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48 Beach House Decor Ideas That Will Make Major Waves in Any Interior
Give your home a beach house vibe with these easy, breezy decorating ideas. No ocean required.
There’s something undeniably appealing about easy, breezy beach house style. It happens the minute you step through the front door and into that light and airy space—with one big exhale, you instantly feel relaxed, comfortable, and oh, so happy. It could be the sea air and soothing sounds of waves, but let's not discount the decor, from casual layering of no-frills furnishings made of natural materials, pops of fun color, and collected finds from nature. Not to mention the charming coastal and nautical elements found in stunning beach retreats, such as framed seascape wall art, seashell-adorned mirrors and accessories, ship-worthy lighting, brass finishes, and anything and everything in all shades of blue!
Even if you don't live in the dreamiest little seaside cottage in one of the most charming beach towns in the U.S., you can instantly transport yourself to a seaside locale far, far away with the addition of a few tasteful beach house decor ideas. Getting the beach house look—and its laid-back vibe—is as easy as 1) painting your walls the best white paint color, 2) choosing a mix of comfy, casual, and carefree furniture (Adirondack chairs, anyone?), and 3) adding plenty of personality with pops of color and coastal-inspired accessories. Check out these 48 dreamy rooms that are packed with beach house decorating inspiration to get you started.
Dining With A View
Thanks to a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors, all eyes are on the prize in this dreamy dining room. To add softness, homeowner Marsha Ahearn had breezy tie-top curtains made from 100-year-old French sheets found at the Brimfield antiques shows. Adding to the room's casual look, rather than a chandelier, a lightweight, but hunky lantern hangs above the generous dining table. Pillows made from vintage bark cloth fabric add feminine pattern to the mix of natural wicker chairs.
Retro Charm
Three words sum up the oh-so-cute kitchen in designer Krista Ewart's California beach cottage: scallops, scallops, and more scallops. Oh, a perfectly pink Smeg refrigerator, too!
Effortless Mix of Old and New
Designer Loi Thai (@loithai) believes in layering rooms with that just-right piece of antique furniture or collection of vintage art, but he equally embraces the practicality and accessibility of mass retailer finds. Here, in the living room of his coastal retreat, he set the scene by topping an economical jute rug with a striking blue-and-white striped dhurrie rug. For the comfortable seating arrangement, he paired a factory dolly-turned-coffee table with slipcovered seating and an indoor/outdoor wicker chair.
Nautical Influences
Believe it or not, this airy bedroom used to be a dark hole thanks to its knotty pine surround. Crisp, bright white paint from floor to ceiling instantly transformed the small space, providing a blank backdrop for homeowner Ted Kennedy Watson's (@watsonkennedy) punchy layers of sea-faring themed furnishings such as nautical flags, anchor pillows, and old lockers.
Laid-Back Furnishings
With the beach practically at the back door, this soft and pretty living room needed to be able to stand up to wet swimsuits and sandy feet. No problem thanks to an arrangement of furnishings in a mix of durable and worry-free materials: a sisal rug effortlessly handles traffic; the well-worn wood coffee table welcomes propped-up feet and coaster-free drinks; and both the vintage bamboo chair with its washable cushion covers and the deep slipcovered sofa provide swimsuit-friendly seating.
Airy Porch
Transform your porch into a cozy place to relax with summertime staples (like wicker furniture or baskets) in bright whites and natural hues. Add a colorful rug to disguise any sand guests may carry in with them.
Shipshape Bathroom
Mimic the maritime charms of this master bathroom with a collection of seascapes, a navy soaking tub, and seafaring sconces.
Fresh Finishes + Vintage Charm
What this small kitchen lacks in square footage, it makes up for in charm. To freshen it up, the homeowners gave the 1950s space a bright coat of white paint, replaced the linoleum countertops with warm butcher block, and traded the upper cabinets with open shelving where they could display their collections of everyday dishes, serving pieces, and colorful vintage finds.
Breezy Window Seat
It's summertime and the loungin' is easy on this plush window seat, stacked high with pillows and tucked away behind pretty sea-blue curtain panels.
Ocean Blues
Outside this 1800s cottage on Cape Cod Bay, you'll find pretty blue shutters that reflect colors from the sea. And inside, the homeowners decorated with furniture pieces in a variety of aqua hues.
Upcycled Vintage Finds
Best-selling author Mary Kay Andrews outfitted her charming 1930s beach cottage with upcycled vintage finds like a framed retro bathing suit and galvanized ice cream containers repurposed into conversation-starting lamps.
Seascape Wallpaper
Even if your space is landlocked, thanks to wallpaper, it can still have a scenic view. Try Phillip Jeffries' "Fade" wallpaper, as seen in this room at the Summercamp Hotel in Martha's Vineyard.
Seascape Paintings
Ocean scenes have been a longtime favorite subject of artists, and seascape paintings have recently seen an uptick in sales at antiques stores and auction houses. While each one looks great on its own, group multiples together for a gallery wall that really sets sail.
Get the Look: Vintage seascapes: lasttangovintage.etsy.com, magpieethel.etsy.com, greatlakesmodern.etsy.com, and lucksy.etsy.com. Wood frame and brass frame: framebridge.com. Pillows: schoolhouselectric.com. Special thanks to the antiques dealers who loaned us their pieces for this photo, including Nautical Antiques & Tropical Decor, Cuttysark Nautical Antiques, and Mate Gallery.
Colorful Wall Installation
In this Seaside, Florida, oasis designed by Tammy Connor, a hanging collection of colorful vintage spools provides a fun and unexpected backdrop that guests will love.
Small Space Tip: To make your small space feel roomier, install the curtains as high as possible, as opposed to at window-height.
DIY Lattice Headboard
With just a few easy steps, plain home-improvement store garden lattice becomes a unique headboard. These mint-green lattice headboards pair nicely with crisp white sheets and pillows for a fresh beach home feel, while small framed prints of water fowl are a lovely added touch.
Signal Flags
In 1855, Great Britain established the International Code of Signals. The code evolved over time to designate a flag design to correspond with letters A to Z and digits 0 through 9, and it is used universally. Shopping Tip: Extremely old flags will be made from natural fibers (cotton, or, rarer still, wool) and have a slightly yellowed look.
Get the Look: Flags; historicalamericana.com; Iron metal bed; overstock.com (painted in Symphony Blue by Benjamin Moore); Mattress; leesa.com. Bedding; schoolhouselectric.com. Quilt and shams; thecompanystore.com.
Whimsical Color
From the colorful vintage touches, like the oversized plastic E and red-and-blue chair, to the boldly striped rug, this whimsical kid's room screams breezy summer fun. Homeowner Vanessa Pleasants of @themarketbeautiful created her son's clever bed canopy using a trio of humble hardware store staples: a painter's drop cloth draped over a wooden dowel and hung from the ceiling with thick manila rope.
White Shiplap
White paint is great for a beach-y vibe, but how do you make an all-white room feel cozy? One word...texture! The owner of this Tennessee home reinforced the kitchen's lived-in feel with shiplap paneling. "The wood walls keep things from feeling sterile," says Mandy, who also introduced an assortment of honey-hued wooden accents to warm up the look.
Water-Friendly Materials
Fill your seaside home with weather-resistant furniture that can stand up against wet swimsuits and summertime humidity. The homeowner of this rustic coastal cottage featured rattan, wicker, and bamboo pieces throughout her home to give it that cozy, beach cottage look.
Sunny Breakfast Nook
This breakfast nook has a beachy, barefoot quality—underscored by a braided rug, deliberately mismatched painted chairs, and a pair of oars leaning in one corner. A crate full of glass bottles offers a foolproof way to arrange flowers.
Jennifer Kopf is the Executive Editor of Country Living. She also covers antiques and collecting.
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