Coastal interior design bring the tranquility and natural influences of seaside locales into private homes. But while the style can be as relaxed as a day at the beach, many professionals have elevated the classic coastal look, adding touches of sophistication and luxury to waterfront and landlocked homes alike. Today’s coastal interior designers take traditional elements such as nautical nods, blue-and-white hues, wood paneling, rattan furnishings, linen textiles, and tropical motifs and add contemporary accents, bold colors, and blue-chip art to the mix. Natural beauty is a through line in the work of these design talents—all of whom are listed on the AD PRO Directory. So whether you want a beach-y retreat or a polished, nautical-inspired penthouse, these examples of coastal interior design are inspiring and timeless.
Natalia Miyar Atelier
Designer and architect Natalia Miyar is all about comfort and glamour, no matter what style or location she’s working in. With offices in New York, London, and Miami, the designer has tackled a variety of coastal projects, from this lush, garden-inspired Miami home to art-filled modernist and rustic-meets-contemporary villas in Ibiza. Natalia Miyar Atelier prides itself on helping clients showcase their personal stories and passions in their homes, allowing their backgrounds, interests, and tastes to shine through.
Bunsa Studio
Founded by Jennifer Bunsa in 2013, Miami-based Bunsa Studio brings color, pattern, texture, and soul to each of its projects. The designer has long been inspired by her home city’s architecture and culture, and she brings a vast knowledge of decorative arts and architectural theory to her work. Bunsa Studio takes a colorful and richly layered approach to coastal style, adding organic shapes and natural materials such as rattan accents, sandy-hued stone, and warm woods to homes in Florida and beyond.
Cortney Bishop Design
Cortney Bishop founded her Charleston, South Carolina–based firm in 2007, and since then she’s made her mark on the Lowcountry through her residential and commercial projects, which include private client homes, multi-family communities, hotels, restaurants, and storefronts. Bishop draws inspiration from her personal passions, like travel, art, fashion, and music, and brings them to each project, including Harwood House, her textile line with Holland & Sherry. The designer effortlessly blends comfort and functionality with creative accents and fun details, including color palettes that celebrate the natural hues of the Carolina coast.
Mead Quin
San Francisco–based Mead Quin creates stylish sanctuaries for the Bay Area’s innovators and entrepreneurs. Her eponymous studio, which she founded in 2013, features a multidisciplinary team with a wealth of experience, technical know-how, and creativity. Quin’s NorCal coastal interiors are designed for intentional living and to give their occupants inspiring spaces that support their well-being. The designer, who began her career as a portrait artist, approaches her work with an artist’s eye, devising homes that fit her clients’ lifestyles and celebrate the natural settings of the residences—whether it’s the fog of South Bay or the lake, sky, and forest of Lake Tahoe.
Trade Mark Interiors
Sarasota, Florida–based firm Trade Mark Interiors handles every stage of the design process, “from plans to pillows.” Principal designer Tracee Murphy and her team use the psychology of interior design and color to devise mood-boosting, functional spaces that fit their clients’ lifestyles, tastes, and personalities. They believe each project has its own design aesthetic but gravitate toward classic styling, creating rooms that are sophisticated and relaxing. Trade Mark Interiors tackles renovations, new construction, and multi-room makeovers for clients nationwide.
Marina Hanisch Interiors
Known for her warm, modernist style, Marina Hanisch is a Greenwich, Connecticut–based designer and the founder of Marina Hanisch Interiors. Specializing in high-end luxury residential and commercial interiors, the firm brings together natural materials, curated color palettes, and sculptural elements to create spaces that tell the story of their clients and feel comfortable and refined. From vibrant art and eye-catching wallpaper to bold lighting, Hanisch brings a touch of whimsy to each project and creates personality-filled spaces for every member of the family.
Patrick Ediger Interior Design
Los Angeles designer Patrick Ediger works to create spaces that enhance all aspects of his clients' lives. His firm approaches each project holistically, taking the home’s site, architecture, and the clients’ needs into account. Sustainability is a top priority for the designer, who sources locally and sustainably when possible. His values-driven approach, environmental consciousness, and relaxed, refined style have garnered him a devoted clientele of creatives and celebs such as Christiana Aguilera, Cheryl Tiegs, and Phil Jackson.
Downey
Before starting Downey, her multi-disciplinary interior design firm, Alison Downey cut her teeth as the head of the interior design program at RH and as senior designer at AD100 firm Jennifer Post. The designer has a reverence for a home’s original architecture and creates spaces that are effortless yet rooted in timeless architectural and design concepts. From Southampton estates to Upper West Side townhouses, Downey helps clients express their taste through their homes, using natural elements, beautiful materials, and elegant textures to create elevated, livable interiors.
Studio IDC
Studio IDC is a second-generation family-owned interior design firm focusing on high-end residential and hospitality projects in South Florida and the Caribbean. The firm’s designs draw inspiration from the coastal backdrops and cultural influences of their project’s locales, creating spaces that feel connected to their natural environment. Everything from the materials to the color palette is carefully curated to fit the client's lifestyle and evoke a sense of laid-back luxury and warm, welcoming modernity. Studio IDC is a go-to for hospitality brands looking for modern coastal style, including Viceroy Sugar Beach in St. Lucia, Jumby Bay Island in Antigua, and Habitation Jouissant in Haiti.
Alexandra Naranjo Designs
Serving clients across North America, Alexandra Naranjo Designs is a full-service design firm with studios in Toronto and Palm Beach and clients across North America. Naranjo is celebrated for her fearless use of color and her skill at combining modern and traditional elements for spaces that are energetic and fresh yet timeless. The designer participated in the 2021 Kips Bay Palm Beach Showhouse, and soon after, she opened her showroom on Antique Row in West Palm Beach. The stunning space displays Naranjo’s signature style and talent for curated, functional interiors.
Marni Sugerman
With a background in textile design, Marni Sugerman brings an eye for color and pattern to her clients’ homes. The Westchester, New York–based designer and her team forge strong connections with their customers, listening to their needs and lifestyles while pushing them out of their comfort zones to create truly unique and personal spaces. Sugerman works in a variety of styles, including coastal, and the designer embraces innovation and out-of-the-box solutions in her work.
Lark+Palm
Ansley Majit and Stephanie Waskins founded Lark+Palm, their Sausalito, California–based design firm, in 2018, and since then, they’ve worked on projects from wine country to New England. Majit, a former art consultant and textile design specialist, and Waskins, who has experience in the fashion industry and as a project manager for Fortune 500 companies, bring their unique backgrounds to each project, whether it's full-scale builds, renovations, or room redesigns. The design duo are known for their beautifully curated and supremely livable spaces, which they create in close collaboration with their clients and trusted roster of craftspeople.
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Jute
Founded by Alison Davin in 2009, Jute is an interior design and interior architecture firm with offices in Santa Monica and Sausolito. Jute is passionate about sustainability, and the firm prioritizes the use of natural and non-toxic materials and building techniques. Cozy interiors filled with light and antiques are a signature of the firm, which creates personalized spaces that connect indoors and outdoors. Jute has worked on a wide variety of projects, from a laid-back family retreat in Lake Tahoe to a welcoming vacation villa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Saffron Case Homes
Saffron Case Homes is an interior design and property development firm based in Malibu, California. Led by founder Saffron Case, the firm has developed properties in Malibu and worked with private clients in Montecito, Los Angeles, Sag Harbor, and New York City. Case blends modern and traditional elements with clean lines and a tranquil color palette to create comfortable, stylish homes. The team of designers and project managers tackle everything from interior design refreshes to home remodels, devising unique environments no matter the scope of the project.
Terri Ricci Interiors
Designer Terri Ricci finds inspiration in the past and draws on her love of European design in her sophisticated projects. Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, Terri Ricci Interiors works with local clients as well as homeowners in Martha’s Vineyard, Palm Beach, the Hamptons, Napa, and Aspen. Ricci’s architectural background allows her to see each home holistically, giving equal importance to the architecture and interior design. Terri Ricci Interiors’s whole house designs feel truly customized, resulting in repeat clients returning for second and third homes.
Burnham Design
Betsy Burnham blends classic East Coast style with a California cool sensibility, creating elegant yet inviting interiors for clients in Los Angeles and across the country. Burnham Design is a full-service interior design, taking on everything from kitchen and bath design to furnishing and space planning. Burnham is known for her emphasis on color, adept pattern mixing, and expertly layered elements, which come together into livable, vibrant spaces. The firm also works with smaller projects through its secondary service, Instant Space.
Design West
Naples, Florida–based interiors firm Design West views collaboration and personal attention as essential parts of their process. Specializing in residential interiors, the firm uses a 196-step design process to ensure successful results for every client and seeks to create spaces inspired by the people who will live in them. Led by founder and CEO Glenn Midnet, Design West has developed strong relationships with the best area craftspeople, including contractors and artisans, and the firm handles every detail from concept to completion.
JMA Interior Design
Florida native Jackie Armour founded JMA Interior Design 25 years ago, and since then, she and her team have designed everything from luxury homes to country clubs to private jets. The Jupiter, Florida–based firm works on projects across the country and seeks to turn their clients’ ideas into timeless, uplifting, and fun designs. Armour and her team are known for their adventurous use of color and pattern, sense of creativity, and thoughtful attention to architectural details.
James Duncan
Miami-based firm James Duncan offers an array of services to its discerning and worldly clientele. In addition to interior architecture and design, the full-service studio is known for its custom furniture, one-of-a-kind wallpapers and murals, and finely crafted millwork, giving each client a bespoke interior. The multi-lingual team is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese and effortlessly manages projects in Miami and abroad, helping clients select talented architects, contractors, and landscape architects who will complement James Duncan’s refined and timeless style.
Looking for an architect or interior designer in your area for a home renovation or new build? Browse the AD PRO Directory to discover AD-approved professionals near you.