A Modern Coastal Mood Board

Hi friends, it’s Karen from A house full of sunshine! I’m an interior decorator and color consultant, and I’ve recently completed a fun decorating job which involved furnishing a vacation rental at the beach. I knew right away that a relaxed coastal theme would be perfect for the location and lifestyle. The trick was to catch the beachy vibe, without being cheesy about it. Instead, my goal was to create a modern coastal feel that was both sophisticated and comfortable.

This is the mood board I put together. I’m going to briefly talk you through the different design elements that I considered when composing this room concept.

Color

For a modern spin on ocean hues, I’ve combined a palette of indigo-blue, white, and sand, with a striking teal sofa and an accent of silver in the drum stool. The buffet is whitewashed timber, the color of sun-bleached driftwood.

Shape

Danish mid-century design is enormously popular for its clean, spare lines – still as stylish today as ever. I chose two sofas that contrast in colour, shape and size. The thing tying these seemingly eclectic choices together? The style of the sofas. Both are button-backed with mid-century lines, so they hold hands nicely together in a room.

The coffee table is a modern take on Scandinavian design, with the classic combination of white and beech. The round table top brings softness to the room – it’s more inviting than one with sharp corners. A circular shape also works better with two different-sized sofas, especially in a smaller space.

Texture

Nothing says “coastal” more than layers of texture. The shag-pile rug evokes the softness of sand beneath feet; the vertical-stripe pillows have a canvas-style texture reminiscent of sails, while the lamps bring that essential touch of woven wicker to the room. The oversized wall art has a thick impasto texture on the surface – a lovely, tactile feature in a painting.

My favorite textural element is the driftwood mirror, which has to be seen to be believed. It’s enormous, and really “makes” the room.

Repetition and unity

If you want an element to make an impact, repeat it. The striking seaweed prints hanging above the buffet are a great example of repetition in this room. Together, they have a far greater impact than alone.

Repetition can also be used to create unity. The sandy tones of the floor rug are picked up in the light tan and black pillows, which I placed against the teal sofa. The blue velvet pillows were thrown on the grey sofa. In this way, a color from one part of the room is repeated in a different part of the room, which creates a cohesive effect.

When coming up with a room concept you love, considering design elements such as color, texture and unity can make a real difference to the overall feel of a room.

If all this sounds like a bit much to consider, and perhaps you lack the confidence to create a decorating scheme for yourself, I offer a mood board design service on my blog.

I have over twelve years of interior design and consulting experience, and I’m passionate about creating unique whole-room concepts to transform your living spaces. I’d love for you to drop me a line and we can discuss your needs! (Psst – As an introductory offer, I’ve heavily discounted my usual fee for a short time only! Click through for details – I would hate for you to miss out!)

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the sources for the furniture and decor items in this mood board, they are all from Freedom Furniture (an Australian company). And yes, I do tailor mood boards for both U.S. and Australian clients, using locally accessible sources.

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