Designing a Modern Coastal Home in St. Petersburg, Florida

With its idyllic location between the glistening waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the vibrant cityscape, St. Petersburg, Florida provides the perfect canvas for creating a modern coastal home that seamlessly blends serene beach vibes with contemporary aesthetics.

As interior designers in St. Petersburg and the surrounding communities throughout Pinellas County, we absolutely love designing modern coastal homes. In fact, it’s one of our specialities!

In this post, we’ll explore the key elements and design principles involved in modern coastal design while also providing you with a few tips if you want to create this look in your home.

Modern Coastal Design is Not Nautical 

Before we talk about what modern coastal interior design is, let’s talk about what it’s not.

A common misconception is that modern coastal design means navy blue paint, striped textiles, and ship-inspired decor (think anchors and ropes). These design elements are actually considered nautical design.

Unlike nautical design, modern coastal interior design is much more subtle in the use of seaside-inspired colors and decor. 

While there’s certainly a place for nautical design, and we are happy to assist clients in creating this style, coastal design and nautical design are not interchangeable.

What is Modern Coastal Design?

Modern coastal design takes all the laid back seaside aesthetic of a traditional coastal home, but has a more mid-century modern vibe.

A modern coastal home will have an easy, relaxing color palette full of neutral earth tones along with pops of blue throughout. Basically, a modern coastal palette pulls color inspiration from the beach, while maintaining some trendiness.

Other design elements may include light woods, easy-care textiles like cotton and linen fabric, baskets, natural fiber rugs, and woven light fixtures. The overall feel is light, minimal, and airy. 

Balancing Act’s Lead Designer, Peggy Herrmann, shares her thoughts on why Modern Coastal is her favorite design style: 

“My main inspiration when creating these designs is that I absolutely love the feeling of being surrounded by coastal beauty and the soothing sense of calm it provides. I want to share that with my clients in their homes as well! We strive to design a coastal vibe that has an easy, breezy and effortless beach style.”

Modern Coastal Interior Design Tips

If you’re designing a modern coastal home in the St. Petersburg, Florida area, we’d love to offer a few tips to help you get started on creating this vibe.

Large, Open Spaces + Plenty of Light

A key design principle of modern coastal design is to establish open, airy spaces with lots of natural light.

In one of our designs for a current client, we are establishing an open, airy space through a full renovation of their kitchen, dining room, and living room.

We started this process by creating layouts that reflected the various floor plan options. Our client chose the option that involves taking down a wall to create an open floor plan, as well as installing additional windows to allow in more light.

Another one of our roles as interior designers is to create 3D renderings and mood boards so our clients can visualize and experience the proposed design in a realistic and immersive manner. As you can see in our rendering below, natural light from the windows floods the room, creating a bright, beautiful space.

A 3D rendering created by Balancing Act’s Associate Designer Kate.

When designing a modern coastal home in St. Petersburg, FL — which is renowned for its average of 361 days of sunlight per year — we recommend maximizing the use of large windows, sliding glass doors, and skylights to invite abundant sunlight into your home.

Not only will this create a bright and airy atmosphere, but incorporating more natural light indoors has been shown to have positive effects on the mind and body, too. 

Neutral Color Palette + Colorful Accents

Modern coastal design uses colors that are frequently found in beachy environments. Beiges, whites, and creams are predominantly used on walls and furnishings, providing a warm and grounding base, reminiscent of the sandy shores. 

Complementing these earthy tones are soothing shades of blue that evoke a sense of calm and relaxation, mirroring the vastness and tranquility of coastal waters.

Accents of crisp white can be added to any space for a touch of freshness and brightness, while subtle pops of seafoam green or coral can be introduced for a hint of seaside allure. 

Let’s take this modern coastal living room we designed for a client in Largo, Florida as an example. We chose to use City Loft by Sherwin Williams on the walls because it’s a beautiful light gray/beige that easily coordinates with other colors. Then, we opted to introduce pops of blue into the space through carefully selected accents, such as the area rug and vibrant throw pillows.

A modern coastal living room designed for our client in Largo, Florida.

Minimalist Decor 

There’s definitely a less-is-more approach with modern coastal decor. In our opinion, it’s best not to use excessive ornamentation and decoration with this style.

Instead, the few details that are used should be uncomplicated and blend harmoniously into the setting. This might be in the form of a single artwork adorning a living room wall, or a beautiful vase on top of the dining room table.

One example is this modern coastal bedroom we designed in Madeira Beach, FL. The combination of the single large piece of art, a plant for added greenery, and a throw pillow and blanket that bring in subtle color, creates a serene and uncluttered space to relax and restore.

A modern coastal bedroom in Madeira Beach, Florida.

Integrating Plants in The Design

We love using plants in the design process, especially in a coastal modern home. 

Plants bring a touch of nature’s beauty indoors, infusing a sense of vitality and balance into our living spaces. In addition, plants serve as powerful design elements  — they effortlessly soften clean lines, create textural interest, and provide a connection to the coastal landscape.

While using artificial plants is an option, there are many benefits to adding in real plants. 

According to Kate, one of our Associate Designers that specializes in Holistic Interior Design, using living plants helps to purify the air, improve indoor humidity, and even improve your mood!

Natural and Organic Textures

One of the key elements in coastal modern design is the use of organic materials such as wood, bamboo, or rattan. These materials not only add warmth and character, but also provide a connection to nature. Whether it's through wooden furniture, bamboo flooring, or rattan accents, these textures infuse the space with a natural and earthy feel.

In addition to organic materials, natural fibers like jute, sisal, or seagrass can be incorporated into rugs, curtains, or upholstery. These textures add depth and visual interest while maintaining a casual and relaxed vibe — perfect for a modern coastal home!

Modern Coastal Design in the St. Petersburg, FL Area

If you’re looking for professional guidance and expertise in bringing your modern coastal vision to life, Balancing Act is here to help. As a leading interior design company in St. Petersburg and other communities throughout Pinellas County, our team of experienced designers specialize in creating personalized and balanced spaces that reflect the unique blend of coastal and modern elements.

With our knowledge, creativity, and attention to detail, we can collaborate with you to incorporate modern coastal design elements in any project — from full home renovations to single room makeovers and everything in between. 

Please click here to read reviews from dozens of our happy clients, and if you’re ready to get started designing the modern coastal home of your dreams, simply click here to fill out the New Client Inquiry Form in order to set up a complimentary consultation. We are looking forward to hearing from you!