Beach House Flooring for Style and Functionality
Enjoy the easy, relaxed vibe of a beach house year-round with these tips for style and function.
Do you dream of a soft summer breeze rustling through your air or the scent of salt-soaked air as you open your living room windows? You don’t have to live by the beach to enjoy all that coastal life offers. With a beach house home design, you can enjoy the breezy relaxation of summer every day, no matter the season.
What is Beach or Coastal Design?
Beach house design, also known as coastal design, is inspired by summer homes nestled next to the ocean. Practically, this means lots of natural light and bright tones that create a feeling of airiness. By opting for primarily white and soft shades, natural light reflects throughout the room to create even more brightness—just like the sand, sky, clouds, and sea. Pops of color are often used in tones reminiscent of sea glass: blues, greens, and neutrals.
Beach design has flecks of minimalist influence, too—no clutter here. Beach homes often pare down knick-knacks and invest in delicate, high-quality design elements to create a feeling of openness. Beach house décor often blends multiple organic, textured materials. Wicker, fabric, and weathered wood—as though softened by years of water and wind—are layered to create a relaxed vibe. Open floor plans are often used to foster a flowing design, with hardwood floors offering a connecting motif throughout the home.
Overall, a beach house or coastal home design is cozy, casual, and chic—ready for lounging and appreciating the finer things in life. It intentionally reflects nature, bringing the outdoors inside, creating a grounding experience with every moment inside the home.
How to Create a Custom Beach House Floor Anywhere
Ready to bring your beach house to life? Whether you’re close to the water or far from it, you can appreciate the best of coastal living with some creative home design. One of the most important focal points of any home—especially a beach house with an open floor plan—is the flooring. Investing in a floor that reflects your dream aesthetic is a powerful way to bring your design to life.
With a custom floor, you can control every design aspect to create the perfect look and feel. In that process, you’ll be met with a lot of options. Here’s what to look for to create a custom beach house or coastal hardwood floor.
- Color. For a beach house, flooring should be light—whites or neutrals—that reflect sunlight and feel very laid-back. Consider naturally light wood species, like White Oak.
- Grade. Coastal floors should tell a bit of a story, reflecting a natural history. For an intentional “perfectly imperfect” effect, select Carlisle’s Signature Grade wood. Carlisle artisans hand-select each plank to include just the right amount of color and grain variation for an organic feel that’s still refined and luxurious.
- Texture. Adding texture is a great way to add visual interest and create even more depth of emotion to your floor. Create the texture of weather-worn wood with a brushed texture. This gives each plank a soft, gently worn texture with fine brush markings, resulting in a gorgeous, relaxed feel.
- Length. Picking out the width and length of your planks is a big decision and is influenced by multiple factors such as your budget, the size of your room, the desired look and feel, and more. Overall, we recommend using wider and longer boards for a beach or coastal home. This creates an authentic beach house feel and looks beautiful.
Two Tips to Design a Beach House Floor for Style and Function
Designing a beach house isn’t just about style—it’s about function, too. For any homeowner or designer, start by thinking about the environment where the beach house is located. Especially for beach homes that are actually located near the beach, it’s critical to consider some practicalities. Here are two factors that are important to think through when designing a beach home located on the coast:
- Stability. Hardwood is one of the most durable flooring materials out there, but regular exposure to moisture isn’t great. Consider using engineered wood planks instead, especially in areas you expect significant moisture in the air—or from padding feet tracking in droplets after a swim. These are made of layers rather than solid wood. The top layer is typically made from hardwood, resting atop multiple layers of wood or plywood. This forms a stable core that is less likely to expand or contract when exposed to changes in temperature and humidity—making it a more moisture-resistant, durable option for a beach home.
- Longevity. When investing in your dream hardwood floor, you want it to stay in peak condition for as long as possible. One of the best ways to do that, especially for a beachside location, is to select a textured, light-colored wood. Not only does this enhance the beach house vibe, but it’s also practical. Planks with natural texture and character will age more gracefully than smooth, dark finishes, which show more scratches.
Bringing Your Beach House Home to Life
Your beach house embodies easy, breezy relaxation—and the process of creating it should, too. Take the stress away with the support and guidance of a Carlisle Wide Plank Specialist. We’ll walk you through each step to ensure that your hardwood floor brings your vision to life.
Wondering if other flooring styles might fit your design vision? Head to our Flooring Quiz and see what flooring options fit your dream home.