What Every Coastal Vacation Home Needs by Find Your Coast

From weekend getaways to long summer stays, nothing beats a coastal vacation. If you are considering building a vacation home for yourself—as well as for renters—there are a few things you should keep in mind regarding the design! The perfect coastal vacation home should have a combination of appropriate coastal design features, a sound structure, and effective functional aspects.

Appropriate Coastal Design

Embrace the beauty of your outdoor views by reflecting the mood inside! This isn’t to say you should cover your walls in seashells and anchors—instead, use calming colors with bright, warm tones, natural materials andtons of natural light to invite an outdoor feel in your indoor setting. Neutral colors like whites and tans encourage light, space, warmth, and openness. Add a modern touch with black iron accents in your furniture, and other bold accent colors like greens, blues or yellows to compliment the coastal colors of your backdrop. You can also use nature itself to decorate! Greenery is a great way to pull some life and vibrance into your design.

Sound Structural Design

Being close to the ocean comes with some potential natural dangers that should be taken into consideration for the construction of the house. Flooding and coastal storms are, of course, a reason for increased protective measures, but even the salty sea air can impact the exterior of your home! Look into how other homes in your area have taken precautions against these harms. Laminating your windows and doors, using decay-resistant wood or building materials, elevating your home on stilts if necessary, and even waterproofing your foundation are all common measures for coastal homes. There aremany benefits to waterproofing your foundation such as protection against water exposure, lower heating and cooling costs, and a healthy environment within the home. 

Effective Functional Design

The fun parts of living near the coast also require a little forethought into the design of your home. With sand being inevitably tracked into your home, you might want to includea mudroom to contain the majority of that sand into one space. Also, using hardwood or tile floors rather than carpet will help clean up remain an easy process. You may also want to make the upholstery of your furniture a bit more durable than your average materials, as this will protect them from whatever outside elements end up inside.

Whether you’re planning on renovations or in the design phase of a vacation home, you have the chance to equip it with all the must-haves. Make this coastal home-away-from-home a beautiful one, a safe one, and a functional one!

Ready to equip your coastal getaway? Check out ourFind Your Coast Backpacks and Gear!