It could be that we are all really looking forward to a relaxing holiday, or that over the past few years we have spent more time in our homes than ever before - but coastal style is back on the interior radars across the country.
But gone are the days when coastal style meant naff seashells and an abundance of rusty anchors - refined coastal style is trending again, and for all the right reasons!
Unsurprisingly, coastal style draws its influence from the beach and seaside living, and is right at home in all of the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, from Palm Beach down to the Shire.
The new coastal style is a mix of all the things we love - white and neutral colour base, lots of natural light, organic wood textures and breezy open-plan spaces. It’s no secret that we love a white and neutral colour scheme here at Spatial, so this revitalised trend of coastal style is right up our alley.
It’s more laid back than its close cousin “Hamptons style” (which is also rising in popularity across Australia) and consists of relaxed fabrics, an abundance of textures and natural fibres, bright natural light and lends itself well to homes with large windows, open-plan layouts and hybrid indoor/outdoor living spaces.
Sydney is a coastal city and we thrive near the water - whether that be in the highly sought after Eastern suburbs, harbour suburbs with stunning water views, or the Shire with its beach lifestyle. Even those in the Inner West make the trek for a salty dip when the summertime temperatures rise!
Coastal style is particularly helpful in selling a home for two reasons. Firstly, it evokes a sense of calm and relaxation that you feel on a luxury tropical holiday. The use of high-quality linens, laidback wood and rattan furniture and pops of fresh greenery paint the picture of an unfussy, uncomplicated lifestyle and let the home speak for itself.
Secondly, it uses a mostly white and neutral base for the colour palette. By choosing this cohesive and welcoming colour scheme, we can ensure that there is no overpowering colours used that would trigger a negative response in the buyer. Neutrals appeal to a broad range of buyers and allows them to leave their minds open to imagine how their own furniture, homewares and most importantly their family would feel at home in the neutral space.
The bedroom is the perfect place to use coastal style - who doesn’t want to feel relaxed and comfortable in their bedroom?! We recommend starting with a base of really good quality linens in a contemporary white, layer textured pillows and incorporate a textured throw rug in the cooler months. If the room is lacking a focal point to draw the styling together a bedhead in natural wood, woven fibre or rattan will draw the eye in and keep some interest in the space. For bedrooms with one window or low light rooms, adding a warm-toned bedside lamp to either side adds a touch of luxury you would typically associate with a boutique hotel. Ensure to keep the curtains relaxed and textured, and other fabrics in the room should provide some texture - think a jute rug, or sculptural wall art piece.
Kitchen
Open plan spaces work best with this style, so a natural flow from kitchen, to casual dining room to outdoor living space is an ideal canvas! With kitchen styling we are more often than not working with the existing built-ins and benchtops, so bring in a touch of coastal class with decor items and smaller furniture. Rattan barstools are a top trending item at the moment, and there are some great sideboard options out there too if there is some extra space. Layered countertop wooden bowls are a favourite of ours, as are strings of wooden beads as decor pieces.
Bathroom
Keeping things light, bright and fresh in the bathroom is key. Start again with a base of white, luxurious towels that spark a memory of staying in a luxury hotel. Minimal, decluttered decor items such as wooden toothbrushes, a pop of living greenery, and a scented soap that makes even washing your hands feel fancy.
Living areas
Your hero piece here is of course the couch, and you can’t go wrong with an oversized white linen set - with a washable cover of course for longevity! For those with little hands, you could opt for a light nude leather instead, and add interest with decor items. If your living space has the capacity, hanging organic lights are perfect to draw the spaces of the home together. Think rustic rattan or basket woven pendant lights evoke a beachy feel, bringing in elements from fishing traps or nets. For secondary seating, we love a good rattan chair of course or even the simple sling chair that feels like the adult version of a beach chair.
Outdoors
This trend of course continues outdoors to your yard, and curb appeal! Making a huge comeback are the concrete breeze-blocks of the 80’s - they provide some privacy from the street and neighbours, but still let in the sunlight, unlike a regular fence. Also back on the rise are bright, white exteriors coupled with coastal hardy plants - think succulents, cacti and the like - and you've got a coastal style garden to envy!
The new coastal style is something you have no doubt seen in your neighbourhood, across Instagram and in magazines. Its popularity comes from the laidback, Aussie approach to life - it’s less fussy than your Hamptons style and more appropriate for our climate.
In recent years we have seen this uptick from the increased time we’re spending in our homes, and how we now want a place to relax and unwind and to feel a little bit of luxury while we’re at it. Couple this with the fact we haven’t been able to jump abroad on our usual holiday, it’s a natural fit.
It also just so happens that it works perfectly for many of the homes we’ve been styling of late, providing that neutral, inoffensive base for potential buyers to really picture their lives in your property.
Do you think that coastal style would work perfectly for your next home sale? Why not get in touch with one of our team who can provide you with a detailed proposal specific to your floor plan!
Alternatively, if you think coastal style wouldn’t work in your property, why not give us a call? We tailor our styling approach to each individual home, as well as the buyer demographics of the area, so we are sure to have furniture stock to suit your blank canvas. Each of our stylists live in the area that they style, so they understand better than anyone what potential buyers are looking for, and have years of experience crafting their approach to thousands of properties.