Using Coastal Decor in Your Home: Tips From a Pro To Avoid Going Overboard

Coastal design evokes a life by the sea. Think light and airy colors and furniture of the same essence. Working coastal elements into your home decorating can provide the feeling of being at the beach whether the shore is right out your window or miles away. If you love all things coastal design but are unsure about using these elements in your home, you’re in luck!

We connected with Desiree Kludy, interior designer and owner of Design Key Studio – Decorating Den Interiors. She has some tips for Woman’s World readers about injecting coastal decor into the home, whether you live by the ocean or only wish you did. Keep reading to shop expert-recommended coastal home decor.

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Looking for the best deals and sales on coastal home decor? Here’s where you can find discounts on all things coastal design right now:

• Save on clearance coastal decor at Pottery Barn
• Get clearance coastal home decor from Amazon
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• Shop Target’s beach decor at clearance prices!

What are the key elements of coastal home decor?

Every design style has key elements. For example, modern design is usually indicated by clean lines, open floor concepts and lots of natural light. When it comes to coastal design, natural textures and nautical accents usually inspire the decor.

“Some great key elements would be adding texture to the drapery, such as a woven wood valance and maybe a grasscloth wallcovering,” Kludy tells us. “A woven wood valance brings that nautical texture to the top treatment, complementing and adding interest to a typical window treatment.” Sometimes, paint isn’t the answer. As Kludy alludes to, sometimes creating a statement piece in design means adding texture to the wall!

How can homeowners incorporate coastal decor without making their homes look too themed or cliché?

Any home decor can quickly become dated or cliché. Most of the time, this happens when you try using too many elements of a certain decor style into a space. Kludy has a few tips to avoid leaning too far into the coastal decor theme.

“I always suggest adding an area rug that might incorporate the colors they like,” says Kludy. We like the area rugs from Wayfair — they always have great deals! “This helps with acoustics and brings interest to the flooring.”

Is there anything to avoid when it comes to decorating with coastal decor?

You may not know it, but there are unspoken rules to decorating your home. That’s true when it comes to certain decorating styles, too.

When it comes to coastal decor, Kludy says to “avoid anything that might look typical.” Think an overwhelming amount of seashells, anchors on every wall, and the like. In the world of decorating, if anything you’re adding ever feels like it’s too much, it probably is.

Instead, opt for decor that really means something. That will never feel inauthentic!

“I love it when clients bring items from trips and ask how to incorporate them,” Kludy elaborates. “They fell in love with the piece on the trip, so it has sentimental value to them and should be showcased.”

Does coastal decor not work in certain homes?

While there’s really no steadfast rule about where coastal decor works, Kludy mentions how this design style can look out of place in traditional or modern-style homes. If you absolutely love coastal design and live in one of these style homes, fear not!

“There are ways to incorporate a few favorite pieces,” Kludy says. Connect with her to find out how!

What are some must-have decor items for achieving a coastal look?

And now for the fun part — shopping for coastal home decor! Of course, we asked Kludy for some hand-selected coastal design picks and she delivered. Discover a few of her professional coastal decor recommendations.

“I think must have items might be a blue glass lamp like this lamp from Elk home,” she says. “Also adding any type of rattan to a room really can bring that warm beachy feel, like this bedroom furniture set from Raymour & Flanigan.”

Another easy way to bring coastal design into your home is through small accents, like the tropical pillow below. This picture is a sitting area Kludy recently created for a client. “She absolutely loves it!” Kludy shares.

“It has a custom chair from Craftmaster in teal boucle fabric [here’s a similar teal chair from Raymour & Flanigan!] with striped velvet trim and side fabric,” Kludy explains. “We added this tropical pillow from Eastern Accents that matches the bedding in the connecting space. The flamingo artwork is absolutely fabulous! It’s a statement piece and really gives life to the bedroom entry.“

Shop more coastal home decor

Need more coastal decorating inspiration? We have you covered!

For more interior decorating tips, connect with Kludy directly! She offers personalized service, one of a kind design, and specializes in project planning, working with you to create the home of your dreams. Whether you want to decorate one area or the whole space, Kludy and her team can help you create something that is well-made, functional, and elegant.

Want even more home decorating ideas? Keep reading!

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