Beachy Summer Family Room Decor

I have always loved beachy decor. Perhaps been a little obsessed with it. When I first watched Something’s Gotta Give years ago, I was unable to focus on anything besides that gorgeous beach house. Afterwards, I scoured the internet for screenshots of the house so I could study it. Needless to say, it’s been an inspiration to me. I grew up near the Great Lakes of Canada and the beach was a happy part of my childhood and teen years. I don’t live on the beach, but I like to include a few beach house touches in my decor, especially in the summertime. In this post, Beachy Summer Family Room Decor, I’m sharing my tips to add beach house charm to your family room.

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Paint Colours and Wood Finishes

Paint colour is a really important element if you want to achieve a beachy look. Whites, pale blues and greys, and weathered wood finishes are essential. Our walls are painted with Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee (75% strength). This colour is a warm, slightly creamy white. I wanted the fireplace to contrast with the walls, so I painted the fireplace mantle a soft blue-green grey, Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore. If you want details about my lemon tablescape, you can read that post here.

The side table and base of the ottoman are constructed of weathered oak wood. The finish resembles driftwood or old wooden signs weathered by years at the beach. Including a piece or two in a weathered finish will add a bit of beach house charm to your home.

Artwork For A Beachy Summer Family Room Decor

Artwork is an easy way to add that beachy vibe to your home. It’s also easy enough to swap out seasonally, so you can decorate with more beach house style in the summer if you prefer. I took every opportunity to display beach-inspired artwork. This included a gallery wall above the sofa, artwork on the fireplace mantle, beach photographs on the open shelves, and original art above the media until below the open shelves.

I created a gallery wall in the space above the sofa. I used white IKEA frames (Ribba) and printable artwork I purchased on Etsy from The Art Compass. The prints are arranged in a simple grid pattern. The white-on-white recedes into the background allowing the fireplace wall to be the focal point in this space. To bring more attention to this wall I could use wood frames or add a grasscloth or patterned wallpaper.

Fireplace Wall

On the fireplace mantle, I used layered artwork with a framed sea fan print on the right side. This ties the fireplace in with the gallery wall above the sofa. On the open shelves on either side of the fireplace, I added a framed black and white photograph of the beach. Black and white photography is a great way to strengthen the beach theme without adding additional colour. Finally, I hung an original Brynn W. Casey painting above the media unit on the right side of the fireplace. This is a treasured piece of artwork in our home that I fell in love with several years ago.

Beachy Art Sources

You can find your own beachy artwork from original artists, through art speciality stores (online and brick and mortar stores), from Etsy (printables and paper), from stores like Homesense, and from thrift stores and yard sales. Don’t overlook unconventional art like postcards, travel and movie posters, and wall hangings.

Plants And Greenery

Real plants bring any indoor space to life and I like to include them in all my decorating. I didn’t choose beach specific foliage, but if you wanted to do that, I would recommend dried or faux tall grass plants. You could also research what types of plants grow at the beaches in your area or at a favourite vacation destination. Palms and tropical plants would help to evoke a tropical beach setting. I included plants and fresh flowers on all available surfaces.

Accessories For A Beachy Summer Family Room Decor

I recommend starting with some basic white accessories like white vases, candle pillars, and books. Then you an add in some woven accessories for a relaxed beach house vibe. I used a mix of baskets and trays made of seagrass, rattan, and water hyacinth. These natural materials keep the space looking relaxed and summery. You could also add some natural elements such as seashells, starfish, and driftwood.

I used simple textiles in neutral an watery green colours to reflect the colour palette of a day at the beach. The pillows are from IKEA and Tonic Living.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed reading my post, Beachy Summer Family Room Decor. Please let me know if you found some of my ideas useful for creating that beach house look in your home. What is your favourite accessory or colour scheme for a beachy look?