Decorating a room or an entire house is not an easy task. Even if you know the look you’re going for, finding the pieces that you and your family like can be difficult. But what if you like 2 different interior style trends and want to incorporate both? It’s not as hard as it looks since many trends have at least a few elements in common. The key is finding those commonalities and using them to your advantage.
Mixing summer beach house and urban city trends
Some people have a vacation home or a beach house to get away from work. But you don’t need a separate beach house to bring that style into the place where you live all the time. With many people working from home, you may want a room that is functional, yet relaxing. Or you might want to mix the aesthetic of a beach house with the modern feel of urban city living.
So here’s how to mix both trends and create something your family can enjoy together:
Common traits
Whenever you think of mixing different decor trends, look for the common elements you can find in both. With beach house and urban city styles, a few common elements you can use include:
- Open and airy interiors
- Light hues and white rooms
- A minimalist approach to furniture
- The use of natural elements
- Decorate with house plants
Open and airy interiors
Clutter is the enemy of most design trends and it tends to make a small room feel even smaller. Interiors should feel open and airy, filled with natural light from large windows or glass doors. Welcome the summer sunshine by keeping the curtains open and using light fabrics for window treatments.
If you already have furniture in the room, you can try taking everything out first. Then bring in one piece at a time to see if they fit the space and work well together. You might find that you don’t need as many pieces as you thought.
White rooms and light colors
Both design trends use light hues and even white rooms to serve as the basic foundation. You can then add in accent colors like blues, greens, beige, khaki, and even light grey. You can use these colors in several ways such as painting an accent wall or hanging artwork. You want to play up the abundance of natural light, so white is a great choice. You can also go for pastel yellow, ivory, or similar hues.
Keep it simple
Beach houses only have furniture or decor that helps you relax. Urban city design emphasizes the use of multi-functional pieces. As you can see, both trends tend toward minimalism in terms of furniture. Look for good quality pieces that will last the test of time.
Instead of using a big sectional in the living room, break up the seating into multiple light pieces. Use a loveseat with a lounge-style chair or mix and match eclectic pieces. Combine a small couch with ottomans or even an open-back chaise. Just remember that the furniture shouldn’t take up all the space in the room.
Natural materials
Both decor trends use natural and light materials. Don’t use a lot of metal, stone, or dark wood. Use lighter woods like bamboo, maple, and white oak. These materials not only make the pieces feel lighter but also take up less space visually. This can be a boon for smaller rooms or even for large rooms where you want to carve out specific areas like a library and office.
Other natural materials you can use are linen, wicker, rattan, and cotton. Rugs, pillow covers, slipcovers for the couch, curtains are all places where you can use these summer fabrics. Try to keep shine, glitter, and polish to a minimum. Opt for matte or even unfinished pieces to create a more relaxed environment.
Add some plants
Mention the beach and most people think of swaying palm trees. While it may not be practical to bring them inside your house, you can always add some plants to any room. Train creepers to grow down from the top of a bookshelf or hang some pots near the door. You can also use larger potted plants as room dividers. These work much better than plonking a large shelf or similar piece in the middle of your room.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when decorating your home is that you have to like the end result and live with it. Even if it means using a couch that doesn’t exactly fit the style you’re going for. You can always find ways to make it work. So enjoy your new room and don’t worry too much about breaking some arbitrary design rules!
