Coastal style goes hand in hand with relaxed, casual living outdoors. It’s about sitting back in a classic deck chair, feasting on BBQ’d delights and cooling off in the refreshing water. Life at the beach is pleasurable whether it’s riding a wave, constructing sandcastles or simply snoozing between pages of a good book.

Ida dining armchairs in Outdoor Linen
Ida deck chair is the ideal addition to any coastal home

We all share memories of summer holidays with family and friends. Weekend getaways to a beach-side shack where our days are spent living outdoors. These coastal escapes have greatly influenced the way we design and live in our everyday homes, regardless of how near or far they are from the sea-side.

Open-plan living and seamless connections with the outdoors is at the heart of every coastal style home.

Spaces to cook outside, to hang out with friends and to play are essential. It’s all about comfort, ease and embracing natural textures and materials. Although fibro shacks have evolved into glamorous coastal buildings with all the bells and whistles, we’re seeing a trend of people drifting back to the basics.

Coastal style echos the laid-back outdoor lifestyle and a forever holiday vibe. Bold statements, baskets of shells and nautical printed fabrics have made way for washed-out and neutral tones with complementing natural textures and elements. Think cushions in linen, a timber dining table left to go grey and comfortable day bed to relax on a summer afternoon.

Nullica daybed with cushion in Basics outdoor fabric on wooden deck
Coastal living is all about a laid-back aesthetic and comfort | Nullica day bed

There’s no longer a distinction between interior and exterior finishes as organic materials used outdoors flow inside. Colours are influenced by the surrounding landscape and the planting becomes a reflection of local flora.

Spaces are opened, edges are softened; architecture is inviting and feels just right.

Natural style beach house at dusk

The coastal home of Copacabana Clifftop presents the continuous connection between the architecture, interior spaces and landscape just as you would expect from a sea-side property. Raw, natural materials are used as part of a simple pared back aesthetic, yet the design is contemporary and sophisticated.

Sesame cobblestones line the driveway with a Barrimah traditional format retaining wall

Designed by Annabelle of Annabelle Chapman Architects, this 1970’s Tree Tops home has been transformed using a fresh natural palette and maximising natural light. The coastal style is referenced in the use of white shutters, oak, natural stone and the painted blue exterior. Perched high above the ocean, the home sits perfectly within its surrounding beach-side landscape thanks to the consider materials palette. And the feeling of harmonious space continues once inside.

Killcare sandstone random ashlar walling and bluestone border detail

This coastal property is a triumph due to it’s strong emphasis on outdoor living with the home designed around a series of landscaped spaces. The dialogue between inside and out is not just through use of materials. It’s the way the interior unfolds and opens up to the outdoors that tells the story. It’s a perfect example of how outdoor spaces can transform the entire way we live.

Modern residence with central pool area using Ravello travertine modular paving and coping units

With coastal living all about the outdoors, amenities are a priority. This beach-side home designed by BGD Architects creates the feeling of summer holidays all year round. Wrapping around the pool, the home’s open plan makes way for laid-back living and ensures close connection to the outdoors where ever you are. With space to entertain, cook up a storm and chill out pool-side, it’s hard to imagine not feeling relaxed living here.

The coastal style accommodates one of life’s great pleasures: uncomplicated living outdoors. Leaving the fuss and showstopping features behind, it’s a distinctive kind of design that’s quintessentially Australian, and one that’s hard to beat.