Coastal dining room ideas and inspo.
Are you designing a coastal dining room and looking for inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. Spoak has all the interior design inspiration to get those creative juices flowing. Browse room designs, inspiration images and decor ideas or take our free room design tool for a spin below!
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Design tips for decorating a coastal style dining room
Here’s how to achieve the coastal aesthetic room of your dreams.What’s the best way to design and decorate a coastal dining room?
Creating a dining room that serves as a welcoming hub for meals, gatherings, and memorable conversations begins with thoughtful planning. The arrangement of furniture not only influences the room's aesthetic appeal but also its practicality and comfort. By employing a strategic approach to your dining room design, you can achieve a space that harmonizes form and function, making every meal an experience to cherish.
Whether you're in the process of a dining room remodel or looking to makeover your existing one, these are the key elements to include in your design:
- Paint or Wallpaper: Select a color or pattern that sets the desired mood for the dining room and complements the coastal style you want to achieve. We are partial to covering walls, ceilings, and trim in a uniform paint color to create a cohesive look. Or consider an accent wall to serve as a focal point.
- Dining Table & Chairs: The heart of the dining room, your table should be chosen with care, considering its shape, size, and placement. This piece sets the tone for the room's overall design and functionality, acting as the anchor for all other elements. Pro tip: Divide your table’s outside dimensions by 24 inches to find out how many people you can seat comfortably. Complementing your table, the chairs should offer comfort and style.
- Storage Furniture: Practical yet stylish storage solutions like buffets, sideboards, and credenzas are key to a clutter-free dining area. They provide essential storage and a space for serving dishes. Position these pieces to maintain a clear pathway around the table, ideally 3-4 feet from the table’s edge.
- Area Rug: Love them or hate them, rugs in the dining room are a hot topic. A well-chosen rug can define the dining space and add a layer of warmth and texture. If you opt for a rug, ensure it extends at least 24 inches beyond the table on all sides, allowing chairs to remain on the rug even when pulled out.
- Decorative Lighting: Central lighting, such as a chandelier or pendant, should be positioned directly above the table to illuminate the area evenly and serve as a visual centerpiece. Dimmer switches can adjust the mood.
- Curtains or Blinds: Window treatments not only help control the light and provide privacy but also serve to tie the room's design together. They offer an opportunity to inject color, texture, and pattern into the living space, making it more inviting and personalized. Whether flowing and sheer for a light, airy feel or rich and textured for a more luxurious look, curtains play a pivotal role in setting the tone and atmosphere of the dining room. Don’t forget the curtain rod!
Get creative and have fun with your coastal dining room makeover! If you need an extra hand, check out our step-by-step guide on How To Design a Room.
What materials and home decor should I use to achieve a coastal dining room design?
Coastal interior design captures the essence of breezy beach living through its use of light, airy color palettes, natural textures, and nautical motifs. This design approach leans heavily on cool colors (particularly shades of blue and white), and warm, sandy neutrals to mirror the colors of the sea, sky, and beach. Coastal interior design comes in many forms, from lavish beach house living in the Hamptoms and condos in Florida to rustic cottages in Martha’s Vineyard and modern seaside California-cool villas on the west coast.
Common coastal decor elements include weathered wood furniture, reflecting the driftwood found along shorelines, fabrics such as linen and cotton take notes from cloudy skies and allow for relaxed, easy living, and materials like jute, wicker, and rattan represent the sandy environment. Shiplap is a popular choice for walls in coastal spaces. Light blue and white tile is common to use in bathrooms or kitchens for a coastal vibe.
When decorating a coastal-inspired beach dining room, you’ll want to keep things bright, airy, and sophisticated. Unless you are specifically going for a theme park nautical adventure room, steer clear of artwork featuring anchors and navy stripes. Instead, opt for an abstract piece that mimics the waves in the ocean. Beachy accents like seashells, coral, and maritime-inspired pieces, such as lanterns and ropes in a chandelier, reinforce the connection to the coastal environment without being corny. Incorporating large windows and ample natural light further blurs the lines between indoors and out, creating a seamless, tranquil retreat that embodies the serene and laid-back lifestyle of coastal regions.