Find modern coastal living room ideas in this tour of our lake cottage living room. This space was designed to feel light and airy, modern yet traditional.
Most importantly, it’s a warm and cozy gathering place for friends and family.
With subtle nods to the nature and lake water outside our windows, this coastal living room is sure to inspire!
My philosophy has always been to embrace in the imperfections in life. This applies to many areas of our lives, but especially our homes.
When we bought our little lake cottage, I knew I wanted to take it in a more modern, clean lined direction to truly embrace the simple living we were looking for. No distractions – we don’t even have a television in this house.
This modern lake house is the perfect home for us, with great views, an idyllic location and the right floor plan for our little family. Click through for the full before and after tour!
Because I hosted some friends here at the lake this week, I thought it would be fun to update you with our current view. It’s a warm and cozy home, distraction free, and the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate.
Coastal Living Room
We’ve been so lucky to enjoy this little home away from home at Table Rock Lake, Missouri. You’ve seen bits and pieces of our living room at the lake cottage over the past few years, but it really started coming together recently.
Today, I’m walking you through the details of both of our modern coastal living rooms. While our home is not large, we’ve got an open concept primary living space upstairs, and a small lower level living room with great views of the lake, too!
Who’s excited? This girl, for starters! I love Coastal Modern Home Decor and Lake House Decor and can’t wait to share!
These modern coastal living room ideas are a blend of high and low and as always, they blend function and design. Find all my favorite Serena and Lily Look for Less idea for more affordable inspiration.
Modern Coastal Living Room
You might think of coastal living as a style that references beach themed cottage style. In our case, of course, we are in land-locked Missouri! Our lake was just voted one of the bluest lakes in America, and we’re so lucky to enjoy it.
Our coastal living room reflects the calm, cool water views that influence coastal homes, as well. You don’t need to live on the beach to bring a little coastal style home with you!
While we love the lake and wanted to incorporate some lake elements, we didn’t want it to feel too kitschy either. We also didn’t want it to feel like a dark, musty home often synonymous with the words “lake house”.
Right when we were moving in, we made a couple impactful choices that helped change the whole space right away. I incorporated three things that really changed the way we live in this home and especially our living room!
Tips
We started with the basics in this coastal style home! Walls, floors, and eliminating the smoke smell were our main priorities!- Paint – We chose Benjamin Moore Simply White and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace downstairs, thanks to their reflective quality for a classic beach house color scheme.
- Flooring – We chose a fresh, light wall to wall wall to wall carpet for a cozy feel to many rooms, and white oak floors to coordinate.
- Smoke Smell – Want to know how we eliminated the decades of smoke? You’ve got to read it to believe it, friends.
Lighting
We added a warm brass chandelier overhead to create more ambience and add much needed light at night. These light fixtures feature clean lines but add a traditional feel.
We added the coordinating sconces in the hallway, and it’s open to the space so it’s a pretty connection.
Downstairs, we built a reading nook under the open staircase that turned it into the coziest spot with this stunning nautical inspired wall sconce.
Seating
Since the lake cottage is a gathering place we share with family and friends, I wanted to incorporate plenty of seating.
A standard size slipcovered sofa and white slipcovered chairs (both from IKEA) offer comfortable seating for up to eight, with the ability to easily clean when needed.
Downstairs, we chose a sectional sofa from the same line. I accessorized them with pillow covers in a combination of high and low price points. See my Amazon pillow cover guide for more inspiration!
Folding stools offer flexible seating when needed and can easily be folded and stowed away. Downstairs, we have rattan folding chairs with a low profile. They add texture to the space while offering an unobstructed view of the water.
Accent Furniture
An oversized square raffia coffee table offers plenty of space for guests to kick up their feet or set a drink, storage for magazines and more, without the need of consuming additional space for side tables in walkways.
The combination creates an intimate seating area. It also adds a layer of texture.
Similarly, the rattan bar cart in the nook between the stairs and windows was such a perfect fit! I love the texture it adds as well as the function. It’s such a cute way to serve drinks and snacks!
We’ve tried a variety of accent table in these spaces. We’ve finally landed on a few that we love (linked in the source section at the end of the post), but it’s so fun to play with unique styles in here!
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Downstairs, we’ve used a pretty glass coffee table that features a simple rotating array of accessories depending on the time of year.
Art and Accessories
A painting from Martha’s vineyard and photographs of a bridge buried beneath the water nearby grace the walls upstairs. Large oversized black and white prints of the girls jumping from the dock fill our downstairs coastal living room walls.
Get my favorite Free Art Sources and learn How to Choose Art here!
Framing your photographs is one of the most inexpensive ways to add art to your home. The true art in this living room is the view that was enhanced with our new Vinyl Deck and Glass Deck Railings.
We love to accessorize our oversized raffia coffee table with a variety of pretty coffee table books, fresh flowers and more.
Think of coastal style accessories like sea shells, scalloped home decor reminiscent of waves, and more.
Sources
Take a look at where we started! Lots of changes along the way.
Your pop up ads are very distracting from your blog and your picturesÂ
Hi Laura! Thank you for your feedback. I don’t have pop up ads, but in content ads (between photos/text) or one of my most popular videos. Having ads affords me the opportunity to create quality content on a regular basis, thank you for supporting my site and I by visiting and sharing!
Julie,
We are painting the outside of our house the Realtist Beige from SW, as far as the front door and the garage door, what color should I paint those??
I paired ours with everyday white – you can learn more about that color here as well!
I love the neutral palette and slipcovered furniture is the way to go. Â I have the same at our lakehouse, and when I know children are going to be romping around in wet bathing suits or someone’s pup is going to decide to take a nap on the couch, I throw sheets on!
I am loving the canvas covered seats…can you tell me where you found them?
Jane
YES! So true!
How pretty! Â I love the neutral palette as it does enhance the light, breezy atmosphere. Â And slipcovers are a must! Â I redid our great room at the lake in whites and subtle blues for contrast. Â In the fall and winter I simply add some darker pumpkin colored pillows or navy.
I’m wondering where you fount the little canvas seats. Â They would be perfect for me to add for space when we are having those evening conversations around the fireplace!
Jane x
Thank you, Jane! They’re available in my shop. We love them because they also work in a guest bedroom as luggage racks or a stool for guests to put their shoes on.
Beautiful and Classic as always. I just love how you seem to do minimal changes to a room yet it’s completely transformed!
I was surprised to read that Ikea discontinued the Jennylund chair – so I had to go see for myself. I noticed a new chair that looks very similar – the Gronlid. Have you checked the dimensions? Looks like the only difference is the slipcover – could you use the one you have on it?
Thank you, Kelly, I’ll check it out! It was so disheartening! I appreciate your kindess!