What is Coastal Grandmother Style?

Looking to achieve the easy breezy coastal style even if you don’t life right on the coast? Coastal Grandmother style might be what your home needs…

Do you love the laid back look of coastal living with soft white slipcovers, durable floor coverings and classic style?

Are you drawn to soft taupes, creamy grays, crisp whites, blues in all shades and love accents of black. This look might just be right for you!

Do you love collecting rocks, shells, and other beach treasures and bringing them in your home.

For those of you have been reading this blog for nearly 11 years you KNOW coastal style is my favorite. I don’t follow trends BUT I couldn’t not share that my favorite decor style is TRENDING. Let’s talk more about the Coastal Grandmother style!

What is Coastal Grandmother Style?

Okay, I have a confession to make. I’m NOT on Tik Tok and I heard this hashtag going around on Instagram, but I honestly didn’t know what people were talking about. If you’ve been scratching your head I thought I’d break it down for you!

Tik Tok personality Lex Nicoleta is credited with coining the term in this video. Essentially the “coastal grandmother” aesthetic encompasses the style of Diane Keaton’s character in Something’s Got To Give – the Nancy Meyer’s film set on the coast. The character dresses in kahkis, crisp white shirts, collects white beach rocks, and creates the most maginificiant dinners. Her home is a DREAM.

I’ve never told anyone but it’s always been my dream for our home to be in a Nancy Meyer’s film!!! Well, I’ll still keep my fingers crossed, but I think my home and style fits right into the Coastal Grandmother Trend.

Why You’ll Love The Coastal Grandmother Look

• It’s relaxed
• It’s warm and inviting
• You can achieve this look by shopping thrift stores and yard sales
• The classic nature of this look means it will never date!
• Nature (think shells and rocks) but also gorgeous flowers fresh from your garden.

Ideas for Achieving this Look in Your Home

Okay, if you like this look and want to emulate it in your own home affordably here are some easy ways.

Add white slipcovered furniture

We have a white slipcovered couch and slipcovered dining chairs. I love that I can wash them and replace the slipcovers and they look as good as new. Get my must have white slipcover cleaning tips. I love the look white slipcovers give. By nature they’re relaxed and say to visitors, “come have a seat and enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee.”

Paint a classic shaped vanity in dark navy

Coastal grandmothers LOVE classic style and colors. By painting this more ornate vanity a deep navy it made our bathroom feel all the more coastal!

Create Focal Points with Antiques

Our Welsh Dresser has long been a favorite in our dining room. Can you believe I found that on a Facebook Yard Sale site? I love that it grounds our dining room and makes the perfect space to display my ironstone and shell collections.

I’ve thrifted all of these pieces. I’m always looking for more ironstone. In fact, I just found a GIANT platter at a local thrift store for $10! It’s as big as my torso and so heavy. I LOVE using shells. I think I might write a whole post on decorating with shells – so stay tuned for that! You can grab my antique buying guide here.

Coastal Grandmothers Add Black Accents

Black is a neutral and can really look wonderful in a home. I love black furniture, black frames, and love this floor cloth that looks like black and white tile in our front hall.

It really is a wonderful addition to our front hall and so durable. This floor cloth looks as good as it did the day I unrolled it and put it on the floor (even with kids and two dogs).

Coastal Grandmothers Love Shiplap

Coastal grandmothers love classic shiplap and board and batten paneling. I actually wrote a must read guide all about shiplap.

Flourishing Gardens

Coastal Grandmothers love flourishing gardens and decorating with those flowers. I actually created a secret garden in our front yard and filled it with peonies, vanilla strawberry hydrangeas, lilies and sweet autumn clematis over the the gate. My secret is to plant flowers that I love and enjoy clipping them to display inside our home.

You might also like these posts on flowers:

• Favorite flowering plants
• Favorite Outdoor flower and plants
• Tips for beautiful hydgrangeas
• Creating a Flower Cutting Garden

Inviting Entertaining Spaces

Our pool and pool house make the perfect coastal entertaining spot that every coastal grandmother needs. A space on a hammock to unwind with a good book.

Lots of Adirondack chairs to sip homemade elderflowers presses.

Coastal grandmothers love teak at affordable prices that has weathered and mellowed with age.

White Cabinets

Coastal grandmothers adore white painted cabinets especially with brass hardware! I found the perfect white for our cabinets.

Find the Perfect Wall Colors for Coastal Grandmother Style

Think warm whites and soft grays and tans, but also deep blues and jewel colors.

It’s taken me a while to find all the paint colors I love in our home, but I’ve rounded up a bunch of posts that will help you:

• My favorite white paint colors
• Colors that pair perfectly with dark wood trim
• My favorite coastal colors
• Favorite neutrals for painting furniture

Coastal Grandmother Style

More ways to get the look in your dress sense:

Coastal Grandmother Style for the Home

A few more fun shopping ideas to get this look for your home:

Let’s stay connected…

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