When it comes to interior design, think of your home as the blank canvas on which you can pour out your personality. This individual expression can be accomplished in any number of ways. You could take inspiration from the home you grew up in, emulate appealing styles you’ve seen online, concentrate on statement pieces you love and build around them — or anything in between.
There are seemingly countless interior design style types, each with its own slight variations, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between them — like contemporary and modern styles, for example. It also gets tricky to put a finger on just what you like about a staged room in a magazine. This interior design style guide will break down some of the most popular and recognizable design styles into their basic elements, teach you how to replicate them in your own home and even share a bit of the history behind the look.
Our first design style we’re going to look at is coastal.
Origin and Inspiration
Also referred to as the nautical style, coastal interior design is inspired by the ocean and aims to capture the essence of a New England beach home. When strolling through a home in the coastal style, visitors should be met with a light and breezy feeling.
Defining Elements
The main thing to strive for with the coastal style is an abundance of light. That means you should aim for sheer, airy fabrics for window treatments, crisp linens, weathered wood furnishings and a color palette of pale neutrals. Steer clear of any clutter since open space truly evokes a feeling of lightness.
Personality and Lifestyle Match
If your vacation destination always tends to be a sunny beach somewhere, the coastal style may be ideal for your home — you’ll always have the beach near. Additionally, the coastal style might be perfect for you if your general disposition is easygoing and happy and if you inwardly feel like you are one with the surf and sea.
How to Achieve It in Your Home
Start with a canvas of white and add a handful of blue and gold accents. Unobtrusive furniture pieces like a sand-colored sofa or distressed dining chairs would work nicely. Then layer in accessories that look like they just got scooped up from the shoreline, such as this starfish wall art. The trick with any decorations that follow a theme is to keep them from looking too gimmicky. Throw in all the seashells and sailboats you want as long as they look chic, not childish.