‘Coastal’ and ‘French’ aren’t mutually exclusive design goals. Mainland France has 2,000 miles of coastline — someone is living (beautifully) on those shores! From a design standpoint, as you leave behind the high style epicenter that is Paris, and pass through the undulating hills of rustic maisons churning out French delights, you stumble up against the sea — where maritime culture meets all of the above. If French Country style carefully incorporates lavish Parisian elements with the provincial, then I’d say Coastal French gleans the best of city, country, and sea … plus, whatever treasures roll in from ports beyond.

Coastal French Inspiration

As my husband and I started down the path of redecorating every square inch of our Dutch Colonial in Coastal French decor, this was the photo inspiring us because the roof is similar in color to ours:

This home near the north coast of France in Montreuil-Sur-Mer surfaced deep in the pages of one of my Google searches at thegoodlifefrance.com. It features weathered and matte whites and blues, textured components, arched openings that add softness … and flower boxes bursting with life.

Authenticity.

I love the ocean (marine bio major, for reals) and equally love France so combining the two seemed a natural design goal to me. But whenever I tried searching for ‘Coastal French’ lighting/flooring/furniture, not much came up. There is ‘Coastal’ lighting or ‘French’ (or ‘French Country’) lighting, but not Coastal French (or French Coastal for that matter.) There I was, simultaneously staring down a crack in the all-knowing internet, and the first opportunity in my adult life to use a Venn diagram. I embraced it.

I began to run all our redecorating choices through the mental version of this Venn diagram, and what I’ll call the Rules of Coastal French design emerged:

‘Rules’ of Coastal French design

• The Coastal French color palette is blues, whites, neutrals.

• A heavy hand with textures adds interest where color leaves off.

• The Coastal French metals are mixed, but largely brass and iron.

• Where possible, use elemental components — things from the earth –for walls, floors, and tiles. Antique wood, stone, plaster, limewash, seagrasses, etc are naturally textured. They create a lived-in feeling and ooze authenticity.

• Coastal French design breaks up the simple lines and spartan tendencies of coastal style by using curves, circles and subtly shiny objects to add femininity and understated flair. It’s elegance anchored in simplicity.

Examples of Coastal French design

There are varying degrees to which a room can go Coastal French.

For instance, our dining room leans more French than Coastal because of the velvet upholstery and excessive curves in the chairs, lantern hooks, teapot, and chandelier:

The family room leans more Coastal than French because of its adherence to straight lines, and fabrics like canvas and knit:

The living room is pretty close to what I’d call equally French and Coastal (especially after we get a seagrass-type rug in there):

How did we achieve Coastal French all in these rooms? Bit by bit, month by month, year by year (coming up on ten in 2024!) — nothing happens quickly!

For makeover photos and details, look under the ‘At Home’ dropdown in the toolbar or click here: Before & After picture index