Mix Bold and Pastels
Neutral tones mixed with bright, vibrant statement areas are
iconic on the coast. From bold red, to Hawaiian pink or turquoise water and
palm green leaves, the coastal areas have a lot to draw inspiration from. While
you can choose to color your walls in neutral tones or pastels, pick a
statement area to go bold with color. The overall color palette could be in the
hues of ivory white, sky blue, light green and shades of grey. You can choose
to give your door a bold color like pink, green or navy blue, which will have a
huge impact on the overall light décor. Or you could color one wall in brighter
hues and create the same impact.
While all-white rooms are very costal and very charming, infusing
them with shades inspired from the outdoors work just fine. Pairing green and
blue could be a win win as we are used to seeing the colours of the grass and
sky together. For a foolproof look, choose a standout pattern that incorporates
the two hues and translate the solid shades elsewhere on furniture, rugs, or
walls.
Natural
Fiber
A coastal feel would remain incomplete without using the lush
textures of natural fiber. Whether its sea grass, jute or sisal, these natural
looking woven materials are perfect to bring the beach outdoor feeling inside
the house. You could either chose to give one of your walls a natural texture,
or a big fiber rug could do the trick.
Greenery
To further give the room a more connected feeling with the
outdoors, greenery is imperative. To gel with the coastal feel that you see
outside, opt for palm fronds or banana leaves, which would add both structure
and life to your room. You can also create a miniature garden by planting some
coastal plants, a wooden crate or box, would just add the right kind of look to
it. Use some general purpose compost and fine grit and top these will pebbles,
shells etc. for the perfect beach look. Head to a near by beach, and collect
those shells, it would make for a fun activity and give you a personalized
feeling while using them for décor.
Do you know Benaulim beach and Galgibaga beaches are known to be
the best for collecting beautiful seashells. Velsao beach is particularly known
for its white shells infested sand.
Curtains
Its best to give the house an open feel, and hence sheer
curtains work the best. While they maintain your privacy, they also let the sun
shine in and give the house a very airy and breezy feel to it. Opt for pastels
and neutral color palette for curtains or mix and match with 2 sheer curtains
in lighter hues on the side with one dark statement curtain in the center.
Furniture
Style
In costal kind of décor, simplicity and comfort are the key
words. Go for low-slung furniture in natural materials. Bleached wood, cane or
rustic wrought iron furniture goes well with the coastal look. Deck them up
with oversized cushions in bright hues for a perfect lounging feel. A long, L-
Shaped sofa, with an occasional textured statement chair could do wonders. A
coffee table in concrete or whitewashed wood with raw timber dining table could
add the rustic appeal to your beach house.
Decor
Though, shells, bamboo, fishing floats, coral, and driftwood are
all fine accents in a sea-inspired home, but their over use could make your
home looking more like a seaside souvenir shop. Keep them minimalistic and
effective; don’t go overboard with the use of such décor.
Kitchen
When it comes to coastal design, the view is key. In place of
bulky cabinets, go for open and functional places. Add some funk with small
kitchen garden on one of the walls and use of raw wood shelves could help
achieve that rustic feel. Do your own kitchen gardening and you would love it.
There are many workshops available across Goa to help you learn the basics of
kitchen gardening.
Floors
To complete the coastal feel of a room, wooden flooring works
the best. If not wooden, opt for painted floors. Aqua blue or green adds to the
beachy feel or a stenciled pattern could be used in order to create a more rug
like feel. Today there are many options available on the market for easy to
clean floor paints in various textures and colours.
Upholstery
Easy to maintain, hassle free and yet pretty is the way coastal
home upholstery be like. Either opt for bold pattern fabrics, which will hide
away regular dust and stains like sandy feet or go for slip covers which are
versatile and easy to clean, especially when opting for lighter shades.
Lights
Lamps
come in really handy to complement the coastal trend. Lamps with bleached wood
legs and linen shades are just perfect to create cozy corners around the room.
Driftwood inspired floor lamps and pendant lights also help in creating that
laidback lounge feeling. The flea markets at Anjuna, or the Saturday Night
Markets are the perfect place to shop for such things.
