Ask just about any designer and they’ll likely tell you that the biggest coastal design trend right now is to make spaces that feel not as obviously coastal. Gone are the heavy-handed nautical interiors and fish motifs. In their place is a look that’s lighter, fresher, and far more elevated.
“Coastal design is evolving into something more refined and architectural, rather than literal or theme-driven,” say Kilian Camp and Alison Green, founders of Élan Design House, via email. But there are a number of ways designers can translate this style into reality. Here’s what the experts are seeing.
Departure From Coastal Motifs
The biggest coastal trend involves a shift away from more traditionally beach-themed ornamentations. Gone are ropes, anchors, and blue-and-white stripes, and in their place are pieces that Ashley Wilkins of Islyn Studio says feel more “personal and sensory.” “This shift reflects a deeper instinct toward context, storytelling, and the emotional character of a place,” she notes. Michelle Murphy of DEMI RYAN Interiors agrees, noting this departure marks a desire to make coastal spaces feel less themed. Instead, they’re more grounded in their organic atmosphere through “abstract, textural nods to the coast.”
Read more: https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/a70886420/coastal-design-trends-2026/