Australian coastal homes possess a distinctive character, shaped by our wide, open skies, natural landscapes and the ever-present sound of the ocean. There’s a laid-back ease to life by the sea, and it’s only natural to want our homes to reflect that. But when most people picture an Australian coastal home, it’s easy to default to a Hamptons-inspired look complete with crisp white walls, nautical stripes and driftwood.
While it can be achieved beautifully, this aesthetic can feel more expected than expressive. I believe a coastal home can reflect its seaside setting while feeling artful, elevated and truly personal. When I was engaged to curate a small two-bedroom apartment overlooking Freshwater Beach, the brief was to embrace the location while avoiding the predictable.
The client was drawn to blue and green hues, reflecting the coastal surrounds, but desired an outcome that felt more curated and considered. By introducing deeper, moodier tones and layering in sculptural furniture, art and textured finishes, we created a home that feels serene yet refined. Here are five key takeaways from the Freshwater project that you can use to design a coastal home that feels distinctive, timeless and deeply yours.
1. ELEVATE WITH WALLPAPER AND WALL FINISHES
Crisp white walls are often common in coastal homes, offering a bright and airy backdrop. However, these also present the perfect blank canvas for a striking design statement. Wall treatments like wallpaper, Venetian plaster or French wash can elevate a space and introduce depth, mood and texture.
In the Freshwater project, the bedroom was lined with a beautiful Emma Hayes watercolour wallpaper to create a soft, immersive atmosphere, which I complemented with bespoke wardrobe doors crafted using walnut timber and grasscloth wallpaper for a tactile, elegant finish. In the open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, I used Porter's Paint Fresco French Wash to diffuse the harsh western light and add subtle visual texture. These layered finishes helped to bring personality a the space, proving that coastal homes can be expressive while remaining calm and relaxing.
2. USE SCULPTURAL FORMS TO CREATE FUNCTIONAL ART
Sculptural forms offer another way to elevate your coastal home beyond the unexpected.
By transforming furniture, lighting and joinery as functional art, they create a series of moments of beauty and cohesion throughout your interiors.
In the Freshwater project, I introduced shapely, custom pieces to add interest and soften the space. The curved sofa was custom-made by E9 Design, while the Dolores sideboard designed by me, features a Brutalist-inspired geometric facade that acts as a functional sculpture. Sculptural lighting and objects continue the visual motif, elevating the space with pieces that are as beautiful as they are functional. Think beyond function: a lamp can be a sculpture and a dining chair can add architecture. It's these subtle yet intentional forms that can elevate a home from relaxed to refined.
3. MIX DIFFERENT WOOD TONES
Coastal homes can often lean towards light oak or timber, but relying on a single wood tone can leave a space feeling flat and one-dimensional. Instead, consider introducing warm walnut, weathered ash, or even charred black timber to add depth and visual interest.
In the Freshwater project, the client was looking to retain the existing light timber kitchen carcass, so I updated the space by replacing the joinery doors, adding new hardware and designing a bespoke pantry door in glasscloth and walnut. The walnut tones were echoed through the kitchen counter bar stools, providing a sense of cohesion. Elsewhere in the home, we mixed lighter oak finishes with deeper walnut elements, showing how pairing different timber tones across furniture, joinery and decorative details can create a more intentional and richly layered interior.
4. TELL YOUR STORY THROUGH OBJECTS
One of the most powerful ways to avoid coastal clichés is to infuse your home with personal meaning. I always encourage clients to layer in pieces that carry a story - whether it’s a hand-made ceramic discovered while travelling, a vintage lamp handed down through family, or unique artwork by a local artist. These details bring soul and character to a space.
In the Freshwater project, we incorporated artful pieces like the hand-made terracotta beeswax chess set by Tatsiana Shevarenkova, fluted ceramic pieces by Tee McManus of All Day Clay, brushed stainless steel fold by Clementine Machonachie and an Akari floor lamp to add sculptural beauty which reflect the client's personality. 
5. OPT FOR UNEXPECTED COLOUR COMBINATIONS
Blue and green are often synonymous with beachside living, and rightly so as they mirror the natural landscape outside. It's not about avoiding these hues, it's how you work with them that makes the difference. Unexpected colour combinations can shift the mood of a home, helping it feel unique, curated and far from the expected.
In the Freshwater project, we layered moody blues and greens with unexpected accents like terracotta, caramel and navy to steer away from a flat or nautical aesthetic. Mustard and chocolate brown, sage and rust, or even a black detail can shift the entire energy of a space. The key is to layer with intention, allowing colours to compliment each other rather than compete. 
Designing a costal home should be a deeply personal process, one that allows for creativity, experimentation and storytelling. Despite some opinions, you can absolutely use classic coastal materials like linen, rattan or blue hues, but it's the way you layer, balance and edit them that determines the final result.
Whether you live by the sea or simply want to bring a sense of its ease into your home, don’t be afraid to take creative risks, trust your instincts, and embrace the art of curation.
If you're seeking a Sydney-based interior designer to help you curate a home that reflects who you are and how you live, get in touch here. I'd love to help bring your vision to life.
