How to stage a home or holiday rental by the sea

Tackling an interior staging project always begins with an initial design and inspiration. Working to a clients brief is a skill and requires versatility and imagination.

When a home or holiday let is set in a beautiful location it’s a wonderful opportunity to take inspiration from the surrounding area and landscape.

Nesh recently completed a set of three holiday lets in the seaside town of Cromer. Here are a selection of top tips for creating a coastal-inspired interiors look.

Display local artwork or photography

Rather than buying artwork or photography, a great hack is to create your own by taking scenic photos of the local area.

Create a gallery wall by displaying your photographs and framing them in mounted white frames for a professional finish.

Light and bright open spaces

Mirror the coastal landscape by leaving spaces light and bright. The living room pictured above features a large sash window that lets in lots of natural light.

Maximise the light in a room by keeping the space fresh and open. The colour palette of the living room is light green with pops of coral, which is reminiscent of the vibrant beach huts than line Cromer beach.

Introduce stripes

Stripes are traditionally nautical and never go out of fashion. Rather than flooding a room with stripes add subtle touches like a striped bedding set or throw.

Using different shades of blue complements the striped throw and gives it that coastal feel. Paired with white furniture and a white drop ceiling, the bedroom pictured above feels bright and contemporary.

Multi-functional spaces

Having multi-functional spaces is key in a holiday let, especially if they are by the sea, as space is usually more limited in these desirable areas.

Add a small dining table to an open-plan kitchen for a designated seating area. Rather than placing it square on to the wall, have it at an angle to make it feel more natural and less forced.

Zone off the area with lighting. The kitchen/diner pictured above has a modern pendant light directly above the table which makes it feel separate to the rest of the kitchen.

Natural materials

Coastal areas are full of beautiful natural materials and it’s a good idea to mirror this in a beachside holiday let.

Rattan, bamboo and reclaimed wood are all examples of natural materials that work well in a coastal-inspired space.

Rattan storage baskets are handy for small storage solutions and wood looks great contrasted with a coastal colour palette.

Add a modern edge

Modernise a coastal property by bringing a modern edge to it. A contemporary kitchen design can do just the trick.

Nesh transformed the above kitchen space by bringing in stylish appliances, a modern hanging rack and accessories that include artificial plants, cook books and wooden utensils.

Wooden elements soften this kitchen design and make it feel cohesive with the rest of the space.

Nautical colour palette

Blue and white are a winning colour combination that immediately provokes images of the seaside. Rather than going for an obvious bright shade of blue, keep things contemporary with a cornflower blue or deep navy.

In this living room scheme, Nesh contrasted the pale blue walls with a large corner grey sofa, perfect for socialising and a natural jute rug and pouffe.naturaland blue cushions in organic fabrics are also key to the overall design.