---
title: Modern Coastal Interior Design in Los Angeles
description: Modern coastal interior design in Santa Monica, Malibu and Palos Verdes: pale oak, white plaster, stone and blue tile, designed and walked in 3D first.
url: https://vividlybuilt.com/styles/modern-coastal-interior-design
type: service
updated: 2026-10-18
---

Style · Modern Coastal

# 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.

    
    
      Typical palette
      
        - White or warm-white stucco and lime plaster

        - Pale white oak floors and cabinetry

        - Honed limestone, travertine and veined marble

        - Matte taupe and sand-toned millwork

        - Handmade tile in sea-glass and deep blue

        - Linen, wool and performance fabrics

        - Unlacquered brass or blackened steel accents

        - Large glazing and indoor-outdoor thresholds

## Modern coastal homes we have designed.

- [Spanish Bungalow Full Remodel & Backyard ADU - Modern Coastal Interior Design, Santa Monica](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/spanish-bungalow-remodel-santa-monica): Spanish bungalow with a modern coastal palette: white stucco, pale oak, blue tile.
- [Pacific Palisades Fire Rebuild & New Construction Design](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/fire-rebuild-pacific-palisades): Warm contemporary coastal interiors in a fire rebuild.
- [Palos Verdes Luxury Home Design, Remodel & New Construction](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/modern-estate-palos-verdes): Ocean-view estate with a vanishing-edge pool and glass great room.
- [Coastal Residence Remodel, San Diego](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/full-remodel-san-diego): Coastal residence remodel.
- [Kitchen & Living Room, Newport Beach](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/luxury-kitchen-living-room-interior-design-newport-beach): Open kitchen and living room near the water.
- [Pacific Palisades Residence, New Build](https://vividlybuilt.com/projects/single-family-residence-pacific-palisades): New residence designed end to end.

## How we design a modern coastal home.

1. **Study the house and site.** We document the existing home, the light through the day and the details worth keeping.
2. **Set the palette in 3D.** Materials are tested in the model under real daylight before samples are ordered.
3. **Plan the rooms.** Layout changes are tested at full scale so they suit the house and how you live.
4. **Walk it and sign off.** You review every room in a 360° tour before construction.
5. **Procure and build.** We order samples, finishes and furniture, and your builder works from the same model.

## Where we design on the coast.

- [Santa Monica](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/santa-monica)
- [Malibu](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/malibu)
- [Pacific Palisades](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/pacific-palisades)
- [Manhattan Beach](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/manhattan-beach)
- [Newport Beach](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/newport-beach)
- [Laguna Beach](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/laguna-beach)
- [La Jolla](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/la-jolla)
- [Del Mar](https://vividlybuilt.com/locations/del-mar)
- [Designing a Home in Malibu](https://vividlybuilt.com/guides/designing-a-home-in-malibu)
- [Coastal Permit Timeline](https://vividlybuilt.com/answers/coastal-commission-permit-malibu-newport)

## 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.

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Tell us about the house and the site. We'll show you how a modern coastal palette would read in your actual light. Get an estimate: https://vividlybuilt.fillout.com/quickstart · Call (310) 776-5480 · info@vividlybuilt.com