Stunning Modern Beach House for Your Build

In search of a way to make your home stand out, you may get the urge to try something different. Perhaps you should consider creating a modern beach house?

The great thing about building a modern beach house is that it is not different for the sake of being different. There are genuine benefits that come from having a home that features that type of décor. Many of those benefits relate to the appearance of your home, but some of them have a more practical purpose too.

In this article, we will explore the concepts of both modern design and coastal design. We’ll see how they can combine to create a stunning home. Stick around if you want to pick up some tips for creating that type of home as well.

What Is Modern Design?

Before we get into the different things you can do to create a modern beach house, let’s first discuss those general design concepts. We can start by discussing modern design.

There are certain hallmarks of modern design that are instantly recognizable. Let’s go over them in the following section.

Functional Design

One of the trademark elements of modern architecture is functional design. When adding an element to your home, it should serve a purpose beyond looking good.

The emphasis placed on functional design improves the versatility of modern homes. You can take advantage of that versatility to create a home that fits your needs and sensibilities.

Minimalist Approach

Modern design is also keen on keeping things simple. Your modern home should not be cluttered with all kinds of items you do not need. Keep the necessary items, organize them, and create a home interior that looks clean and inviting.

This kind of approach is also known as minimalism. It is a distinctive approach that a lot of people adore.

Clean and Distinct Architecture

Modern architecture is also known for featuring clean lines. Those clean lines help clearly define the profile of your home. They also give your home a sense of balance that may be difficult to achieve otherwise.

Preference for Certain Materials

If your goal is to create a home inspired by modern design, you also need to prioritize the usage of certain materials. Frequently, they use materials like brick, concrete, and steel in modern homes.

Wood and other natural materials are also frequently featured in that type of design. Those natural elements can bring more color into modern homes.

Open Areas

Lastly, you will find that modern design is all about openness. The openness promotes motion and helps create a comfortable living space.

Creating an open home is also a good idea if you want to take advantage of natural lighting. It is easier to illuminate your home using natural lighting without numerous objects getting in the way.

What Is Coastal Design?

Coastal or beach design has been around for a while, but are you aware of how it originated? You may have guessed that it is inspired by West Coast architecture, but that is not the case.

Per this article from The Spruce, the coastal design originated from the Atlantic Coast. From there, coastal design made its way all over the country, and it has since been exported to other parts of the world as well.

Although coastal design can vary quite significantly depending on where you live,  certain elements of it are almost always present. Let’s highlight those elements in the section below.

 Ocean-Inspired Looks

Arguably the most distinctive feature of the coastal design is its overall appearance. When you look at a home that features coastal design, it almost feels like you are at the beach.

There is a breezy aesthetic to coastal décor that is made possible by using certain items and colors. Speaking of colors, coastal design is big on neutral tones like white and beige. Different shades of blue are also prominently featured in coastal design.

Simple Design

Similar to modern design, coastal design is all about keeping things simple. You do not need to feature some elaborate design scheme to pull off this look. As long as you feature the basic elements, you will be good.

Coastal design is not as restrictive when it comes to adding small decorative elements. If you like specific elements, feel free to feature them even if they have no functional purpose.

Rustic Appearance

Whereas modern design focuses on clean and defined lines, coastal design is more relaxed on that front. In fact, the rustic look is an integral part of coastal design’s charm.

You will often see structural elements of a coastal home left uncovered. That is because the designers want to leverage the natural beauty of those elements.

Creating something beautiful is possible even if you do not do much to alter raw materials. Coastal homes are proof of that.

An Abundance of Natural Materials

Natural materials are crucial building blocks for coastal homes. Wood is the building material of choice for coastal homes, while cotton is for the accessories. Coastal homes also tend to feature rattan or wooden furniture.

Ocean Views

Coastal homes would be incomplete without the breathtaking ocean views. They integrate features specifically designed to give residents gorgeous views of the ocean into the design of the home.

If you are a San Diego County resident, there is no shortage of ocean views for you to enjoy. You can enjoy those views in places like Coronado, La Jolla, and Poway.

Living near the Pacific Ocean is one of the main perks of being a San Diego resident. Make sure that your coastal home can take full advantage of that.

How to Create a Modern Beach House

After going through the defining elements of both modern and coastal design, you have probably noticed that there are more than a few similarities between them. It is important to note those similarities because you can use them to your advantage.

As we mentioned at the start of this article, creating a modern beach house is one way to build a home that truly stands out. Are you interested in trying that out? If so, you should check out the tips we have listed below.

Use Wood as Your Primary Building Material

Let’s start with choosing a primary building material for your modern beach home. The best choice in this scenario is wood. Using wood makes a lot of sense because it is prominently featured in both architectural styles.

Wooden floors and walls will look great with the concept you are building. The way you treat the wood will greatly affect how well it meshes with your modern beach home theme. Seal or paint them based on what you need.

You can keep the wood bare in spots where it will not be susceptible to damage but do try to clean the pieces up a bit. Do not let the irregular dimensions of certain wood pieces completely take over your design.

Keep the Walls Mostly Clear

The temptation to do something with the walls of your modern beach home will be present. You should do your best to ignore it.

The problem with decorating your walls is they can cause cluttering fairly quickly. Many of the design pieces you can add to a wall are also mostly decorative. They likely will not do much to make the space more usable.

Keep the walls clear because they will mesh with your new décor better that way.

Hang Some Curtains

Opting to keep your walls mostly clear is a good idea if you want to produce that modern beach house aesthetic. However, you cannot keep them completely bare. You should still add elements such as curtains because they can help you create your ideal home.

Curtains serve a few useful purposes.

First off, you can use them to frame your windows. They can add more structure to your home without you having to build something.

Some curtains can also provide a bit of privacy. You do not want to hang privacy curtains because they can prevent natural light from entering your home, but there are other options you can try.

Curtains are also useful for adding some color. Choose contrasting colors for the curtains or their accents so they play off the other elements of your modern beach house better.

Build with Natural Lighting in Mind

Natural lighting is an important element of modern and coastal design. You should make good use of it in your modern beach house.

Your choice of curtains will help here. Sheer curtains are great for improving your natural lighting.

Adding some fixtures is also going to help with your natural lighting. Some strategically located windows and sunroofs are great for that.

Orienting your home properly is one more thing that can help with natural lighting. Consult with your contractor so they can tell you how you should position your home if you aim to get as much natural lighting as possible.

Combine Modern and Rustic Elements in Certain Rooms

Items that feature modern design and those that possess a more rustic charm do not need to be on opposite sides of the spectrum. You can use them together inside a single room to create something spectacular.

The kitchen is one part of your home where featuring this kind of combination will work splendidly.

Modern appliances look great when wooden kitchen cabinets and other fixtures surround them; even countertops made from certain types of natural stone should pair well with those items.

You are trying to capture the best elements of two distinct design philosophies when building a modern beach house. Sometimes, you will need to experiment with some pairings to pull that off.

Invest in Your Furniture

You need to be selective with your expenses when building a new home. These projects cost a lot of money, so you need to cut down on your expenses whenever possible.

That said, some strategic splurging will be key to creating the type of home you want. If your goal is to build a modern beach home, you need to make a significant investment in your furniture.

Paying for premium pieces of furniture is highly recommended because you need quality. By making that kind of investment, you can gain ownership of gorgeous pieces that will last for a long time.

Investing in your furniture may also be a necessity, especially since they make them out of natural materials. You do not want to spend your money on discount pieces because they are likely low-quality items that will fall apart quickly.

Install Sliding Doors That Double as Walls

Open spaces are defining elements of modern and coastal design. You can create those open spaces in different ways. We have already detailed some of them in this article, but there is one more suggestion we want to make.

If you want to promote openness inside your modern beach house, consider installing sliding doors. Set up the sliding doors so they can effectively replace one of your walls.

Those sliding doors allow seamless movement between your home and your backyard. They are also useful if you need to improve your home’s natural lighting. Those sliding doors can be terrific additions to your modern beach home, so do not hesitate to pay for them.

Improve Your Outdoor Landscape

Lastly, you should work on your outdoor landscape if you want to round out your modern beach house. Start planting some trees and use them to populate your yard.

You can even choose trees that are often near the beach. Planting those trees should help you recreate the beach look better.

A fire pit can also be a fantastic addition to your backyard. Use that fire pit to take the place of a beach bonfire!

Are you looking to build a modern beach home on your San Diego property? If so, we at Eco Minded Solutions can help you out.

Contact us today and allow us to help bring your vision to life. We will use our resources and skills to create the modern beach house you have always wanted, so do not hesitate to reach out!