How to: Achieve the Coastal-Americana Look for the Summer
This summer I have no plans to go to the beach. Wamp wamp. The sunscreen of it all, getting four kids coordinated, being a single mom carrying 82 beach chairs…it’s not sounding aspirational. But I do want to go in spirit! If you’re like me, and looking to incorporate a little Coastal-Americana into your life — even though the beach is far, far away — I don’t want you to add a ton of seashells, flip-flop soap, or lighthouses. (I think we’ve all outgrown that a little, right?!) Instead, let’s transform our suburban homes into the seaside homes we all dream of!
Add sailboat/ship watercolor art
The East Coast has a much more nautical history than we do here in Texas. Galveston was our brief, shining star. Sailing is still heavily influencing Coastal-Americana design, though, so adding watercolor prints or artsy photos of boats on the water would be so fun! I’d put a grouping together of 2 or 3 propped up on a console or spread out throughout a built-in bookshelf. That way it would be a subtle, casual reference and not too formal. We definitely don’t want formal for Coastal-Americana!
Let’s take a moment to break that down, shall we? Why wouldn’t we want our Coastal-Americana decor to be too formal? Picture this - you’ve spent the day on the beach. You’re walking up to your beach front house (obviously) and you smell of sunscreen and ocean water. You’re carrying in your towel and beach chair, with sand trapped in between your toes. You’re completely carefree, hallelujah! You track sand into the house, drop your tray of watermelon rinds on the counter, toss your towel into the laundry room floor, and you’re off to shower. It’s the most informal, relaxed, sun-filled day! Maybe later you’ll get out the vacuum and wash the beachy supplies, but not now! You’re living in the moment! That’s why, in our suburban, Texas homes, Coastal-Americana decor has to embody the casualty of beachside living. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be true to the style!
Add red-and-white stripes and light blue
Flag-stripes are a punchy way to say “America” without having a framed flag hanging on the wall! We can allude to patriotism, to keep the style livable and comfortable for every-day. Now, to tone down the red and white stripes, don’t pair with stars! We’ll save those for our July 4th celebrations! Instead, pair it with a light, light blue. This will reference that early-morning coastal sky over the ocean. We want calm, peaceful, and open to possibilities blue. Dreamy!
A note—for the red and white of it all, you must use thick stripes. To just add red and white items will miss the point and go a little more Farmhouse than Coastal-Americana.
Add iconic East Coast Sea Life
It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for… bring out the lobsters and oysters!! These icons are especially great to bring out when hosting, as they bring forth that whimsical, Coastal aesthetic! Many of you have already heard of Hester & Cook, and have been using their paper goods for graduations, fall tables, and other hosting extravaganzas. Well, they have the Coastal-Americana style locked down - no surprise, there! Pop in the store to see our Lambert Home favorites from their collection!
Pro tip: I like to add layers on layers to my party tables! Sea life elements are a great way to feature texture, shape, and really drive your theme home. For example, you can start with a table cloth you already love, add in a stripe or coastal table paper runner, add two or more stacked plates (there are plenty of cute paper options, so you don’t have to worry about dishes!), and top with these cute themed napkins from Amazon! Then, around the table, you can feature some thoughtfully placed porcelain oysters, oversized lobsters, and more - all available in our store!!
Add sisal/woven texture
This, again, references the sailing and water-lifestyle. You could put a large coil of rope in a bowl on the coffee table, could change the coffee table to be a grasscloth or sisal-wrapped option, or even add a large jute rug under your existing rug for a larger layer below. This texture will emphasize the Coastal in Coastal-Americana and help sway the rest of your interiors in that direction!
I can practically feel the salt spray in my face already! If my plans change, I’ll keep you posted, but until then tag us in your coastal beach panorama shots so we can live vicariously through you!
