39 Top Coastal Decorating Ideas
Looking for ideas to decorate your home in beach cottage style but don’t have a large budget? Do you want to make your own beach decorations and save a lot of money? Check out these best DIY beach cottage style decor ideas that are all easy and can be made inexpensively.
So many coastal home decor ideas on this page that are easy and that anyone can do without breaking the bank. Summer decorating should be light, easy and simple, so you have more time to hang out on the beach, and there is no need to spend a lot of money on it. Come be inspired by these real life examples of beach cottage style decorating. There are nautical mantel ideas, outdoor coastal decorating ideas and some very pretty beach themed bedrooms. The DIY, craft and decor ideas are not only easy to do, but very affordable and cheap too.
I have rounded up lots of examples of summer decorating I have done through the years. As I was working on this post it became immediately clear that when it comes to summer decor for my home a beach theme is pretty evident. I seem to go the nautical route for my summer decor every year.
And why wouldn’t I?!
Doesn’t thinking of summer immediately bring back memories of days spent in the sun on a beach playing in the waves? Is there anything better than long walks along a shoreline while on a scavenger hunt for driftwood, shells, and washed-up sea stars? So even though I live nowhere near the sea I’ll always try to turn my home into a beach cabin in the summer. I simply love the coastal decorating style!
Coastal Decorating Display Ideas that Upcycle
Creating a cute coastal display can be so easy. If you put together the right accessories it all comes together easily and quick. If you are looking for frugal and cheap decorating ideas for the beach house look, you might like these ideas for reusing bottles, jars, and cans. I have used bottles, jam jars, and soda pop cans in my decorating on many occasions, and they show up in various coastal-themed decorations as well. Maybe it is because I love to have a bit of pink wine during those extra long summer evenings. Or maybe because the combination of bottles and summer makes me think of finding a message in a bottle on a deserted beach somewhere. Or maybe because a collection of jam jars with tiny bouquets of flowers is such an easy ‘laissez-faire’ way of decorating that it is perfect for lazy sunny days.
Anyway. As you can see I have used vintage bottles, painted bottles, pretty-as-is wine bottles and decorative bottles and they all work. And if you run short on bottles just go to your recycling bin and grab some jars or cans. They will work fine too. Just add some flowers, sea stars and an optional string of lights and you have the perfect and very easy little coastal summer decoration that didn’t cost a cent.
vintage crate summer centerpiece
summer vignette with wine bottles
Coastal mantel decor ideas perfect for summer
I love coastal mantel decor. If you want to make your house look coastal then adding some nautical and beach house style to your fireplace mantel is just the trick. The mantel is usually the focal point of the room. Any decor you add to your mantel will instantly set the tone. In my last home I used a shelf as my mantel. In my current home I don’t even have a mantel. All the more reason to revisit some of my mantels from days before. They are all quite different: from a pallet wood mantel project that is just the perfect everyday mantel, to a mantel made with layering photo frames and one in which I used a big, statement tree branch.
All of these nautical mantel ideas are quite easy to DIY. These may look elaborate but there is nothing difficult about them. Anyone can do them with just a bit of patience and a capacity to improvise if things don’t quite work out the way you planned. I hope my coastal mantels are an inspiration for you.
72 stunning summer mantel decor ideas
Easy coastal beach crafts and DIY ideas
Making your own beach inspired home accessories couldn’t be easier. Those sea elements are all so beautiful all by themselves that they don’t need a lot of embellishments. Arrange them together in some glass containers and you’ll have the prettiest beach candle holders out there. Or just gather them together on a tray for a coastal centerpiece. I love those vintage beach accessories so very much, like the really old and time and sea weathered glass fishing floats. But investing in them can run up a bill. So instead get out some craft paint and modpodge and make them yourself. I made really big ones after a trip to New York where I was inspired at Pottery Barn. While you are at it. Incorporate the current comeback of macrame and add an easy fishnet to a vase or jar. Go have some fun with a bit of Coastal Beach Crafting!
Super easy and quick beach cottage display ideas
As I said before. I am a lazy decorator. I confess to having this trait all year round, but most definitely in summer. I love to fancy up my home for the seasons, but in summer I definitely do not want to work hard at it. There are so many other things to do. And living life in the outdoors beckons when the skies are blue and the sun is out. So I will always choose the easy way over the complicated one. If you just line up blue mason jars with white flowers you have brought in the beach colors, in the most gratifying and simple way. Gather some beauties together and arrange them under a cloche and you have instant bliss. Or simply grab an old container or tray and gather candles, shells, sea stars and any beach inspired accessories you can find and drop them all in together. I promise you, if you take half a minute to coordinate the colors and shuffle it all around until it looks good you are done!
Quick and easy summer vignette
Coastal outdoor decorating ideas
If you are lucky to live in a country where summer is a guarantee for sunny days you are blessed. Here in the low lands we have definitely had our share of rainy and pretty cold summers. All the more reason to spend the days outside when the sun does grace us with her presence. So do not forget your outdoor areas when decorating for summer. When decorating my garden table or terrace for summer, the nautical home decor takes a bit of a step back. I usually just go for the flower route outside. Could be as simple as bouquets of flowers arranged on a homemade terra-cotta tiered tray or lined up in between scattered sea stars and shells. Or maybe it is just happy summer colors in an abundance of flowering plants. Anything that makes your heart sing will do, as long as it beckons you to use your outdoor space as a real living space too.
summer centerpiece for the garden table
summer table decor in the garden
Coastal room ideas
Blue and white are my absolute favorite colors for summer. That combination is so fresh and vibrant, especially when it is of the striped variation. Must be those old images of French Garçons on a beach in blue and white striped cardigans. Or the blue and white umbrellas on a Mediterranean beach.
No wonder I love my summer bedroom in blue and white. More recently I did a guest bedroom in a lovely bohemian beach style that was so easy to pull off. Speaking of easy. My bedroom with blue and aqua accents was easy, quick and very lovely too.
When I decorate my living room for the season, I will always incorporate a lot of coastal style decorations. There will probably be a bit of bohemian style mixed in, along with a bit of coastal farmhouse. I don’t follow the rules and stick to one style of home decorating. I go with what looks good in my eyes, what I have on hand (or can create easily) and what I can make work.
If you still can’t get enough of summer decorating you might like this next post too. There are even more nautical and coastal home decor ideas in a roundup I did of favorite summer mantels of fellow bloggers.
I share lots of pictures of my living room decorating for summer in a beach house style in my post about my TOP Summer Decorating Tips.
Don’t forget to pin this post so you can come back to it later.
If I got you in the mood for summer decorating here is a full post on how to create the beach cottage decor look in your home!
Donna says
Marianne,
How nice it was to look back at some of your decorating triumphs. Everything you do is beautiful. The blue and white summer bedroom has always been a favorite of mine. I was so sad when you sold the crocheted coverlet. But…the lovely pictures live on.
Diego Lopes says
I love nautical style, maybe ’cause blue gets the most attention and it’s my favorite color. But there’s something just so comfy and calming about the style.