Hi Friend, Welcome to Postbox Designs! I’m Kristin, Mama to 3, and over here ALL I do is custom Interior E-Design. After spending over a decade as a traditional Interior Design, I have found Interior E-Design has all of the beauty, yet I can pop into your inbox with your custom design no matter where you live. Which means you can pull together your room on YOUR time and as your budget allows. In your PJs over a glass of wine…yep, I’m speaking your language, I know!
And I’ll let you know another little thing about me. When I was 19 years old I moved to Michigan after a life of being land locked in Indiana. And I have never gotten bored of being near the water. Anything coastal, blue, or striped immediately will distract me from whatever task I’m involved in! So I was beyond thrilled when my sweet client who has a house on the water in Texas reached out to me for her Living Room Makeover.
She and her husband wanted a sleek, polished look that was still casual and comfortable. And since they live on the water, she wanted a coastal look “minus the seagulls and seashells”. What a great description, right? So if this description has your heart racing a little too, read on and I’ll show you how to achieve the same look!
Modern Coastal Living Room Makeover Version #1
Whenever I start a new project with a client, I always send them a Welcome Packet, so I can really get to know their style and budget. And my client did such a beautiful job of describing her look, that I started designing her Living Room in my head as I was reading through her email! I also have my clients send me a Pinterest board of rooms they love, and we started her project inspired by this gorgeous neutral Living Room (Item #1) I included on her Mood Board.
Interior Design=Marriage Counseling?
Sometimes Interior Design can involve a little marriage counseling wrapped into it! After all, your home is a place where you feel safest and most comfortable, so you really want it to fit your style and needs. And sometimes a husband and wife have different needs (anyone married more than 12 months knows I’m stating the obvious) So here was a list of each person’s wants that we needed to meld into one room:
Hubby’s Living Room Wish List
A sectional sofa to lounge in
Casual, comfortable furniture
No wild colors
Wife’s Living Room Wish List
Sleek and Modern
Polished and Clean Lined
Neutral
A Coastal Feel (with no seashells or seagulls)
Shared Living Room Wish List
A way to incorporate their love of the outdoors, hunting, and fishing
A sofa that their dog Steve could snuggled up on…without destroying
So the question is…how do you combine Modern and Traditional styles into one Living Room? And how do you create a Living Room Design that is comfortable and casual (and dog friendly) yet is still modern and clean lined?
Modern Meets Traditional Coastal Living Room Design
We started out with choosing the right sofa. Hubby got his sectional sofa-this sectional (#2) is from Pottery Barn, it is extra deep so it is comfortable, yet the straight arms give it a polished look. And this sectional sofa is shown in a Sunbrella Performance fabric-this is a fabric that is made to withstand the OUTDOORS, so it is going to hold up to dirt, spills and even dogs.
Then we layered on some neutral modern coastal pillows (#5, 6, 14-17) in shades of white, tan, gray, and blue to keep that light and airy look going. But my favorite piece might be this show-stopping Pottery Barn coffee table (#4) that is very similar to her Inspirational Photo we were working from (#1). Serena and Lily rattan chairs (#13), West Elm nightstands that we are using for modern side tables (#10), and a jute rug (#3) that is going to hold up to sand and water.
How To Style a Console Table in a Modern Living Room Design
We also finished off their Living Room Makeover with light cotton curtains (#29), rattan baskets (#26), and I found some coffee table decor that was inspired by her original Pinterest image (#18). In their Living Room, they didn’t have a ton of wall space, but we used a slice of wall to add a console table.
I created a simple console table design for them to add some charm and personality to the room. I started off with this coastal Parsons style console table (#32), and centered this modern metal mirror (#30) from Houzz over it. On one side of the table she could add this vase with greenery (#28), West Elm wood/marble blocks (#9), and this coastal looking wood slice sculpture (#33). You want just enough items to look purposeful on top of your console table, without looking cluttered. If you are stuck: think of styling your table in groups of three: something on the right, something in the middle, and something on the left. Hang a piece of art or a mirror that is around 2/3 the width of your table, and you have yourself a styled console table!
Modern Coastal Living Room Makeover Version #2
Modern Meets Traditional Coastal Living Room: Take II
As part of my Room Packages, I always include a round of revisions. I sent my clients Version #1 to get their feedback and thoughts. I have found from experience that it is SO much easier to give feedback on specific items, then to try to describe your style from nothing.
While overall, we nailed their coastal style, I did a few small swap-outs to make their Living Room Makeover perfect.
The first swap was we changed from an upholstered sectional sofa to a leather one (#2). And we also found out the hubby doesn’t love rattan, so we switched out the rattan armchairs to these upholstered Pottery Barn ones (#13). We went with a different ceiling fan (#27) and more coastal wall prints (#25).
And guess what? They were right…Version #2 was even better than Version #1.
Want to See More Modern Coastal Living Rooms?
Yup, me too! As my personal bias, this style is totally up my design alley. I love the mix of casual and polished, and with a pop of coastal charm. So here are some more Living Room Makeovers that have this same vibe to them. I hope you can grab some more ideas for your own home!
This Coastal Living Room was open to her Kitchen and Dining Room, so we looked for soft, casual coastal items that would work with the rest of her room. Then I helped her design the built-ins on either side of her TV. After designing this Living Room, I called her my “Style BFF”! You can check out Parts I and II of this Makeover:
Modern Coastal Living Room Part I
Modern Coastal Living Room Part II
This client reached out who lived on the coast near Charleston, and wanted a Living Room with a coastal look…without being cheesy.
Neutral Coastal Living Room Makeover
Grab Free Room Designs
And finally, I saved the best for last! My FAVORITE design resource to share with you is completely free. When I started Postbox Designs, I also started a FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY with free room designs for just about every room of your house. Inside are Mood Boards, Guides, Shopping Lists, and more to help you find the perfect items. And it is totally free. When you sign up you will get an email with the link and password so you can access it 24.7. Enjoy!
Find Out How Interior E-Design Works
Think you need some pro help? If you have any questions about How Online Interior Design Works you can get more info, or check out my ROOM PACKAGES & PRICING
Cheers,
Kristin
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