Shabby Chic to Ultra Modern, Coastal Lifestyles Gone Inland

There’s something about coastal décor that is instantly welcoming. Whether it's for homeowners who live on the water, or those who hanker for the sound of waves from their landlocked abodes, a beachy look invites warmth and shows off a sense of style.

“Anything goes, from shabby chic to ultra modern to the warehouse look or a mix of styles,” said designer Cathy Hans of Color Dreams Interiors of Atlanta. “The important thing in the current economy is to create a clean, fresh space that makes you feel good, so surround yourself with things you love that make you feel comfortable.”

Shore Trends

Every realtor tells potential homeowners, “It’s location, location, location.” The same adage holds true when it comes to coastal décor: You must decide on either East Coast or West Coast.

It starts with the choice of paint. Easterners associate the coast with moody grays, misty whites and paint-washed blues. West Coast types, especially those in sunny California, opt for colors that evoke sun, sand and marshland, like yellows and greens. A 2012 trend is dark marine blue on the walls with bright yellow and white accents and a pop of red or pink. Terracotta or beige walls provide the perfect backdrop for a more natural feel.

The showrooms of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, held in Atlanta's AmericasMart in January 2012, had all of these looks in waves. It also had its share of accent pieces, including seashell lamps and picture frames representing the coast, but they have largely fallen from grace. Larger items, such as chunks of driftwood, along with collections of sea glass were more prevalent.

“Spiffing up a lampshade is as easy as gluing an assortment of sea glass along the bottom of the shade or base, or filling a candy dish or clear glass vase with your collection for instant eye candy,” says Michelle Ward, a decorating hobbyist from Atlanta. "Add wicker, even if it’s just a single piece.”

That trend suits people who want to take used furniture from flea markets and garage sales and give them a weathered, beach-like look.

“I’m seeing lots of furniture made from weathered shutters or even used as wall décor – just the way they came off of someone’s home,” Hans said.

Also available were three-dimensional wall objects, including surfboards, water skis, crossed boat paddles and a model sailboat on a narrow shelf. Such items make it possible for anyone to create a connection to the sea, no matter how far from the shore home happens to be.

St. Simons Island: Clinging to the Traditional

Cathy Brewer-Moore of Island Home Design in St. Simons Island, Georgia – one of four “Golden Isles” on the state's coastline – insists the décor there is different from most beach communities.

“Homeowners are still surprisingly traditional," she said. "They love antiques and fine reproductions and want a more sophisticated interpretation of island décor. But comfort is still king.”

The color palette on St. Simons, like elsewhere along the East Coast, consists of soft, nature-inspired shades like tans, blues and grays, with accessories in tangerine or other brights.

“Despite the relatively formal furnishings, practical upholstery fabrics such as patterned sailcloth or umbrella cloth that are sturdy and washable are in vogue,” Brewer-Moore said.

Coastal décor, she asserts, should include open space. Too many furnishings and accessories can "suck the air right out of a room – the opposite of what homeowners seek, particularly those who live on the water.”

Showcase Furniture

The most unique coastal style furnishings were found in the showroom of Atlanta-based Jody’s Imports. Made from weather-imperious polyurethane wicker, an eye-popping piece named “Carmen” sported a bright white mattress and pillows that contrasted with the dark frame. “Riko Riku,” an oval daybed, provided seating for two with mattresses and couch pillows at both ends. The piece can be subdivided to occupy one large space, or placed on opposite sides of a room, patio or deck.

The company website shows other edgy pieces, including a gondola-shaped couch, a chimney chair, a new moon lounger, chairs shaped like sea horses and a scooped-out bench.

“We specialize in modern tropical furnishings for both indoors and out,” sales manager Chip Shelton said. “Although our emphasis has been on highly styled furniture at affordable prices for the hospitality industry, we are reaching out to designers and homeowners, since each piece in the collection can be scaled to size. We want homeowners to have the ability to combine an eclectic mix of worldly influences without sacrificing style or comfort.”

Recreational Pieces

On the opposite end of the style spectrum, the showroom of Alberta, Georgia-based Fishtales Outdoor featured its No. 1 seller, the party bar. The round, white bar-height table was surrounded by colored stools (available with or without arms). Its stainless steel insert can be filled with ice for fresh seafood or cold drinks. Drainage hoses must be purchased separately, so the buyer may select the necessary length.

Stacey Shiver said the concept came from fellow Fishtales Outdoor co-owner Todd Shiver, her husband.

“Todd is an avid deep sea fisherman and has been in the furniture business since he was 18," she said. "He took his passion for fish and furniture and turned it into a business."

A wide variety of both saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as sea turtles, lobsters, crabs and more, are featured on the backs of white Adirondack-style chairs.

“Todd designs every piece and is a stickler for detail," Stacey Shiver said. "He makes sure each fish is true to its natural color and anatomically correct,” she added.

“We think our furniture is popular because the bright colors and the character of the fish put everyone in a good mood,” she said. “It makes you think about the water, even if you’re landlocked.”

For those people who prefer their chairs without fish, the chairs are available with waves carved across the top.

Chairs and Accessories

The red wicker chair and mirror framed in plaid attracted buyers to the showroom of Atlanta-based BrambleNow. Each piece – including the chair – may be ordered in more than 20 distressed colors.

“Customers can also choose extra distressing or a crackle look,” said salesperson Mary Ann McCarthy.

The Homestead and Cottage collections were the most sought-after for the beach look. McCarthy said the lighter shades are the most popular. For a beach-style bedroom, a shuttered headboard and plasma television stand combine charm and convenience. The MacKenzie bedside table may be mixed or matched with other pieces, including a "Standing Tray Display," which features five trays of decreasing depth moving from bottom to top of the A-frame that holds them.

Water features and aquariums in a landlocked home can recreate the sound of the sea, but for a final touch, you'll need live plants.

Nikki Parker, a floral designer for Carithers Florist in Marietta, Georgia, says palms always bring tropical shores to mind. You may choose the traditional Arecas, found in many Southern homes; pony tail palms, which resemble beach grass; or a Sago palm, which emerges from a base that resembles a pineapple.

"I also think maiden hair ferns, frosty ferns with white tips and staghorns create that airy beach feel," Parker said. She also recommends air plants, like the many varieties in the Bromeliad family, that stand alone or may grow on a driftwood wall display. If you need something that doesn't require constant care, terrariums will "bring the outdoors in," she said.