Driftwood Beach Design Inspiration

Light toned wood floors and furniture are always desirable in modern coastal interior designs today. The beauty of a piece of weathered wood truly accents the room. We love the Toughlock Segundo vinyl flooring shown in the image above for a tough, waterproof floor that can withstand almost anything. Use a light floor cover throughout your home to join different parts of your home together. Consider adding wispy white curtains that move with a soothing breeze and that offer a pretty view.

If you're more of a carpet fan for your bedrooms, try Karastan's Bradenberg in the color Dorian Grey (available through special order). to bring in driftwood grey and sandy beige.

Dos and Don'ts

Do: Design around a color palette
Creating a cohesive and harmonious coastal interior design is possible if you stick to a few colors. You can pick one to three main colors and one to two accent colors for the best cohesion. For a beautifully beachy style, your primary tones should lean toward the neutral spectrum (white, grey and beige). Highlight hues can be bright but add them with discretion and avoid going overboard.

Don’t: Design around a theme
Staying away from themes, in general, is the best way to get started on your modern coastal home. Themes such as "sea life" or "nautical" risk creating a design that feels outdated or kitschy.

Do: Add a coastal element
One or two thematic details can add a little bit of chic whimsy to a room. For example, heavy sisal rope or delicate netting can double as curtain tiebacks in a coastal living room, and a part of an old boat, such as the wheel, can make an incredible statement feature in a spacious entryway.

Don’t: Overdo the seaside component
Too much nautical memorabilia might look off or risk looking kitsch so we recommend keeping it simple by sticking to a few favorites dotted around the space strategically. When in doubt, less is more.

Do: Make the most of natural light
The coastal home is synonymous with sand, rolling waves, and warm, sunny days on the beach so it comes as no surprise that coastal interior designs are light-filled and bright. Let in as much natural light as possible with light, minimal window dressings. Adding a large dressing mirror as a statement piece that doubles the light is a great tip. Light walls will also make your interior feel well lit and airy.

Don’t: Add cold artificial light
Since your coastal beach interior design scheme mimics the warmth from a sunny day at the beach the addition of cold light will feel out of place. Instead, choose a combination of layered lighting that works well together. If you're choosing efficient LED bulbs look for those with a warm light color rather than the cold blue white common in LEDs.