Ditch Classic Coastal Decor For These Rugged Entryway Upgrades

Your entryway introduces each and every guest into your home, giving them a first impression of the personality and charm you've curated in your space. If you wish to capture the essence of the rolling waves of the sea or the relaxing balm of a gentle breeze over powdery sand dunes, we have refreshed our ultimate guide to coastal decor to help you shape the perfect look. While classic coastal designs still have their place, a newer, more rugged sea-inspired look is replacing polished coastal interior aesthetics. Maritime living decor is sweeping a tempest across many interiors, featuring a more rustic, relaxed, and eclectic take on coastal designs. It often highlights commonplace seaside materials like ropes, netting, or driftwood.

The maritime living trend will establish a quintessence of coziness, charm, and perhaps even a little mystery in your entryway. It's a lived-in aesthetic that harbors the feeling of a seasoned fisherman returning home from a long day of throwing nets and hoisting sails. Think rugged lighthouse keeper rather than preppy yacht club attendee. Maritime living decor offers a more organic coastal feel through found objects like sea glass, shells, or reclaimed ship parts to inspire a more homely and down-to-earth vibe at the entrance to your home. If you like the "cut of this jib" and want to curate an entryway that evokes the humble lodgings of a mariner, here are some rugged coastal decor ideas to add to your space.

The simplest method of introducing a maritime living aesthetic to your entryway is to swap out existing furniture for raw, reclaimed wood pieces. A driftwood bench or a salvaged wood entry table is a great investment for this aesthetic. Weather-worn materials will add a cozy, lived-in feel to the space. Also, opt for vintage pieces with distressed finishes to further flaunt imperfections and evoke the quiet power of seaside erosion. You might consider adding a coastal-inspired rug made of natural fibers like jute, sea grass, or sisal. This enhances the organic and repurposed feel that makes maritime living so homely and comforting.

When it comes to decor, reclaimed pieces from old ships, like gauges, ropes, brass hooks, and wood, can make for excellent wall details. You can even replace common decorations with antiques inspired by a ship's cabin, like swapping an entryway mirror with a vintage porthole mirror, instead. You might also nix classic overhead lights or wall sconces in favor of a more traditional oil lamp. Additionally, one popular coastal DIY project is to mount a series of boat dock cleats to the wall for subtle, nautical-themed coat hangers. If you're looking for another creative maritime solution to keep keep your entryway clean and organized, try adding an old trunk or chest to your space to stash outdoor gear.

Much like traditional coastal style, striped textiles are a staple of this design aesthetic too. Be sure to include this vertical, thin-striped pattern on pillows, which can be stashed on an entryway bench or lower table shelves. You can also invest in striped curtains to frame entryway windows or striped throw blankets to use on accent chairs. 

Worn, muted colors are a fantastic choice and will exude a more inhabited look, as opposed to more flashy, saturated pieces. For your color palette, stick with soft, sandy tones and neutrals with a splash of pale or navy blue. Hunter greens are also trending with this type of coastal decor. It's probably best to avoid using bright colors like red when aiming for a maritime aesthetic. While red is great for the classic coastal look, the more rugged appearance of the maritime living aesthetic pairs better with neutrals, wood tones, and soft, washed-out hues. No matter how you style it, the maritime living trend is a rugged expression of coastal decor, meant to capture a love of nature and the sea.