of our favorite looks to help inspire your next home makeover. “Shell” we begin?
Coastal cottage decor essentials
Interior design isn’t governed by rigid rules — it’s an art form you can use to express yourself through your living space. Especially with something as fun as beach cottage decor! But like any art form, you can rely on the essential elements of the style you’re going for to set the mood.
So before we highlight some of our favorite furniture and spaces, let’s look at some key elements you can play with in a coastal cottage makeover to create spaces you love to live in.
- Natural materials: Weathered wood or rattan furniture, wood floors, woven jute rugs, and natural linen or cotton upholstery help capture the nature-first aesthetic in cottage and beach house decor.
- Soft color palette: Sandy beiges, warm whites, ocean blues, seafoam greens, and fun neutral colors like soft grays are all commonly found in nature. These options tend to work well in coastal cottage spaces, especially when combined with pops of navy, coral, or aqua as accents.
- Textiles: We touched on this a bit in the natural materials section, but textiles made from materials like cotton, linen, and jute work well in coastal cottage spaces. Also, look for casual slipcovers, coastal-themed throw pillows, and striped patterns that combine colors like blue and tan or blue and white to drive home the aesthetic.
- Lighting: Coastal cottage decor works well with layered lighting, so you can brighten your space or dim the lights depending on the mood. Lantern-style fixtures, natural light with sheer curtains and strategically placed floor lamps help create a versatile space with lighting for every occasion.
- Unique decor: The decorative pieces in your home really show off your unique personality and taste, so pick things you love. For example, DIY sea glass art, glass jars filled with beach finds like starfish and seashells, vintage nature photos, rope details, and antiques are all fantastic options to keep on your coffee table, display on the walls, and otherwise accentuate your spaces.
You don’t need to check every box and add every element in this list to your home — the trick is to keep these things in mind and use them as guidelines while you decorate your home.
Coastal cottage decor inspiration: Furniture for every room
One of the best ways to find combinations of these elements you love is browsing inspiration pics — it’s a tactic professional interior designers use regularly.
In this section, you’ll find great inspiration and maybe even some furniture you’ll cherish for years. Let’s dive in!
Bedroom
This charming bedroom exudes a relaxed beach cottage appeal with its shiplap-style walls, natural wood ceiling, and dark-toned wood floors. The casual rustic furniture set works well for both beachy and cottage-style interior design, with a wire-brushed finish on each piece and a charming shutter-style headboard on the bed.
The black area rug grounds the room’s color palette and adds a modern edge that goes well with the gunmetal drawer pulls and accents around the room.
If you love this space as much as we do, you can recreate the look with the Franco 4-piece Queen Storage Bedroom Set in Antique White.
Dining room
The home decor in this bright and airy dining room gives off relaxed coastal living vibes that are perfect for everything from casual meals to holiday dinners. The farmhouse-style Cornelia 7-piece Rectangular Dining Table Set stands out with the driftwood-style Coastal Grey finish, trestle base, and six super-comfy side chairs with thick foam padding.
The beach-style wall art and muted gray area rug help guide the eyes in a sweeping journey across the room, adding cohesion and visual appeal. And the white walls — a beach house staple — help all these decor ideas come together into a beautiful symphony.
For those who’d like a little something extra to their dining room, the Ventura 2-tier Bar Cart with Storage Drawer in a Grey Driftwood finish would be a fantastic addition to this space.
Living room
Let’s face it: The TV tends to be the main focus of almost any living room, so shouldn’t your entertainment center also capture your dream design style?
This breezy living room nails the coastal cottage style with its navy blue walls, natural wood floors, and contrasting white-framed Angela 3-piece Entertainment Center. The TV stand can hold up to a 67″ screen and effortlessly combines beach home and rustic vibes into one neat coastal farmhouse package, complete with ample storage and display space. The seashells on the media towers are just the icing on the cake.
The natural-fiber area rug continues the blue and tan theme in the color palette, showing the power of textiles and a natural color scheme in this high-contrast space.
Entryway
Your home’s entryway might be a small space, but it makes a huge impression on guests and sets the tone for anyone who walks through your front door. And it’s the most accessible place to start bringing your favorite beach cottage decor ideas to life in your home design.
This entryway features elegant coastal colors and the beautiful Nilay Wood Storage Trunk with a White Washed acacia wood finish. It’s the perfect spot to store extra throw pillows, slipcovers, and other textiles, but it’d also work well for school supplies, shoes, and winter clothes — there are endless possibilities!
It’d contrast nicely with this Francesca 6 Hook Coat Rack Hall Tree Shoe Bench with its Dark Bronze finish, adding visual interest to any entryway with coastal cottage decor.
Kitchen
Coastal cottage decor combines laid-back, comfy looks with practical elements to create a home you’ll love. This Slater 2-drawer Drop Leaf Kitchen Island Table is a fantastic way to add that to your space. It’d be a good choice for adding cottage vibes to a coastal home with its creamy buttermilk finish and rich brown countertop.
The wine glass and bottle storage add a traditional aesthetic (plus extra convenience for nights in!) that would also work well for adding a French country style to your coastal decor.
Try placing it under a beautiful pendant light with sheer ivory curtains and plenty of natural light to brighten the space.
Seas the day!
If you’re ready to create your dream cottage, complete with a splash of irresistible coastal decor, what are you waiting for? There’s no time like the present.
Save your favorite pics of coastal cottage decor, make a list of the elements you love the most, and note any essential pieces you need so you can make it happen. We’re here to help!
For those who are still looking for the perfect furniture, check out our store locator to find some local spots where you can get additional inspiration in person.
CoasterEssence
Franco 4-piece Queen Storage Bedroom Set Antique White
Franco Collection
Cornelia 7-piece Rectangular Dining Table Set Coastal Grey
Ventura 2-tier Bar Cart with Storage Drawer Grey Driftwood
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