Modern coastal interior design.
Light, calm, durable homes for the coast: pale woods, lime plaster, honed stone and a little blue, never a beach theme.
What modern coastal actually means.
Modern coastal is a quiet, practical way to design a home near the ocean. It borrows the light and openness of the beach without the props: no rope, no anchors, no shiplap by default. The palette is pale and natural, the furniture is simple and solid, and the rooms open to the outside wherever the site allows.
Done well, it is also built for the conditions: salt air, strong light, sand and wet feet. That means honed and matte surfaces that age well, hardware and fixtures rated for coastal exposure, performance fabrics, and floors that forgive. We test the palette in 3D under real daylight before choosing, because coastal light washes out colors that look rich in a showroom.
Modern coastal homes we have designed.
How we design a modern coastal home.
Study the house and site
We document the existing home, the light through the day and the details worth keeping.
Set the palette in 3D
Materials are tested in the model under real daylight before samples are ordered.
Plan the rooms
Layout changes are tested at full scale so they suit the house and how you live.
Walk it and sign off
You review every room in a 360° tour before construction.
Procure and build
We order samples, finishes and furniture, and your builder works from the same model.
Where we design on the coast.
Questions about modern coastal design.
What is the difference between coastal and modern coastal?
Traditional coastal design leans on nautical motifs and painted wood. Modern coastal keeps the light, open feel but uses a simpler, more architectural vocabulary: plaster, natural stone, pale oak and clean-lined furniture.
Can a Spanish or traditional house be modern coastal?
Yes. Our Santa Monica project is a Spanish-style bungalow: the stucco, arches and tile stay, and the interior palette goes lighter and calmer around them.
Which materials hold up best near the ocean?
Honed natural stone, solid or engineered oak with a matte finish, plaster, porcelain and handmade tile, and hardware and fixtures rated for coastal exposure. Polished and lacquered surfaces show salt and sand quickly.
Do you design modern homes that are not coastal?
Yes. Many of our projects are modern or contemporary inland, from the Hollywood Hills to Austin. Browse the portfolio by project.
Designing near the coast? Test the light first.
Tell us about the house and the site. We'll show you how a modern coastal palette would read in your actual light.