Vintage coastal style is all about embracing the relaxed, laidback vibe of seaside living. This decor style mixes rustic, weathered pieces with light and airy elements to create a charming home environment. Showcasing your resourceful side is easy with vintage coastal decor, as this look lends itself well to repurposing old items in creative ways. Read on for plenty of tips and inspiration to help you introduce vintage coastal flair into your home!
Gather Weathered Treasures From Near and Far
One of the keys to achieving vintage coastal style is to mix old with new. Gather up treasured finds from thrift stores, estate sales, and your own attic to form the basis of your collected look. Prime targets include:
- Old trunks and suitcases to use as side tables or casual seating
- Classic wood furniture with chips and scratches to give a timeworn appeal
- Weathered buoys, oars, anchors, and fishing nets to mount on walls or prop in corners
- Enamelware dishes, vintage glassware, and nautical-themed tins to display kitchen items and bath accessories
Keep your eyes peeled for anything distressed or worn that evokes seaside living. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box too. Old window frames, ladders, crates, and doors can all find new life when styled in a coastal cottage.
The beauty of vintage coastal decor is that you don’t have to find seashore-specific items. Anything that’s old and weathered adds to the collected look you want to achieve. Flea markets, antiques shops, and online sites like Etsy are great places to uncover unique vintage finds.
Upcycle Existing Pieces
Put your resourceful spirit to work by upcycling items you already have at home. With a little creativity, you can give tired furnishings and accessories a vintage coastal makeover:
- Paint or stencil: Give wood furniture, mirrors, and trays a distressed coastal look by painting them in soft hues like sea glass green, sky blue, or sand beige. Sand and chip away some of the paint after it dries for a timeworn effect. Stencil on designs like seashells, starfish, or sailboats.
- Add texture: Rough up smooth surfaces by sanding or beating with a wire brush. Paint outdoor planters and pots with a cement/sand mix to give a weathered stone-like look.
- Wrap with rope: Disguise table legs, railings, and candlesticks with natural rope wrappings to evoke a nautical vibe. Use hot glue to hold the rope in place.
- Replace hardware: Swap out dated hardware on dressers, cabinets, and trunks with antique-looking drawer pulls and hinges. Galvanized metal, rope tie handles, and wooden knobs add coastal cottage charm.
Get creative with what you already have! Simple tweaks like a new paint color, changed hardware, or added texture can turn something plain into a vintage-style focal point.
Incorporate Natural Textures and Materials
Natural textures and materials are a must for achieving breezy vintage coastal decor. Incorporate pieces made of:
- Wood: Use driftwood, weathered barn wood, rattan, and bamboo to add organic warmth.
- Rope and jute: Incorporate rope accents on mirrors, baskets, and throw pillows. Jute rugs and table runners add natural texture underfoot.
- Wicker and rattan: Light and casual, these materials are perfect for furniture, wall hangings, storage baskets, and planter pots.
- Shells and stones: Display real seashells gathered from the beach or mimic their look with decorative pieces. Trays of assorted stones, pebbles, or sand create tactile interest.
- Ceramic, cement, or plaster: Mix in decorative objects made from these materials to complement the worn and weathered finishes found in coastal cottages.
Don’t overlook bedding and window treatments either. Lightweight cottons, linens, woven throws, and wooden blinds all fit the casual vibe. Play with different fabrics and add subtle stripe or sailboat patterns for extra nautical flair.
Incorporate Plenty of Salty Air Style
It’s the small touches that bring that delightful seaside feel into your vintage coastal space. Intentionally include decor elements that reference life by the water:
- Sailboat motifs: Use accents featuring sailboats or nautical flags like signal flags and pennants.
- Beachy hues: While white is a classic coastal choice, don’t be afraid to incorporate soft greens, sky blues, and sandy tans. Add pops of red, yellow, and navy for extra flair.
- Ocean art: Hang art featuring sailboats, seashells, starfish, lighthouses, or ocean views. Include old maps, fisherman or sailor imagery, and photographs of seascapes.
- Natural elements: Display shells, starfish, sea glass, coral, driftwood, and sand dollars clustered in bowls or jars. Large conch shells make great statement pieces.
- Salty accents: Incorporate buoys, oars, life preservers, fishing nets, glass floats, and traps as wall decor. Display beach signage for extra coastal flavor.
Have fun grouping combinations of small decorative touches to create little oceanic vignettes and tableaus throughout your space. This is a great decorating style to get playful and creative with!
Create Light and Airy Ambiance
Vintage coastal decor embraces a laidback and relaxing vibe. Create an open, breezy feel with these ambiance tips:
- Let the light in: Hang lightweight sheers or drapes and use woven blinds and shutters to filter sunshine in. Paint walls, trim, and ceilings in light, coastal-inspired hues.
- Elevate furnishings: Raise seating, tables, and beds up on legs or platforms to give an airy, lifted feel. Use woven baskets or ottomans for extra footrest storage.
- Minimize clutter: Avoid visual overload. Store items in baskets, trunks, and cabinets so surfaces feel clean and open.
- Use breezy fabrics: Incorporate lots of lightweight linens, cottons, and woven textures for an ethereal feel. Crisp white bedding feels extra fresh and beachy.
- Display collections: Arrange seashells, glass floats, coral, and sea glass in weathered bowls, jars, and trays. Groups of items have visual impact without overcrowding a space.
- Add plants: Houseplants, succulents, palm trees, and fresh flowers reference the abundance of seaside gardens. Ferns and air plants fit right in with their wild, wispy vibe.
Creating a light and airy feel will make your vintage coastal space feel relaxing, expansive, and casually elegant. It’s the perfect year-round escape!
FAQs About Creating Vintage Coastal Style:
What colors work well for vintage coastal decor?
Stick with light, breezy hues like sea glass greens, sky blues, sunny yellows, coral pinks, and of course, crisp whites. Accent with bolder shades of navy, red, light turquoise, and tan. Painted wood furniture often looks great in pale, beachy colors.
What type of furniture works best?
Opt for casual, weathered wood pieces mixed with rattan, bamboo, wicker, and driftwood accents. Wood tables and beds with scuffed paint or distressed finishes fit right in. Comfortable upholstered furniture with washable slipcovers is family-friendly. Worn leather adds cozy texture.
How can I incorporate nautical elements on a budget?
Check thrift stores for inexpensive buoys, oars, and fishing traps to hang on walls. Use stencils and painter’s tape to add navy striped detailing or hand-painted anchor motifs to basic pillows, planters, and accessories. Knot and hang rope to make an artful macrame wall hanging.
What if I don’t live near the ocean?
You can still achieve vintage coastal style! Focus on incorporating weathered wood, natural textures, and casual fabrics wherever you live. Add accents like shells, driftwood, or nautical stripes to bring in subtle seaside references that carry your theme.
Should I avoid anything design-wise?
Steer clear of overly formal furnishings that feel stuffy. Mass-produced coastal-themed decor can come off as cheesy if overdone. Stick to vintage, natural elements for authenticity. Don’t clutter too much or your space will lose its breezy feel.
Final Thoughts on Embracing Vintage Coastal Style
With its charming blend of old and new, vintage coastal decor creates a welcoming home environment that feels lived-in, casual, and eternally summery. Have fun seeking out unique worn and weathered finds to blend with upcycled pieces you already own. Don’t be afraid to get creative and resourceful in sourcing and styling items in this relaxed decorating style.
Layer in sun-faded color schemes, natural materials, and intentional references to seaside living through your decor choices. The beauty of vintage coastal style is that it embraces imperfections and encourages you to make what you have work for your space. The end result is a cozy, laidback aesthetic you’ll want to retreat to anytime you need that breezy beach house state of mind. Let vintage coastal design inspire you to bring more character, texture, and salty air ambiance into your home.
