:: Beach Cottage/Coastal Rustic Design Style ::

Tuesday Tips

The beach cottage and coastal rustic design styles are staples in coastal decor. We’ve put these two styles together because they really go hand in hand. The beach cottage style is all about comfort, being cozy and weathered decor. Doesn’t that sound just like rustic coastal decor? It does to us too, so that’s why we gladly combine these styles! Without further adieu, let’s get into what makes the beach cottage/coastal rustic decor unique.

The first thing you notice about the beach cottage/coastal rustic style is the immediate comfort the space offers. This style is all about welcoming you into a cozy space that you can curl up in on a cold winter night or take it easy on a hot summer day. The decor style invites you to forget about your worries and let go. You will also notice all of the textures that come along with the style. This is due to the fact that this style heavily incorporates weathered and vintage pieces. Another big theme throughout the style is the wood work. Whether it be the floors or furniture, there’s going to be wood. It’s most likely going to be stained, weathered or painted because that’s what the style calls for. It’s also very common to see wood paneling on the walls. This adds to the decor and the wood theme is usually carried throughout the home.

Cottages are known to be cozier (word friendly version of small) and that means you have to get creative with the space. That can mean little nooks, built in’s and many other creative ways to utilize the small amount of space you have to work with. Of course not every coastal cottage is small. Some have a lot of space and give the designer the opportunity to play in it. So instead of using standard, cottage friendly furniture pieces they can use larger ones that can add dramatic depth and style to the space.

The furniture used in this style is usually wood based. It keeps with the cottage theme and ties in with the wood flooring that’s already in place. Designers have been known to work in a few pieces that incorporate metals, but they are used sparingly in the home. The pieces also tend to have a vintage, rustic look. This gives the designer the opportunity to actually work with real vintage pieces that give the home unique charm. This idea carries through to the accessories and where we think the style really comes through. The accessories are the whipped cream and cherry on top! It’s very common to see trunks and weathered coastal inspired pieces in this style. Like old pieces off sail boats, vintage looking art and lots of driftwood. This style also gives way to the use of vintage knick knacks throughout each space. The designer can really have fun and get creative with what vintage accessories they want.

If you weren’t already sold on this style, we’ve got a few pictures for you guys to check out and see what we’re talking about. We tried to give you guys a mix of what’s out there when it comes to the style without branching off into any other style (which is a lot harder to do than you think). If you have anything to add to our beach cottage, coastal rustic design style post please let us know! We’d love to know your favorite design aspects of the style and anything you think we should know!