Spending Christmas along the beautiful Queensland coast this year has made me think about “beach house” style. I love the idea of a crisp white decor, weathered deck chairs and surfboards leaning against the wall.

Having recently moved with my husband near the Bayside beaches in Melbourne, I have been inspired by the relaxed and casual style of the beach house look.  I have been thinking recently of adding elements of coastal chic into my own decor at home … without becoming too cliché.

The “beach house” look is a relaxed, effortless style of decorating. The great thing about this style is that it doesn’t have to be expensive.  So … drawing on the inspiration around me, I thought about what styling ideas I could bring back with me from holiday to give my home some coastal chic.

Here are 4 styling tips I picked up

1. Start with a Soft Based Colour Palette
2. Furniture that is Simple and Functional
3. Use a Variety of Natural Textures
4. Add Some Colour for a more Tropical Vibe

1. Start with a Soft Based Colour Palette

Start with a soft based colour palette to build upon. While blue and white have always been the quintessential beach house colours.  I like the more the modern twist … drawing inspiration from white, beige and egg shell (or duck egg blue) hues. Duck egg blue is my favourite colour at the moment!  It is such a soft beautiful colour and works well with a wide range of styles … either as an accent colour or on the walls!

2. Furniture that is Simple and Functional

Beach house furniture should be relaxed, functional and comfortable … simplicity is the key. Simple timber pieces such as dining tables, chest-of-draws, or bar stools – either with a natural finish or painted white. Look for sofas and armchairs that are comfortable and functional in light coloured fabrics … think white slipcovers. Throw in a unique piece of furniture made from recycled material, weathered timber or driftwood … for the laid-back beachy vibe.

3. Use a Variety of Natural Textures

Beach house styling is about creating a natural, organic feel … use a variety of natural materials such as wood, cane, rattan or bamboo. Decorate with wooden floors, traditional cane armchairs, bamboo pendant lights, or woven floor mats to invoke a relaxed vibe.  Return to nature through the use of different textures to style your home … glass bottles, twine balls, shells and coral add an organic feel … while driftwood or distressed accessories add a weathered touch.

4. Add Some Colour for a more Tropical Vibe

Stripes or nautical motifs are perfect for the coastal look, however for a more vibrant, tropical feel you can try adding colour.  I like to play around and experiment with colour through soft furnishing such as cushions, rugs or pictures. This can be a relatively inexpensive and easy way to inject colour without becoming too overwhelming … and can be easily and quickly changed if it doesn’t quite work! You can either introduce a complementary colour such as coral … or go for the full colour spectrum with tropical birds, fruit or bathing boxes for a more vibrant look.

The great thing about beach house chic is the casual, eclectic look which can be built up gradually … in fact this works better.  Add to your home pieces of furniture or interesting “found” knick-knacks over time.  Look in homeware stores, browse the thrift-shops, and walk along the beach!

On this holiday I found some lovely prints which were inexpensive, weighed nothing and would fit snuggly into my suitcase …. haven’t found the right cushions as yet, but I still have a few more days of my holidays to go!  Must dash … the beach is calling!

What are your favourite Beach House styling tips?

What home decor do you like to buy while on holidays?