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This post will show you 23 elegant ideas to help you create the perfect coastal bedroom!
Close your eyes and imagine, just for a moment, being in a beach-front house in a Nancy Meyers movie; the light breeze, peaceful energy, and understated elegance surrounding you.
If this sounds like the atmosphere you are trying to achieve in your home, then a coastal bedroom is exactly what you have been looking for!
Coastal decor does not only belong to beach and lake houses; it can be interpreted and re-imagined to fit within any environment.
All you need is to draw inspiration from the 23 coastal bedrooms I have selected for you, and add your twist to the design for an elegant space you’ll never want to leave!
The Foundational Elements of A Coastal Bedroom
Coastal design is an interior style that is easy to replicate thanks to a very strong core identity.
Additionally, its almost themed-like approach to decor allows plenty of space for personal interpretation, making it easy to adapt to your environment and needs. It’s up to you to decide how closely you want your bedroom to resemble a beach house spread in Architectural Digest!
That said, you will want to keep in mind the foundational elements of a coastal bedroom so that you can incorporate them into your interpretation of this style:
- Seaside-inspired color palette: light blues, navy, white, sandy, beige, and green. The choices are endless!
- Natural materials: embrace rattan, wicker, clay, cotton, and linen for effortless elegance.
- Airy and Luminous space: do not visually suffocate your space with excessive decor. Coastal interiors are all about light, airy spaces.
Now that you have your building blocks ready, let us look at 23 ideas to create the perfect coastal bedroom!
23 Inspiring Designs for Your Own Coastal Bedroom
Coastal Americana Design
Source: @michellemillerdesignfl
Modern Americana design lends itself perfectly to coastal interiors as it naturally incorporates the navy blue and bright red tones that are so characteristic of this style.
For a traditional but contemporary approach, combine elements such as elegant bedding with fun, textured throw pillows.
Art will also play a pivotal role in driving your coastal inspiration: if you are looking to adhere closely to the theme, opt for beach-inspired prints with a vintage look.
The Power of Wicker Accent Pieces
Source: @aliciatorosandesign
Nothing recalls beautiful sandy beaches as a beige bedroom. High-quality linen and light wood will be your best friends.
To add a touch of personality to this more neutral background, opt for accent rattan pieces.
Items such as a woven bench or a beautiful chandelier can help introduce new materials into your space, adding layers in terms of color and making the room more visually interesting.
Blue & White Combination
Source: @kconneldesign
Recreate this photo:
A true classic, we cannot talk about a coastal bedroom without mentioning the blue and white color combination that sits at the core of this style.
If you are looking to create a very understated version of coastal interiors, then all you need is elegant bedding with touches of blue. I love the trimmed sheets – they add a hotel-like touch to the room.
Tie in the bedding with the rest of the room playing with blue curtains and decor for a cohesive look that will effortlessly recall the seaside.
Fun Wallpaper Accent Wall
Source: @oh.eight.oh.nine
If you are ready to fully commit to the coastal theme, then wallpaper is a stunning tool to transform your space and make a statement.
Opt for high-quality wallpaper with tropical or botanical designs to turn your bedroom into a beachfront space.
For a more understated look, focus only on an accent wall or a light-colored design. The light pink in the inspiration photo above for instance perfectly balances the dark green design of the palm trees.
Vintage-Inspired Coastal Design
Source: @vicwahbyphoto for @cooperinteriorsnj
A vintage-inspired coastal bedroom will need to embrace simplicity and tradition.
However, a few fun details like a bobbin bed frame or gingham bedding can ensure that the overall result remains fresh and charming.
A key item you will need if you wish to lean into the vintage side of coastal decor will be dark wood.
Whether it’s a dresser, a rocking chair, or a bed frame, make sure to incorporate this classic material in your decor for a nod to nautical inspiration.
Understated Eclectic Decor
Source: @loganelizabethdesigns
Something that characterizes vacation homes is that decor is usually collected over the years, as styles evolve and trends change.
A coastal bedroom can embrace the mix-and-match approach that lays the foundation for the slightly chaotic charm typical of lake and beach houses.
Don’t be afraid to pair chinoiserie lamps with a boho sunburst mirror or modern nightstands. As long as you are mindful of the color palette and how materials fit with and layer onto each other, I can promise you’ll love the result!
A Touch of Nature
Source: @h2hmoorebank
While coastal decor is traditionally associated with blue and white, coastal design can draw inspiration from much more than the sea.
This style embraces all aspects of flora and fauna you can find on a coast, and the greenery is no exception.
Choose to integrate nods to beautiful palm trees and tropical plants for a coastal bedroom that stands out.
Simply make sure to use these accent pieces against a more neutral background for an overall look that remains understated and elegant.
All-White Dreamy Design
Source: @casually.coastal
Few things scream airy and light more than an all-white bedroom against beautiful wooden floors.
If you feel comfortable with monotone decor, consider an all-white bedroom as a modern twist to classic coastal design.
A few, carefully-selected accent pieces like a bench or a mirror can help tie in your furniture with the parquet flooring for an exquisite design ready for your spring and summer nights.
On-Theme Decor Pieces
Source: @mossycointeriors
The on-theme decor is often considered a cheap, unsophisticated way to achieve a particular design style.
While this may be true when used in excess, I believe there are tasteful ways to integrate a literal interpretation of coastal decor in your bedroom.
For instance, use faux turtle shells as wall decor, opt for a coral sculpture, or display seaside-themed watercolors from your favorite artist. These touches will be the epitome of coastal without being tacky!
Eclectic Fun Decor
Source: @dabbling_and_decorating
If you’d like your coastal bedroom to shout with a personality from the top of its inexistent lungs, then eclectic thematic decor will be up your alley.
Be outrageously explicit in your adaption of coastal elements using lobster pillows, whale rugs, and nautical wall decor for a whimsical room that will belong to the most traditional of Nantucket cabins.
Pink & Rattan Combo
Source: @julialynnphotography for @katemalpeli, @beauclowneyarchitects
Another take on the light, airy coastal bedroom is the baby pink and rattan combo.
Unlike an all-white look, pink can work better with darker rattan and wood accent pieces, adding a nod to midcentury design while doing so.
Be careful to choose pink tones that are more powdery than bright – coastal is all about bringing natural elements indoors and fuschia beaches are yet to be discovered!
Feminine Coastal Bedroom
Source: @julialynnphotography for @allisonelebashinteriors
For a princess-inspired coastal bedroom, you will want to lean into the more delicate aspects of this style.
Take a more traditional approach, embracing fewer but more high-quality pieces like an upholstered bed and luxury bedding.
The refining touches will also need to be elegant: think of a statement chandelier, an abstract print, or a large, high-quality area rug.
The result will be a timeless coastal bedroom filled with feminine sophistication!
Modern Coastal Design
Source: @chantelle.barresi
A very modern take on coastal design can be achieved by foregoing traditional nautical elements and replacing them with shapes that recall the coastal natural environment.
Choose pieces that embrace the natural curves and rustic charm of the coast, heavily relying on natural materials such as solid wood or jute.
This sleeker approach, combined with an earthy color palette will combine subtle coastal references with contemporary design for a room that can fit even within more modern homes.
Mediterranean Inspiration
Source: @marta.puglia & @elenpouhaer
One of my favorite flavors of coastal decor is Mediterranean coastal style.
Unlike traditional American coastal decor, which relies heavily on lake houses and east-coast inspiration, this Mediterranean twist finds its core in the rustic simplicity of European summer beach houses.
Think of terracotta tiles, rattan vintage closets, inlaid bed frames, and linen bedding.
Surely a more minimalistic approach but just as beautiful and dreamy.
Preppy Maximalism
Source: @maalleninteriors
One cannot talk about coastal decor without mentioning some of its preppy roots.
For a truly traditional, southern approach to your coastal bedroom, preppy maximalism is what you want to invest in.
Lacquered furniture pieces, rattan decor, bright and joyous colors, and generous touches of gold; this is what you will need for all your preppy dreams to come true!
Striped Wallpaper
Source: @ritadinizinteriores
We can hardly think of a coastal bedroom without picturing some stripes as part of its decor.
Why not fully commit to the aesthetics and turn stripes into an integral part of the room set-up and design?
By choosing a striped wallpaper you will add a timeless but original touch to your bedroom while adding an unmistakable reference to vintage coastal decor.
Think of this design trick as a budget-friendly way of replicating the stunning wood paneling walls that are so typical of coastal interior design.
Rattan Seating Options
Source: @sawdustandsunglasses
While it may seem like you need plenty of decor and a full renovation budget to transform your space into the perfect coastal bedroom, this could not be further from the truth.
If you are working with a relatively neutral background, it will be extremely easy to add a few coastal references to see your space change in just a few moments.
One of the best ways to add a coastal element is to bring a rope armchair to your bedroom.
Such a piece, especially if paired with at least another rattan item, will serve as a focal point for the room, introducing typically coastal materials such as wood and rope to an otherwise modern and neutral space.
Good news: thanks to the popularity of midcentury decor, you will be able to find plenty of options online for chairs like the one pictured in our inspiration photo!
Understated Coastal
Source: @mysticbysea
If you love coastal decor but are afraid of your bedroom turning into a themed, seaside exhibition, no need to worry: the understated coastal decor is here for you.
Consider incorporating coastal materials like rattan and linen into styles like boho and midcentury for an overall neutral look that will fit with most surrounding styles.
This is also a great solution if you are working with a limited budget but still wish to bring some coastal influence into your bedroom.
Maxi Coastal Art
Source: @bethaultlsi
As with all themed decor styles, it can be risky to fully commit to a coastal bedroom if you know you like to often refresh your interiors.
A wonderful solution to this dilemma can be provided by wall art.
Instead of fully refurnishing and re-decorating your bedroom, scour the internet and your local art galleries for a coastal piece from your favorite artist. You will be able to get a truly unique piece that will be ready to move around or replace down the line if you wish to.
Bonus tip: have a look on Etsy – there are tons of talented artists with affordable pieces waiting for you!
Modern Coastal Bedroom
Source: @wrenpropertystyling
I love mixing design styles as I find it can create a whole new approach to decor that fully captures what I love and what I need out of the space I’m working with.
In this case, if you love modern, industrial pieces but also don’t want to give up the charm of a coastal bedroom, why not embrace both?
Materials such as rattan and linen will look stunning when paired with a more edgy metal bedside table or a modern glass lampstand. The secret is in the balance!
Seaside Simplicity
Source: Michael Hunter for @gingerbarber.interiorsedign
Creating a coastal bedroom means understanding what aspects of coastal nature you wish to capture and interpret for your indoors.
If you love the rougher nature, aged wood, and overall rustic simplicity of the seaside, you can choose decor that encapsulates all these features.
For instance, select art that showcases your favorite animals or simple furniture that lets the craftsmanship speak for itself. The result will be a stunning bedroom that naturally flows with the coastal environment that serves as its inspiration.
Coastal Cottage Core
Source: @foresthillflat
Recreate this photo:
There is a somewhat fine line between more rustic coastal decor and cottage core interiors.
These two styles share similar features such as embracing more natural materials, a vintage-inspired simplicity, and an overall cozy atmosphere that is hard to resist.
If you wish, you can insert cottage core pieces into your coastal bedroom and you will see them fit seamlessly.
A tufted bed, for instance, will provide a perfect match to your lightweight linen bedding. Be creative and combine the aspects that you love most from both styles!
Minimalistic Modern Coastal
Source: @archdigest
The ultimate modern approach to a coastal bedroom is minimalistic decor.
While you will lose some of the more typical coastal charm by adopting a more bare-bone take on this style, this is a decor choice that can be implemented successfully.
You will need to prioritize high-quality investment pieces and strictly commit to a coastal palette. Art pieces you select should also contribute to adding coastal references (e.g.: black and white beach photo for an editorial look).
Plan carefully before investing in any piece and ensure that each item is contributing to the overall coastal decor you are trying to achieve.
Remember: the fewer the pieces, the more each of them needs to have an active role in creating the look you are going for!
How to Design the Perfect Coastal Bedroom
We have seen 23 inspiring ideas to create a stunning coastal bedroom.
When designing your coastal bedroom, remember to always incorporate the key elements of this style: natural materials, coastal colors, airy and light use of fabrics, and nautical references.
However, it’s also important that you interpret this style according to your taste: do not be afraid to add your twist to the theme, introducing your creativity and personality to the final product!
