Designer Tips: Maximize space in your beach shack

Small coastal spaces require flexibility and multifunctional use furniture. When the living room needs to double as the bedroom and the kitchen as the dining room you need to choose your elements with care. With these simple tips your beach shack will be coastal cottage chic.

 Beach Shack coastal design, the secrets to maximize your space.

1. Convertible. This is the biggest tip of all. Make sure your coastal pieces serve at least two purposes. Your sofa is a sleeper and your side tables are your nightstands.

2. Indoor/ Outdoor. Items that can be used indoors as well as out are perfect for small spaces because you can move them outside when you need more space and pull them in when you need extra seating.

3. Tuck away. Coastal chairs that fold or bar stools that tuck under save space and are easily put out of the way. This works perfectly in a tiny coastal kitchen where space is limited but seating is needed.

4. Illusion. Best known design trick to gain more space without renovations is to create the illusion of more space with a mirror. Placement of a large mirror to reflect light can add faux square footage to your coastal space.

Photo credits:

Beach shack

Beach shack interior

Coastal white sleeper sofa 

Wicker coastal chairs 

Small coastal kitchen with folding chairs

Large coastal mirror behind slipcover sofa in ticking stripe

Spotted from the Crow's Nest:Beach House TourSummerland, California

Located in the charming fishing town of Summerland, California, this home was a shabby old beach shack transformed into a beautiful nautical inspired beach house.

The back of this beach house has a great big yard with lots of sun lounging and spots to enjoy the outdoors.

Summerland, California beach house

The coastal inspired living room is filled with white slipcover sofa and chairs for a comfy and inviting feel.

Beach house living room with wicker chairs and white slipcover furniture is a chic coastal design.

View from the living room into the dining room shows how beautiful the soft white room filled with white slipcover furniture is.

White slipcover dining chairs surround the wood table for a coastal cottage design.

 Reading nook with white slipcover chairs and window seat day bed is the prefect coastal relaxing space.

white on white, coastal shabby chic with a nautical touch, this bedroom is soft and inviting.

This outdoor living room with slatted wood ceiling and walls is a lovely coastal design and sure to be the favorite spot of the house. It has a tropical secluded feel with beautiful coastal wicker chairs and teak upholstered sofas.

Photo credits:

Coastal beach house by Shannon Berrey Design

Knot This But That: Coastal Shopping Coastal Summer lounge area

Photo credit:

Coastal summer outdoor lounge

Shopping guide:

 Teak framed lounge chairs

Blue and white garden stool

Seaman's pendant lantern

Blue, white and aqua outdoor area rug

Barrique low stools

Yellow seahorse pillows

Round tin glazed copper mirror

Inspirations on the Horizon: Coastal outdoor spaces

Coastal cottage style outdoor seating area with wicker chairs and lots of throw pillows for guaranteed comfyiness.

Coastal outdoor spaces perfect for enjoying the summer.

 Coastal outdoor living room with deep wicker seating, white upholstered cushions and light summer throw pillows.

 Coastal cabana in natural wickers and whites with pops of blue.

 Coastal outdoor space with rich wood frame seating and black and white stripe upholstery.

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Coastal outdoor rooms

How to guide: "Summer-ize" your coastal home

5 Easy Summer coastal decor ideas for your home 

1. White hot. Summer calls for light and airy colors so it's time to ditch the dark and dreary colors of the winter.  Coastal slipcover furniture in light colors will brighten and lighten any room.

 

Try these easy Summer coastal decor ideas to make your place feel like a Summer beach house.

2. Bring the outside in. Eco-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp, and jute area rugs will add an exotic and natural feeling of the outdoors to your coastal interior.

 3. Garden touch. Add greenery or bright, summery colors with freshly picked flowers. This will add an organic vibe to your room and give it instant summer appeal.

 4. Light it up. When the summer sun melts into the horizon and you want to continue enjoying the outdoors, light things up. Hanging some great coastal lighting outdoors will ensure your Summer nights are illuminated.

  5. Carry indoor design outside. Making spots outside to enjoy the summer sun, poolside lounging and gathering with family is what summertime is all about. Grab some pillows or floor cushions and place them around your pool for makeshift coastal lounging.

Photo credits:

 White slipcover sofa in coastal living room

Coastal living room with jute area rug

Coastal outdoor lighting for Summertime

Giant clam shell filled with succulents and bright floral arrangement

Coastal poolside with floor cushions

Shopping guide:

Coastal white slipcover sofas

Jute area rugs

Coastal lighting

Giant clam shell

Floor cushions

Spotted from the Crow's Nest:Beach House Tour Coastal Modern Jute Beach House

This modern coastal family beach house is bright and cheerful with it's tones of aqua blues, whites and chevron prints.

The breakfast nook is simple, clean and modern yet coastal with the "beachy" fabrics.

 Jute home has designed this lovely family beach house in tones of blues and whites creating a modern,crisp, clean, coastal retreat.

Modern white cabinetry with bright chevron back splash really makes this kitchen pop.

This coastal kitchen reminds us of a graphic print from Missoni.

Here is a close up of the chevron print tile back splash, it looks amazing against the white cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

Bright aqua blue sectional sofa with weathered coastal wood coffee table is a wonderful mix of textures and tones.

The reading nook has a mix of modern and coastal with the white sofa,natural jute area rug and sleek aqua tables.

Light aqua painted vanity with a silver and gold finish scalloped mirror is sweet and simple in this modern coastal bathroom.

Photo credits:

Jute Home

10 Ways To: To create summertime outdoor living rooms

In the Summertime coastal outdoor spaces should be a continuation of your indoor living space. Move your living room outside this summer and enjoy the outdoors in style. 

  1. Low seating, floor cushions and daybeds will inspire the mood for lounging and gathering.

Here are 10 ways to design your Summertime outdoor living room.

 2. Make outdoor chairs and ottomans comfortable with pillows and cushions.

  3. Throw an outdoor area rug under your furniture for a indoor coastal design moved outdoors.

4. Accessorize your coastal space like you would any of your indoor rooms.

 5. Placing end tables and a coffee table around your seating mimics your living room while providing convenient places to set drinks and food.

 6. Install outdoor lighting, like lamps and sconces to create mood lighting to be enjoyed all Summer long.

7. For the ultimate outdoor coastal living room, add fabric panels to frame the space, block sun or to make your own personal cabana.

   

8. An outdoor fireplace or a freestanding fire pit warms your guests and creates a Summertime ambiance.

9. Turn an old piece of furniture like a bookshelf or cabinet into an outdoor bar to house all of your bar ware and serving pieces for an outdoor dining experience.

 

10. Last but not least outdoor dining is key, set up a dining table and chairs for the perfect coastal outdoor dining experience.

Photo credits:

Coastal outdoor living room with brick surround 

Blue and white coastal outdoor cushions  

Coastal outdoor living room with area rug 

 Outdoor coastal room with mirror and accessories

Outdoor coastal area in blue and white

Coastal outdoor living space with chandeliers

 Coastal dining room outdoors with fabric drapes

 Coastal fire pit in outdoor gathering space

Old cabinet turned outdoor bar cabinet

Outdoor coastal dining table and chairs

 Shopping guide:

Coastal outdoor sofas 

Outdoor coastal throw pillows

Coastal outdoor chairs

Coastal outdoor area rugs

Coastal mirrors

Outdoor coastal lighting

Coastal fire pits 

Outdoor coastal dining furniture 

Spotted from the Crow's Nest:Beach House Tour Coastal Modern Nantucket Beach House

Coastal Modern Nantucket Beach House.

Coastal Modern interior with Classic Nantucket exterior.

Coastal Modern Kitchen and Dining room.

Clean, neutral and modern Living Room is open and full of natural light.

Modern white cabinets with classic black soapstone counter tops.

Beautiful wood framed cabana with wicker sectional for lounging.

Gorgeous landscaping leading you out to the ocean.

Photo credit:

Workshop/apd

Inspirations on the Horizon: Coastal Green

Coastal Green rooms that pack a punch.

 Weather you are mixing green with white, rattan or aqua it will always give you a cool coastal look.

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Green chairs in coastal dining room

Green subway tile back splash in coastal kitchen

White slipcover bed with tropical green and white leave print pillows and rattan accent furniture

Pastel green coastal dining room

Bright green coastal dining room with rattan chandelier

Pale green and blue coastal lanai with small sectional sofa

Pale green and white cottage coastal kitchen

Bright aqua and green coastal living room with white slipcover sofa

Green coastal kitchen

From the Masthead: Rooms with a view

Tropical coastal spaces with gorgeous aqua blue views.

Coastal rooms with blue views.

British Colonial four poster bed with a pretty ocean view.

Coastal bedroom with doors that open to the beach.

White mosquito netting frames the opening to this great sitting room overlooking the ocean.

Photo credits:

Santa Monica Mediterranean outdoor lounge

Coastal four poster bed with ocean view 

Coastal bedroom with view

Mosquito netting frames a sitting room with a view