Embrace Coastal Charm With 5 Trends for Seaside Cottage Interiors

A fresh yet classic interior style is taking the helm in 2025, washing all over social media feeds and inspiring a wave of home decor makeovers — from coastal homes on the beach to city apartments craving a taste of salt air and sandy toes.

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen #CoastalGrandmother inspiration and cozy coastal interiors set to the theme song of The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Here, sun-soaked mornings, beach walks and cozy, whitewashed interiors are romanticized and rightly so. It’s no surprise that searches for “seaside cottage interiors” have soared dramatically as more people prepare to bring summer nostalgia into their homes.

What Is the Seaside Cottage Aesthetic?

The seaside cottage aesthetic combines the broader chic coastal style and cozy cottagecore. It’s mellow, more romantic and a little more rustic — much like a home softened by all the living its occupants have done.

This beach version of cottagecore leans into familiar comfort, natural textures, timeworn finishes and vintage pieces that look like they’ve been passed down through generations.

Coastal style, by contrast, is its prim and proper cousin. Picture a beachside home with a sleek interior, open-concept layout and polished finishes, with nothing rough around the edges.

It feels more like a hotel room with crisp lines than a cozy cottage where you’d want to kick your flip-flops off and rest your sandy legs after a day at the beach.

How to Incorporate Seaside Cottage Interiors Into Your Home

If you’re ready to bring some seaside warmth into your own space, here are five trends to help you embrace the coastal style with a cottagey twist.

1. Go Breezy With a Coastal Colour Palette

White and blue are the two colors most associated with the seaside cottage aesthetic. Walls are the backdrop of the whole vibe and typically have chalky white or soft neutral bases.

Soften the starkness as you layer in faded blues, soft greens, pale sand tones and gentle greys. Throw in navy, celadon or sky blue accents to add contrast without overwhelming the room.

Soft blues have been known to lower your heart rate, which creates a sense of calmness associated with the gentle coast.

Play with metals and incorporate matte black, copper or bronze fixtures in moderation for a slightly modern look. Ensure that they don’t steal the spotlight from the blues and whites.

2. Bring the Outside In With Natural Textures

Another key part of coastal cottage interiors is the use of organic, tactile materials that embody warmth and character.

Think rattan, sisal, jute, cane, linen, raw wood and ceramic. Layer rugs made of seagrass or jute on high-traffic areas of the home.

Your hardwood floor should also complement the natural hues. The ideal colors to realize this vision are medium to deep browns that mimic outdoor elements like sand and soil.

Washed linens also make great throws over a white slip-covered couch. Place textured ceramics and woven baskets strategically on shelves. Handcrafted natural pieces make the space feel more creative and authentically lived-in.

3. Make It Lived-In, Not Perfect

Those TikTok videos might look straight from a Pinterest board, but the seaside cottage aesthetic isn’t about creating a sterile beach mansion. It’s meant to feel cozy, well-loved and lived-in.

Think furniture softened by daily use and textiles faded by the sun. These details make it feel like generations have spent endless summers there.

Skip the boxy IKEA furniture and opt for vintage pieces and timeless shapes that feel elegant and artisanal. Don’t be afraid to incorporate elements that reflect your individuality.

Just because you're aiming for a certain aesthetic doesn’t mean the space has to feel impersonal.

Fill your shelves with cherished books and classic board games. Scatter picture frames throughout the room and put up photos of your favorite summer memories to echo the feeling of eternal summer.

Of course, you can never go wrong with nautical decor — model ships, weathered driftwood and delicate seashells evoke childhood afternoons spent combing the beach.

When sourcing furniture, look for the following:

●      Whitewashed or distressed timber furniture

●      Reclaimed driftwood tables

●      Mismatched chairs and soft poufs

●      Vintage rattan or painted sideboards

4. Let the Light Pour In

Natural light is huge in both coastal and cottage-style interiors since it brings you closer to nature. The average person spends 90% of their life indoors, where natural light cannot reach them.

The amount of sunshine you get affects your ability to feel happy and healthy. If you can, maximize window space or at least fake the look of light and airiness.

Ditch the heavy drapes and opt for sheer linen curtains that filter light in but still flood the room with enough brightness. If you want more natural textures, plantation shutters go well with a monochrome white wall, while rattan or bamboo blinds add a gentle contrast.

Keep your windows simple and breezy to let that soft golden hour light in. Adding mirrors framed in rope, rattan or shell across the windows can also bounce the light and make the room feel double its size.

5. Relaxed, Coastal Furniture With a Cottage Spin

The ideal furniture for a seaside cottage should feel inviting and cozy. Start with a white base couch, then layer on ticking stripes, checks or faded florals — preferably in soft shades of blue, of course.

A wicker ottoman can double as a coffee table and storage space, perfect for tucking away throws when summer nights turn a bit cooler.

Don’t forget the classic slip-covered sofas in white or beige linen. They’re essential anchors for your living room.

Remember, your outdoor space matters, too. When you think of seaside furniture, imagine white lounge or lawn chairs set against sandy paths and lush green grass with blue and pink hydrangeas in the backdrop.

If bulky square sofas aren’t your style, consider swapping them out for Indian teak daybeds, which bring more character and a natural sense of coziness.

A carved console table also works beautifully to welcome guests at the entryway or to display nautical trinkets, favorite books and a charming lamp.

Let Your Home Tell a Seaside Story

You might not live somewhere you can hear the beach waves crash softly on the sand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the whole vibe into your space.

The real magic of a seaside cottage interior lies in how it makes you feel — and it should be nothing less than lazy, fun summer afternoons or cozy, slow evenings after a long day at the beach.

Channel your inner coastal grandma or grandpa, for that matter, and don’t stress about sticking strictly to white and blue. It’s less about following rules and more about embracing a lived-in home that comforts and connects you to nature.

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Evelyn Long is the Editor-in-Chief of Renovated Magazine, where she writes on interior design and home organization content. She is passionate about making home styling easier for all homeowners and renters by writing about home interior trends. Subscribe to renovated.com/subscribe for more posts by Evelyn!