30 Cool, Coastal-Inspired Living Rooms
Are you dying to infuse the look and feel of summer into your home year-round? Bring coastal style to your living room with these inspirational design ideas, whether you're by the sea or not.


©Lucas Allen
Photo By: Lisa Romerein (Styled by Elizabeth Demos)
Photo By: Alexandra Rowley
Photo By: Kim Cornelison
Photo By: Lisa Romerein (Styled by Elizabeth Demos)
Photo By: Alexandra Rowley
Photo By: David A. Land
Photo By: Alexandra Rowley
Photo By: David A. Land
Photo By: Designed by Kathryn Greeley
Photo By: Somerset Bay
Photo By: Aubrey Pick
New, Old, Beachy
Instead of drywall, the walls in this coastal living room are covered with pine planks designed to look like exposed studs. The slipcovered sofa is from Pottery Barn, and the striped rug is from Wayfair. Although they’re new purchases, they fit right in with the room’s vintage pieces, including the pine coffee table, which was a desk before homeowner Sandy Gingras cut down the legs.
Take a Tour: A New House With Old Charm
Waterfront Surroundings
Coastal Blues
Perfectly Paneled
For an airy island vibe, this living room’s board-and-batten paneling was painted crisp scallop-shell white (Parchment White by Glidden). The neutral walls serve as a backdrop for a rotating collection of inexpensive, casually propped waterscapes and the deep blue of the sofa homeowner Mary Kay Andrews found on Craigslist. She scored the 16-yard bolt of upholstery-grade denim used to cover it for $25 at an estate sale. The round walnut coffee table is a hand-me-down freebie--it’s the kitchen table from Mary Kay’s girlhood home cut down to 21 inches tall.
Take a Tour: Beach Cottage Bargain Decorating
Contemporary Retreat
Beach Views
Before the remodel, this living space didn't show off the pretty view of the Choctawhatchee Bay. So the homeowners installed French doors with trapezoid-shaped windows above them. Problem solved. Outdoor party supplies are stowed inside the storage benches that are covered with linen cushions and throw pillows.
Take a Tour: From Dump to Dreamy Beach House
Island Makeover
In this sunroom, white furniture--an IKEA sofa and two $20 rattan chairs from a flea market--sets an island-y tone, and graphic pillows and a striped grayish-blue and ivory Dash & Albert rug give it pops of pattern. To rehab the decades-old dresser, which came with the house, Vicky painted it off-white with aqua chevrons. "I was worried about a white sofa, but I read that HGTV’s Genevieve Gorder said you can just machine-wash the slipcover, and that gave me courage," says homeowner Vicky Patton.
See it before: From Gross to Great: An Island Home Makeover
Nautical Focal Point
Porch Retreat
Homeowner Mary Kay Andrews most jaw-dropping bargain: a 1930s collapsible walnut camp cot that she nabbed for just $10 at an estate sale. Cozied up with mattress-ticking pillows and bolsters, it’s a favorite spot for midday naps and doing puzzles with the grandkids. The mismatched rattan chairs, found at an estate sale, have identical cushions sewn from an awning-striped fabric from Warehouse Fabrics, so they look like a set.
Take a Tour: Beach Cottage Bargain Decorating
Shades of Seashell
The wall that surrounds this beachy living room's fireplace was made by setting real seashells and starfish in plaster of Paris. The sectional sofa is covered with durable white denim fabric, and the shag rug feels about as soft as the white sand outside.
Take a Tour: From Dump to Dreamy Beach House
Cottage Charm
White and Blue
"You can’t go wrong with blue and white--it’s beachy and classic," says homeowner Marnie Oursler. A U-shaped brushed-linen sectional from Restoration Hardware is the pinnacle of cozy. It faces the fireplace, but it’s easy to talk to people in the kitchen while lounging on it. Marnie did shiplap walls (painted Pearly White by Sherwin-Williams), added white oak floors from Old Wood Delaware in a herringbone pattern and painted the back of the bar and the coffered ceilings pale blue (Iceberg by Sherwin-Williams). A polished nickel light fixture and a stainless steel range hood tie the spaces together.
Take a Tour: My Real-Life Big Beach Build
Let the Light In
When it came to their vacation house, homeowners Bill and Meghan Cashel were craving, "An open, airy hangout space with tons of sunlight and soothing colors," they share with HGTV Magazine. And they certainly got her wish. The linen curtains in their living room fit the aesthetic well. They're heavy enough to block the sun, but their loose weave still allows light to filter in.
Take a Tour: Cool Ways to Beach Up Your House
Elegant Living
Going With Gray
Instead of typical coastal blue and white, design expert Vern Yip did the living room of his beach house in shades of gray. "I didn’t want to compete with the amazing view," he says. The gray sofas and ottomans are upholstered in performance fabric he designed (available at Calico); the custom coffee table is quartz; and the nylon rug is by Milliken. Vern kept the existing stone fireplace because he liked the unexpected warmth it added. “It has brown and amber tones that make the color scheme a little less stark,” he says.
Take a Tour: A Very Vern Beach House
Island Breezes
Beachy Blues
This blue, beachy living room is bold, but pops of crisp white balance it out. For a room with bright walls, David Bromstad, Host of HGTV's My Lottery Dream Home recommends keeping your furniture neutral. "Think natural woods with crisp white or rich cream upholstery," says David. "This will help the blue feel like a backdrop rather than competition for your eye."
See More: Color Consultation With David Bromstad
Sea-Inspired Mix
Traditional Palette
Subtle Accents
Rustic Yet Refined
Beachy Sophistication
Nautical Cottage
Natural Comfort
The outer wall of the house opens up completely to ocean views, thanks to sliding glass doors. Gauzy shades filter the light and the whole space exudes calm.