by Catalogs.com Info Guru Aurora LaJambre

Designing your home to have that airy, bright coastal feel year-round is a smart idea whether you live by the beach or are surrounded by mountains.

This is a style that incorporates nature and imbues any space with a clean, simple ambiance.

These modern coastal decor inspirations will help you create a sunny, welcoming space.

10. Textures of the beach

Designers love digging into coastal style decor because it’s rich with subtle, irresistible textures. From grains of sand and seashell swirls to porous coral and bumpy starfish, uniquely shaped objects beg to be touched. This kind of natural beauty is at once eye-catching and elegant in a simple, sky blue frame. Keep things minimal with a single stunning photograph of a sun rise on the beach in one room, and framed shells in the next.

9. Sailing accents

Sometimes it’s the slightest, most specific details that pull a theme together. Try replacing an old railing with rope or tying sailing knots around spindles. These lighthearted touches incorporate authentic fibers with a fun twist.

8. Outdoor love

It doesn’t get much better than long afternoons swaying in the breeze. You don’t need ocean air to indulge in a simple love of the outdoors. Set up a lasting outdoor hammock in your backyard to carry the coastal theme to your outer living areas. Invest in a sturdy base and you’ll continue enjoying those afternoon naps in style for years to come.

7. Traditional must-haves

Modern design embraces both the new and traditional. Work with a subdued palette of sandy beige, seagrass greens, watery blues and washed up pastels to create comfy corners worthy of a seaside escape. Pair over-stuffed pillows and bamboo blinds with vintage prints of ocean scenes.

6. Incorporate found objects

Anyone who’s ever lived or stayed by the sea understands the joy of finding seashells and other gems in the sand and bringing them home to decorate a garden or bare shelf. Found objects like coral, wooden crates, iron candlesticks and an eclectic vase filled with bright white flowers add that same rustic feel to any open, tranquil room.

5. Cottage wicker

If a cozy seaside cottage is more your style, indoor wicker furniture will make you feel right at home. This easygoing look is reminiscent of nights listening to the waves. Choose cushions with soothing hues like a maritime blue or sea foam green.

4. Weather-worn wood

Modern coastal decor inspirations are simple, comfortable and above all unassuming. Wood accents in seaside homes tend to be light in color, often made from what looks like driftwood with a smooth, bleached out finish. Bamboo and blonde wood give you the same look, ideal for headboards, tables, floors and cabinetry.

3. Abstract landscapes

Framed paintings and photographs aren’t the only modern coastal decor inspirations that capture dunes and other sandy landscapes. Handcrafted hooked rugs protect floors and feel even better on the feet than a warm boardwalk. Lay them at the door so scenes of iconic places like Cape Cod and Nantucket great you every day.

2. Aspirational art

You may not live by the water yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a stunning harbor scene from the comfort of your airy, light-filled living room. Pick one or two over-sized paintings of sailboats, waves or other beachy scenes to occupy center stage in the main room and your bedroom or favorite nook.

1. Nautical accents

Use navy blue and white drapes and embellishments to create a classic nautical look. Go DIY by making slipcovers with outdoor fabric in simple stripes or floaty sheers to welcome in the breeze. Close your eyes and let the texture and natural warmth of thicker materials conjure the sway of a boat or waterfront swing.