Designing a Modern Coastal Luxe Style Home

December 18, 2024
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In this post – furnishing our new California beach home in a modern coastal luxe style.

Although I have blogged a lot recently about different craft projects, I also love interior design and home decor. If I were a professional interior designer, I would never get tired of it. Sometimes, when I’m trying to fall asleep, instead of counting sheep, I’ll find myself mentally rearranging furniture in my head. Am I alone in this? Or are there others of you out there who find mentally redecorating spaces relaxing?

Designing Our Dream Home

We just purchased a modern coastal home in San Diego with breathtaking ocean views. We plan to make it our “forever” beach home, and I’m beyond excited to design and furnish this new space. Below is a photo of the space when it was staged. As you can see the main living space is one big open area. The challenge will be to divide the room up into separate areas while keeping the focus on the view. The design style of our home will be what I’m calling modern coastal luxe.

Many Coastal Styles

You may have heard of the trendy “Nancy Meyers” coastal style. Think linen fabrics, natural textures and a soothing color palette. I saw it once referred to as “50 Shades of Beige” which made me chuckle. In fact, there are many variations of the “coastal” style. Pottery Barn lists at least five: rustic modern coastal, coastal neutrals, coastal whites, classic coastal and Pacific coastal. All coastal styles have some degree of overlap. Where they differ is in their color palettes and textures.

Rustic Modern Coastal: clean lines with natural woods and finishes.

Coastal Neutrals: organic textures and rich woods.

Coastal whites: bright whites and textured neutrals.

Classic Coastal: blues, whites and vibrant patterns.

Pacific Coastal: deep blues and sandy neutrals.

Modern Coastal Luxe Design: sophisticated fabrics and textures

Now that we have the opportunity start with a blank slate, we want to be true to the architectural style of the home. It’s modern and open, with lots of floor to ceiling windows letting in plenty of natural light. The casual coastal styles above wouldn’t be appropriate for the modern aesthetic of this home.

For our new home, I’m designing an elevated coastal look with modern clean lines and sophisticated finishes. Touches of metal, sculptural textures and some abstract art will pull all of it together in a modern coastal luxe look.

We have already spent a lot of time at our local Arhaus, working with one of their designers to get some of the basics ordered so they’ll be ready to be delivered when we move in. Below is a sneak peek of what we’ve ordered so far. The fabric colors are not exact, but it gives you an idea of the modern coastal luxe design style.

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Two soft blue-gray suede chairs, a light bouclé covered fabric sofa and a modern metal coffee table with a natural organic wood inlay top are the foundations of the room design. Because the space has so much natural light and light surfaces, I wasn’t afraid to incorporate some darker colors into the design.

The darker smooth suede chairs are a luxe contrast to the light nubby bouclé fabric of the sofa.

Instead of a more traditional sisal rug, I chose a hand-knotted gray low/high rug with an organic pattern to anchor the room. It will complement the neutral oversize floor tiles and warm up the space.

Because the main living area flows into the kichen area, it is important that the furnishings complement the rest of the room. These swivel barstools have clean modern lines, faux graphite leather and simple metal legs.

One of the most unexpected pieces we chose, and also one of my favorites, is this sofa console table with reeded oak detailing. It will provide a visual divider between the living area and kitchen/dining area. A pair of rolling upholstered round ottomans will be stowed underneath for extra seating when needed. They will be covered in the same light nubby bouclé fabric as the sofa.

Pulling It All Together With Accessories

It will be a long time before our home is fully furnished and that’s ok. I’m planning on adding art and accessories over time. Below are some accessories that will go beautifully with the modern coastal luxe look. For this design style, subtle references to the ocean, along with lots of warm metal accents and sculptural textures will imply a coastal setting without being too literal.

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Clockwise from top left: faux coral/Pottery Barn, throw blanket/Arhaus, candle stand, /Arhaus, AD at 100/Amazon, Tonga baskets/Pottery Barn, Grapewood branch/Pottery Barn, Framed print/Arhaus, Brass telescope/besttelescopesreviews.com, whale objects/Pottery Barn

This article includes affiliate links; if you click on a shopping link and make a purchase I may receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I’m excited to get started but I won’t be able to begin until we move in next month. I’m looking forward to sharing our progress every step of the way with you here on the blog. There will definitely be be more “beach” happening at From the Bay to the Beach! Hope you’ll follow along!