Tips to Creating a Coastal Classic Home

Be it fresh water or salt water, the coastal classic look is in.

A lot of decor and design cues come inward from the coasts, and this year, it looks like the trend is toward making your house look like a beach house — regardless of how close you are to water.

“I think we’re going to see a lot of coastal classics this year,” says Clare Opfer of S&H Blinds & Floors in Sandusky, Ohio. “It’s not just for lake homes. It’s really timeless.”

Regional builder Wayne Homes has even introduced a Lake Collection of homes featuring shake siding, gable brackets, round windows, porches and that combination craftsman/farmhouse look that seems to signify a lakefront home, says sales manager Jeremy Parish.

White, pale gray and blue are popular exterior colors, Parish says, and Opfer notes that Sherwin Williams’ color of the year, a blue-gray called Upward, gives a waterfront feel as well.

Opfer says that wood floors — long thought of as significantly more expensive than laminate — are becoming more cost-effective. As such, homeowners are choosing oak or maple, which offer a light yet warm touch. Also, they can be accented with rugs and carpets to add color and texture.

Shutters remain a popular window treatment, Opfer notes. And buyers are considering woven wood window treatments, including bamboo or rattan.

“It’s a beautiful statement piece,” she says. “And shutters are very popular for the coastal look. They work well with different palettes and can become a piece of furniture themselves.”

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