I was listening to the podcast of a prominent interior designer the other day, and she said something that really struck a chord with me. She said “Don’t kill the statement”. I knew exactly what she meant, because I’ve seen this happen time and time again. We see a specific room style that inspires us and we want to emulate the look. But somehow, without meaning to, we go completely overboard and the result is a room that feels like a caricature of what we intended.
I’ll give you an example.
Take a stunning modern coastal room on Pinterest. The walls are white, the window treatments are simple white sheers, two identical white sofas are tastefully arranged with groupings of soft blue and teal throw pillows. There’s a blonde wooden coffee table featuring a white coral on a metal pedestal. The wall art is a series of abstract sea and sand paintings in pale wooden frames. There’s a jute area rug on the floor, and a few airy plants sitting in soft blue pottery urns. (Are you getting the picture?)
This style is incredibly fresh and appealing. It’s no wonder Modern Coastal is one of the most popular styles right now. Now let’s say you want to re-decorate your living room and you decide modern coastal is the look for you. Ok! You paint your walls white; you buy white sheers for your windows and two new white sofas. So far so good!
Then you head for a local home goods chain store for pillows, art and accessories. You can’t find coral, but you choose a giant ceramic conch shell instead. Then you spot a wall hanging made of shells that screams “coastal” in your ear. As you search for more wall art, you see a faux aged wooden “Beach House” sign. What could possibly be more coastal than that? Next you find watercolor paintings depicting mermaid, a reproduction old-time lobster trap and a metal crab figurine. Then you find a series throw pillows with adorable beachy sayings. At this point you’re really feeling it. Your modern coastal vibe is coming together!
But sadly, you have likely already killed the statement you were trying to make. In fact, you may have killed it when you put the “Beach House” sign in your cart. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. Somewhere along the way, the beautiful modern coastal living room of your dreams has become overdone and obvious.
Why don’t we go back to the beginning, after you painted the walls and bought two white sofas, but before you went shopping. (And don’t get me wrong, I LOVE an occasional trip to a home goods chain store. I just think they present too many opportunities for people to over-do their spaces). Now consider your beautiful space. It feels fresh, airy, clean and light. THAT is modern coastal. Of course, you’ll need to add art, textiles, lamps and accessories. But none of those things should take away from the feeling of the room. They should support and enhance the space – not compete with it. Instead of lobster traps and mermaids, look for wall art in muted colors and light frames, pillows in soft shades with interesting textures, airy plants and seagrass baskets. Maybe some recycled glass vases. Modern coastal is not about cramming as many beach elements into a space a possible. It’s about creating a space that is light and airy. It’s an aesthetic that is gentle, cool and calm. It’s a style that is sophisticated and casual at the same time.
The good news is, it’s easy to fix an over-done room. Just un-do it. Take out the elements that are too obvious and replace them with items that complement the space and align with your chosen style. Go back and study a few modern coastal rooms on Pinterest for reference. I’m certain you won’t see too many mermaids!
Danna
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