Looking for some creative ideas on how to decorate your home for the winter season? I’ll show you some simple ideas for adding a coastal touch to your seasonal decor while keeping the cozy warmth of a traditional winter space.
The Christmas decorations are down and the holiday season is officially over. For many, this is the time of year, between the winter holidays and the start of spring, when our creativity can become a bit drained.
Every year I pretty much decorate the same after Christmas.
I leave some bare Christmas trees, evergreen garlands, and wreaths out. Pinecones are mixed in every winter vignette. And it’s always beautiful.
But I just felt like I needed a little extra something this year… a little pick-me-up during this very gloomy and rainy time in the Pacific Northwest.
Today I’m going to show you how I livened up my winter spaces by mixing in some coastal decor.
Winter Decor Blog Hop
My friend Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home is hosting a blog hop today with several creative blogging friends, ready to show you their winter decor ideas.
If you’re coming over from Christy at Our Southern Home, welcome to my blog! I’m so happy to have you here. Didn’t you love Christy’s 6 ways to create a cozy winter home? The links from the other ladies are listed at the end of this post so be sure to check them all out for more inspiration.
Be sure to find out more about me HERE if this is your first time visiting.
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Table of Contents
A Little History of Our Forever Home
We live in a cozy 1920 beach cottage on the Puget Sound, about 60 miles S.W. of Seattle.
We’ve lived here for over 10 years and have literally touched every inch of this 1600-square-foot house. I mean, just about everything needed to be redone…
- plumbing
- electrical
- windows
- the roof
- floors
- all the cosmetic things you could think of
- a new deck, greenhouse, and cut flower garden
Let’s just say we’ve been busy.
You can see more about why we chose our forever home HERE.
Combining Coastal and Cozy Winter Decor Ideas
I’ve always decorated with a coastal cottage style every summer. But I put away the seashells, vintage wooden oars, and anything else that has a beachy feel during the other 3 seasons.
And then I thought, “Why can’t I enjoy those coastal elements that remind me of living on the beach even if it’s cold and gloomy?” It might even perk me up.
Because of the time of year, it was important for me not to overdo it with the beach decor. I needed to be somewhat subtle in my approach.
Layer Up Your Living Room
First, let’s talk winter decor. From chunky knit throw blankets to natural wovens, adding layers of texture to create a cozy winter vibe is a must.
Add wicker baskets to your coastal-inspired winter home for texture. I purchased an oversized basket last fall that I absolutely love and have wicker picnic baskets in a few places sitting in my living room.
I not only created a cozy winter space but tried to embrace a coastal style at the same time. My goal was to try to mix in hints of coastal charm while keeping it warm and inviting during the colder months of the year.
My vintage wooden oars stay hung on my wall throughout most of the year. So they already added coastal cottage charm to our living room.
Choose a Color Palette that Says Winter at the Coast
When it comes to creating a coastal-style winter home, choosing the right colors is essential.
I chose coastal colors such as blues, grays, and neutral tones for my color palette this season. These cool tones will bring a subtle hint of coastal vibes while still embracing the cozy winter feel I’m looking for.
Using layers of texture like a cozy throw, pillows, and rugs with these coastal colors adds depth to any space. They give that extra touch of coziness that’s perfect for chilly days and gives you a warm feeling.
I added glass vases on top of this cabinet for a coastal feel.
Utilize Soft Lighting and Candles
Soft lighting is a great way to bring coastal vibes into your winter home decor.
We bought these swing arm wall lamps this month for both our boat and the window seat space.
Whether you opt for coastal-inspired table lamps, wall scones, or candles, warm and inviting light can create a cozy atmosphere in any room in the house.
You can also add texture to your lighting. Materials like bamboo or rattan will give you that extra hint of beachy charm.
I love this very simple lamp base I bought at Target. Just adding seashells inside the glass and buying a wicker lamp shade from HomeGoods changes the entire look of the lamp.
Embrace Nature by Accessorizing with Natural Elements
Coastal living is about embracing the beauty of nature. Decorate a winter vignette with natural elements like seashells, driftwood, sea glass, and starfish for an extra coastal touch.
Not only do these home decor items look great on their own, but they also provide texture and depth when used together.
I found this piece of driftwood along our beach last summer.
Here are some great examples of embracing nature and creating the perfect coastal winter haven in your home…
- Dried flowers
- fresh flowers
- branches
- faux plants and flowers
- houseplants
Force Blooming Forsythia Indoors
When I started taking pictures for this post I had dried eucalyptus in the oversized basket hanging on the wall. But a friend clipped some forsythia branches from her garden and I added those instead. They should be blooming by next week.
You can read more about how to force flowering branches to bloom inside HERE.
Another great idea is to mix both winter and coastal elements together. Use items from Christmas like fresh or faux evergreen garlands or a pine tree. Decorate them with starfish or sand dollars.
With the right winter decor combination, you’ll have everything you need to make your coastal home living space both cozy and inviting.
Coastal-inspired elements, cool colors, cozy textures, and warm lighting are perfect additions. You can add a personal touch like using a diffuser with essential oils to fill your home with a beautiful scent.
So layer up your cozy living room with coastal style this winter season and enjoy all the warmth it brings into the season.
Next up on the winter blog hop is my friend Cindy at County Road 407. She shares how you can have a charming cozy home for winter without using a lot of decor. Now that’s some smart and simple decorating I can get my head around!
Be sure to click on each picture below to see more winter inspiration from my blogging friends.
Thank you for being here. I’d love to hear from you so be sure to leave a comment below.
Until next time,
Happy Winter Decorating!
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Love love love the lamp, such a cool way to customize your home for every season and holiday!
Kim, your house is just stunning. You have done such a great job in remodeling your home. Thank you for sharing your pretty winter decor.
Oh, Kim. everything is just gorgeous. I love the way you used coastal accents to add a bit of warmth for the winter. It definitely has me dreaming of sunnier days ahead! I’m going to share a photo and link to your home tour in my recap post on Saturday. I think my readers will enjoy visiting your beautiful home as much as I always do.
~Jen
Thank you so much, Jen. I really appreciate it. It’s funny how much the seashells and driftwood make me happy during the dreariest of days.
Living in the Midwest “Coastal and Winter” have never entered my thought bubble for after Christmas! It’s all gorgeous and I love visiting your cottage no matter the season. Always cozy and comfy and full of natural inspiration. You have such a beautiful view to the water, and seeing green outside in the middle of January is so amazing. It’s brown and gray here… everywhere! Happy January, Kim!!
I will say that I’m happy we can see green when we look outdoors. Rain day after day will do that for sure. Happy January to you my friend. Thank you for the kind words Debra.
Kim it’s absolutley perfect! I want to curl up in your window seats and sip tea watching the sound. How cozy! I definitely think a few coastal touches are fitting for your cozy winter cottage. Love all the wicker and textiles you used.
The move we are making right this spring isn’t our last. We plan to retire at Wrightsville Beach in six year so I am loving these ideas for subtle coastal decor. Knowing that we were going to be moving from our current house in the not too distant future makes it eaiser to move into our new one. I am excited about the move but it’s bitter sweet. The house was built in 1926 so it’s almost a century home too.
Everything looks beautiful and inviting. Happy winter!
oops, not “right” this spring. I meant to say “right now” but it will be later this spring.
You will love living at the beach when you retire Amber. And I have a feeling you will have coastal decor year-round as well. Thank you for hosting my friend. And for the sweet compliments.
Wow, I love the way you mixed in coastal with winter decor! It’s all so cozy and welcoming and looks so natural in your beautiful home! You are always an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your creative ideas!
Shelley
Thank you, Shelley. It seemed like a crazy idea at the time but I actually like the seashells and driftwood hanging around in the winter months.
I’ll loving your approach to winter decorating this year Kim. I was thinking the other day about how to incorporate coastal accents into my winter decor, and you have answered all of those questions. Beautiful photos and inspiration!
I appreciate it Michelle, thank you. This just may be a new tradition.
Your winter decor is so cozy. You have a beautiful home.
Thank you so much, Katie.
Your home is so charming and so inviting. I lived in the N/w for years and love all the wonderful coastal vibes from that area. I lived in the central mountains, but loved to visit the coast often. Your home is filled with all the charm and decor that I learned to love so much from that area and your water views are to die for.
I had no idea you used to live in the PNW Marty. Thank you for the kind words, my friend.
Your home is beautiful. I lice in Ohio but my bedroom is a coastal theme so I appreciate the inspiration. Your white chairs, did they come with the slipcover or did you buy the slipcover for the chair? I need those! Where did you get them?
Thank you so much, Renee. The chairs did come with slipcovers originally and we just had new ones custom-made a few years ago. The originals lasted over 20 years. We got them at Quatrine Home.
I’ve never even put coastal and winter together in my small mind but wowza, I love it! Your home is so unique and beautiful. You amaze me with all of your creative ideas and your place oozes warm winter coziness. I seriously ooh and ahh each time I see it. Happy winter Kim!
You are so sweet, Cindy. Thank you for the kind words, you’ve made my day.
Your home is stunning! I love every inch of it. I love the beachy elements. So pretty! My cousin and I have a vintage shopping trip planned from Portland to Seattle the first week of February. Do you have any favorite spots to find fun vintage decor? Hugs to you.
Thank you so much, Renae. You are going to have so much fun on your trip. I don’t know too many places in Seattle or Portland. But I love Poulsbo and Tacoma, WA, and Astoria, OR. There’s also a great architectural salvage place in Tacoma. DM me on IG and I’ll give you more specifics when you are closer to your trip.
Oh my word Kim you totally nailed the cozy coastal winter vibe. I feel like I need to fly out so we can get some green tea or maybe even a chai latte and hang. I love all the layers of texture you added throughout and how you used your shell collections as well. I think so many people will be able to relate to this because why pick up shells at the beach when you’re on vacation if you’re going to leave them in a box 9 months out of the year. Thanks for the extra dose of inspiration sweet friend. Hugs, CoCo
Everything is so pretty Kim. I really love the large basket in the corner. When the forced branches bloom it will look even more amazing. Happy winter! XO- MaryJo
Kim,
Your home is absolutely the coziest. Your excellent photography really makes it shine. I have quite a crush on that leather couch!
Everything looks so warm and welcoming. I adore those lamps and will be heading to Target soon. Stay cozy!
Kim,
I loved all your coastal touches for winter decorating. I’ve pinned almost every image to work on my beach cottage decor. Thanks for being an inspiration.