Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season a Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season a Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with one of these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Home
  3. Home Decor Ideas
  4. Timeless Coastal Charm

Timeless Coastal Charm

By Robert Martin
Skip gallery slides
FB
Stylish Porch Foyer
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn
Turn your own home into a seaside retreat no matter your location with tips from these South Carolina homeowners.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Traditional Coastal Elements

Nautical Coastal Home Decor: Traditional Coastal Elements
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Undaunted by the distance from the sea in their marshlands community, Sheila and Dennis Hood established an isle of coastal tranquility through in their Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina home.

In keeping with sturdy and modest structural coastal aesthetics and in response to the local climate, the home features wide roof overhangs, simple details, and comfortable porches to catch refreshing breezes. Tabby, which was used on the home’s exterior, is a mixture of crushed oyster shells that dries like concrete and was often used by early settlers because its ingredients were readily found along the coast.

The Hoods’ bungalow also incorporated building materials historically found and used to construct homes in the area: corrugated-metal roof, simple wood box columns, and tabby-formed chimney and foundation piers.

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

An Outdoor Living Room

Stylish Porch Foyer
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The Hoods have made their front porch one of the most congenial outdoor spots in Palmetto Bluff because their house doesn’t have a conventional foyer—pairs of French doors open right into the main living room. This in-between space is where they greet guests and neighbors, so it is here that their coastal touches begin.

The Hoods decorated their front porch with lamps that look like sea-weathered wood, sisal rugs, and throw pillows with wavy and coral-like patterns inspired by the Atlantic Ocean just a short drive away.

2 of 8

3 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Natural Air Circulation

Nautical Coastal Home Decor: Natural Air Circulation
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

While not a Southern invention, the natural ventilation of shutters has become an integral part of Deep South design.

If the homeowners need more seclusion or shade on their porches, all they have to do is close a bank of shutters. These handy panels combined with decorative solid walls below and fixed louvered shutters above further transform both ends of the porch into cozy outdoor rooms.

Operable shutters also flank the French doors inside the porch. “I love using shutters with adjustable slats because even when closed, the slats can be positioned to let air circulate,” architect Jim Strickland says. “Plus, being on this porch when it’s raining, with all the shutters pulled shut, is such a treat.”

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Coastal Details

Nautical Coastal Home Decor: Coastal Details
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

To help the modest-size home live large, the front room is one big open area. Walls covered with horizontal reclaimed cypress boards lend a subtle texture and aroma that gypsum drywall just can’t provide. Where the walls are neutral, eye-catching cushions, throws, and painted furniture keep things upbeat.

Inspired by the sea, tortoise shells and conch shells accessorize the living area, while starfish adorn the mantel. Books on South Carolina’s coastal area lie stacked on the coffee table and topped with shells. Vases of palm fronds simply picked up from outside complete the tropical ambience.

4 of 8

5 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

A Touch of Blue

Nautical Coastal Home Decor: A Touch of Blue
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Although a gray-blue palette that reflects various shades of water and sky is dominant on the porches, Sheila didn’t want to overplay the blue tones inside the house. The slate surround of the fireplace, cream-colored sofa, and light blue runner on the table reinforce a neutral color scheme with sparing use of blues.

Structurally, the table behind the sofa helps divide the room.

5 of 8

6 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Coastal Tones and Details

Coastal Tones and Details
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The kitchen also creates an interplay of neutral and blue tones. The cabinetry, marble countertops, and backsplash create an off-white backdrop for bowls, trays, and dishware. “Again, we didn’t want our use of blue to be too heavy-handed or expected,” says Sheila.

Nautical-style lighting above the island helps carry the coastal look into this space.

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

An Extension of the Interior

Dining Porch
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

French doors open directly from the kitchen to a front porch dining area that acts as an extension of the interior. Sheila, Dennis, and dog Annie spend much time enjoying the porch’s sheltered spaces.

7 of 8

8 of 8

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Back Porch Retreat

Porch Pooch
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The back porch is outfitted with coral-patterned pillows and a swinging daybed to make a comfy retreat. Instead of shutters, the couple relies on durable draperies made from waterproof sailcloth for shade and privacy. Potted ferns add the lushness of nearby marshlands.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Robert Martin

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Traditional Coastal Elements
    2 of 8 An Outdoor Living Room
    3 of 8 Natural Air Circulation
    4 of 8 Coastal Details
    5 of 8 A Touch of Blue
    6 of 8 Coastal Tones and Details
    7 of 8 An Extension of the Interior
    8 of 8 Back Porch Retreat

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Timeless Coastal Charm
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.