7 Ways with Coastal Color

Warm Welcome

Start from the beginning and set the tone for your house with the entry. These whale-gray striped floors are casual and have the look of painted floors but are actually tile squares. So if you are hesitant to paint your floor you can still get a similar look with clever tile.

Get Cooking

Add charm and character with authentic touches and beach-inspired colors. Pale-green, striped beaded-board walls contrast the sea-blue color (with antique rub) in the island. Even the custom-distressed cabinets compliment this "lived-in" look.

An Alfresco Feeling

Create an interior room with an outdoor feeling by having plenty of windows and glass doors. Whitewashed beams give an aged accent, while the blue striped ceiling and hand-painted blue cabana stripes on the table complete the look.

Mixing Things Up

Don't match everything in a room. The antique-washed wooden barn doors, green painted side table, and white painted coffee table all work because they don't match. Pick a palette of a few colors and incorporate them in your fabrics and painted accents.

Subtle Stripes

Not all color needs to be bold. The wide horizontal stripes in the master bedroom (in shades of sand and white) create visual interest without being overwhelming. In a room where relaxation is key, look for delicate beach-inspired hues to soften the space.

Bunking Up

Make a space with angled ceilings and odd nooks appear larger by painting it all the same shade (walls, trim, ceiling, and floors). White reflects the sunlight and makes a great canvas for colorful furniture and decorative accessories.

Painting tip: When painting floors, make sure the floors are well sanded, use a bond adhesive before rolling paint on, and buy paint (oil-based or latex) that is labeled porch and floor enamel.

Get Crafty

"There is no better way to bring the ocean inside than with sea-blue walls," says Coastal Living Homes Editor Elizabeth Raines Beeler. With white trim and floors, the soothing blue walls make this craft room a relaxing space to let creativity flow.