The Design and Styling of a Modern Coastal Bedroom

Who doesn’t love a good night’s sleep listening to the sound of the waves gently crashing on shore? That’s what dreams are made of… at least we think so! But this dreamy, airy loft room is hardly what we started with and we had a goal of creating relaxing modern coastal vibes throughout the space to escape from the noise of everyday life. The previous owners had extended the loft bedroom to utilize the entire upper space. While we’re ALL about maximizing space, we felt that this feature cut off a lot of light from the upper bedroom and made it feel very tight and cramped upon entry on the lower level. So.. we took the loft back to its’ original design forfeiting floor space for a brighter, lofty feel. In our opinion this makes the space feel much larger, even though we technically lessened our floor area.

Our main goal in this space was to create a welcoming, relaxing haven perfect for cuddling up and enjoying time on the coast. We brought in as much light, white and natural elements as possible for casual coastal vibes. Here are a few of the ways we transformed this drab room into a Modern Coastal Dream:

A Clean and Coastal Bed
Styling the Bedside
Mood Lighting
Wall Art
Bring in the Greenery

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A Modern Coastal Bed

The bed is the largest piece of furniture in the bedroom so its natural to start with it as the other furniture pieces and design elements will work around the bed. Simple and subtle was the goal when it came to our bed design. We chose a very clean white headboard so as not to detract from the artwork or bedside pendants. We love layers on the bed to create interest since the bed is generally the main styling event in any bedroom. A fluffy white oversized duvet cover (like this linen beauty) covers the bed keeping the overall space light. We added fun striped throw pillows hinting towards the sea to inject some personality and a casual blanket draped towards the foot of the bed to break up the visual expanse and keep it interesting.

Side Note: One of our favorite styling tricks is keeping the furniture and more expensive pieces neutral and styling it up with the accessories in a room making it easier and less expensive to switch up the look and feel on a whim! We especially love SewAndCloth for quality throw pillows to quite literally throw all over! Indigo blankets like this one or a cute turkish towel are great ways to spice it up quickly and inexpensively.

Styling The Bedside

Keeping the idea of a relaxed space, it was really important to bring some natural elements and tones into the room. We opted for two identical nightstands with two basket drawers to mimic the tone of the pendant lights that hang above. Bonus, these baskets add some design flair while also concealing the contents and keeping things looking neat and organized. On top of the bedside tables we placed olive wood boards to again bring in the natural warm tones. We then intentionally placed a shell and very small plant on one side and two small plants on the other to create some subtle differences between the two.

Modern Coastal Mood Lighting

A big thank you to the Glass railing, from the loft you are able to see right through to our Living Room rattan chandelier bringing some immediate warmth and coastal modern vibes to the space. In addition, we chose to hang two pendant lights from the ceiling on either side of the bed to give the benefits of bedside lighting without taking up valuable nightstand space. We fell in LOVE with these rope pendants (we also love these ones) as soon as we saw them and knew they would be the absolutely perfect accent for the bedroom. Make sure to check the dimensions of any light fixture prior to purchasing it for your space! To add even more lighting to the space we picked up a sleek ceiling fan complete with.. more light!

Wall Art & Beautiful Functionality

We really feel like we scored in the artwork department when it comes to our over-the-bed feature art – does that scream beach or what?! Flip to the other wall which is our wall of style and function. We chose a large round wood-framed mirror for this wall to bounce the light from the windows and keep it bright. We also built a custom hanging rack for all the beach goodies to add some functionality to the space. And then we have our TV wall making this room into the most comfortable movie theatre ever at night.

Our Green Friends

Plants liven up any space. They make it inviting, fresh and friendly while also adding a pop of color. We’ve also come to find that plants help to lower stress and anxiety which is the exact relaxed vibe every coastal bedroom needs. After all, you come to the beach for some R&R and stress is no friend to relaxation. We placed larger plants at the corner of the glass railing in baskets so that the fresh greenery can be enjoyed from above and below in the space. We also placed smaller greens on the bedside tables.

Side Note: If you find yourself decorating a space as a vacation home or an airbnb where you may not be able to consistently water your plant babies, there are some fantastic artificial plants that can still bring the soft, natural vibes in without the maintenance. Something like a faux palm finished with a basket to conceal the bottom.

The bedroom is the space to make truly yours. It’s a place to escape and relax. The space where you want to curl up and reset after a long day. We are big fans of keeping bedrooms simple yet luxurious with light colors and relaxed textures to create a serene escape from the everyday.

Interested in the overall transformation of the Sea Loft? Enjoy more modern coastal vibes at: Creating the Perfect Beach House. Designing a Relaxed Beach Inspired Living Room, Styling a Kitchen with Coastal Design Flair , How to Style a Beach Spa Bathroom & Elements of Styling a Modern Coastal Interior

Photography by Rafael Bautista & Ali Beck Photography