Your home in North Carolina: what is a coastal style living room?

Living on the coast evokes a feeling of relaxation and calm, and those are the key objectives of decorating your coastal style living room. The goal in creating a coastal theme for your home's primary living space is to infuse it with positive energy with the best coastal home design details, coastal decor ideas, and a nature-inspired color palette.

In a coastal style living room, design is ruled by natural materials, curated coastal-inspired accessories, and hues of the ocean, sand, and sky. The goal is to create an inviting, timeless living space with a nod to the beauty restorative power of the coast.

On the coast, home floor plans are often designed with a popular contemporary open concept. The living room is open to a large kitchen with an extended island or bar, eat-in space, and a dining room that flows naturally from the sitting area. One of the most noticeable characteristics of a coastal living room is that the space is meant to be lived in - furnishings and decor are comfortable, inviting, and easy care.

Heavy, dark furniture and rich fabrics of traditional home decor often feel out of place on the coast.

"When I think of 'coastal decor,' I immediately envision large windows that allow Mother Nature's natural light to stream into a coastal living room. Soaring ceilings give your living room a feeling of spaciousness. A neutral wall paint allows for you to change your accessories seasonally without breaking the bank," says Becky Brown, Broker/Realtor®. "The ideal Southern living room isn't overcrowded with furniture or tchotchkes. Instead, furnishings are all about function, comfort, and entertaining. An assortment of dramatic house plants will bring it all together."  





A coastal living room is reminiscent of the seaside, and coastal style design as a theme is fairly easy to implement. Obvious choices are white linen or duck sofas, natural textiles and fibers, weathered and light toned woods. Aim for light, airy, and inviting with all of your decor choices, from furniture and textiles to decorating accessories.

Coastal Living Room Furnishings

Don't neglect the fact that coastal living rooms trend to casual and that conversational seating is preferred. The most inviting coastal living room decor has both an easy, calm feeling and a clean, simple-to-care-for aesthetic.