Modern coastal homes have stolen most Australians' hearts [ours included]. Whether you’re looking out for them or not, it’s highly likely that you’ll stumble across one in and around your suburb. Essentially, this design style is the love child of modern design [sleek lines and minimalistic styling] and coastal design [beachy vibes and natural textures]. Inspired by Australia’s coastline and natural landscape, this style brings the outdoors in and creates a functional home that offers open-plan living, a minimal colour palette and clean lines.
If you're looking to create the modern coastal home of your dreams, here are four elements to consider for your design.
Consider the layout of your floorplan
A calming vibe and seamless flow from room to room are often what attract most Aussies to the modern coastal style. Picture a gentle breeze flowing through the open windows and sunshine beaming through the skylights… now that’s the dream. To create the ultimate coastal vibe, it’s important to consider your floor plan and understand how your family will use each space. If your household is often outdoors, you could position your kitchen and living towards the rear of the home and integrate features like a servery window and sliding doors. This is a fantastic way to bring the outdoors in; basically the #1 rule of modern coastal design.
By considering the placement of key rooms like your kitchen, living room and dining room early in the design stage, you’ll be on your way to creating a spacious, open and airy home!
Simplify your colour palette
The foundation of a modern coastal home really lies in your chosen colour palette. To create a timeless and liveable interior, focus selections like your wall colour, tiles and cabinetry within a neutral palette. Adds pops of colour or patterns with your smaller styling pieces like furniture or bedding, which can be easily changed or removed if needed in the future.
For the facade, we always recommend choosing a minimum of two colours - specifically within the light grey and white colour family. This creates dimension between your external walls, eaves, roof and a front fence [if that’s in your plan]. If you’re looking for the perfect modern coastal white, we personally love Snowy Mountain Quarter/Half, Surfmist or Natural White.
Stick to natural materials and soft lines
I think we can all agree that the first feature that pops into our mind when thinking about a modern coastal home is weatherboard cladding. Whether it acts as a minor feature or covers the entire home, the soft horizontal lines and natural texture of the boards are essential in creating the elevated beach-shack look. With so many sizes, textures and brands on the market, there really is something to achieve everyone's vibe. We’ve been loving the Classic Smooth Boards from Weathertex!
Utilise natural lighting
While lighting doesn’t necessarily affect the overall look of your home, it plays such a crucial role in setting the vibe - which to us, is just as important in modern coastal homes. Imagine yourself walking into your dream modern coastal home. You’re probably feeling light, bright and airy right? This all comes down to your windows and skylights and most importantly, their location! It’s also important to consider your homes facing direction [i.e. North, East etc] during your design stage. Make the most of large or empty wall space by adding windows, and utilise skylights in traditionally dark rooms, i.e. bathrooms.
In addition to creating a beautiful vibe within your home, you’ll use less electricity during daylight hours and therefore lower your home's carbon footprint. More sustainable - check. Better for your wallet - also check.
Get In Touch
While we work with a wide range of design styles, Your Home Designs is widely known for our modern coastal designs. With offices located in the beautiful Port Stephens and Newcastle regions, our Designers seek inspiration from the rolling coastlines and pristine beaches. If you’re looking to renovate or build your dream modern coastal home, get in touch with our experienced team today.
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