How to decorate a coastal home – with Emma Sims Hilditch's expertise
Bring a fresh and beachy look to your home with the interior designer's expert tips


Emma Sims-Hilditch
A sense of place is essential to any successful interior design, whether that’s a sandy beach on your doorstep or the fields stretching beyond your back gate. But knowing when a reference turns to pastiche is key.
‘When designing an interior incorporating coastal decor ideas, subtlety is the golden rule,’ suggests interior designer Emma Sims Hilditch. ‘There are plenty of clever ways to hint at a home’s seaside location, without being swept away by nautical trends and an excess of blue white and red.’
Emma owns a home in Cornwall and has decorated many a seaside pad via her design agency Sims Hilditch. Her advice is to tone down sailor style for a more pared back seaside aesthetic – here, she explains now to get the balance of beach house ideas right.

Founded in 2009, the Sims Hilditch design practice has become one of the most trusted and respected in the industry. Its couture approach combines interior architecture, interior design and procurement management within one concept-to-completion, fully bespoke service. Creative Founder, Emma Sims-Hilditch is passionate about her belief that good design can transform not only how people live but also how they feel. By creating characterful, beautiful and intelligent interiors, Emma and the Sims Hilditch team empowers clients to radically improve the quality of their lives.
Open up the space
To create an airy and spacious feel befitting of a coastal home, Emma recommends knocking through walls where possible to open up the space. That might mean looking at ideas for open plan kitchens or ways to create an open concept living room. But there's another surprising space that can help nail the nautical look.
‘This is particularly effective when you're looking at entryway ideas, as it sets the tone for the rest of the home. Applying a rough boarding to the ceiling of this space adds a certain texture and charm, and when painted in an emulsion of 50:50 paint and water, it’s reminiscent of the fresh seaside setting that surrounds the home.'
This might also be the opportunity to connect the inside of your home to the coastal garden ideas outside.
Find your focal point
Oftentimes, a coastal living room that benefits from beautiful views will be centered around the scene outside the window. However, this is not always the best way to organize a room, according to Emma.
'The sitting room in my Cornwall home has a lovely view of the bay beyond, but I have arranged the furniture in the space using the fireplace as the focal point,' she says. 'This allows the view to act as a beautiful backdrop to the room, while remaining a practical, social and inviting space.’
This option works well for family room ideas with fireplaces, allowing you to maximise the cozy get-togethers associated with having a beach house, while still making the most of the coastal setting.
Incorporate coastal artworks
Decorating with art is an excellent way to interpret a home's coastal location within the interior. You might think of seascapes and beach views, photography of boats and yachts, or artworks that depict seaside plants and flowers.
'Artwork is an excellent opportunity to nod to a home’s coastal location,' agrees Emma. 'Visit local artists, dealers and antiques specialists to find paintings, ornaments and crockery depicting the local area and thread these throughout your home.'
While you will naturally find yourself looking to add art to your living room and bedroom, also think of the more functional rooms of the home – a watery landscape can totally transform your coastal kitchen ideas.
Add Hamptons-style shutters
If you want to bring a touch of New England coastal style to your home, make a start with the window treatments, suggests Emma.
'Shutters create a wonderful Hamptons-style aesthetic which is perfect for a coastal home,' she says. 'What’s more, they are a great solution to dressing awkward shaped windows in a pitched roof, which simply will not accommodate curtains or blinds.'
The color, shape and size of slats should be taken into consideration for your shutter ideas. For a beach-themed look, the emphasis will be on coastal colors and designs that allow you to regulate and increase natural light in your home.
Curate your coastal color palette
'A palette of cool whites paired with blue-grey accents works well in a coastal interior,' says Emma.
'It’s worth bearing in mind that the colours will seem to alter throughout the day, depending on how the light hits it, so I recommend ordering samples before purchasing your paint. I used Farrow & Ball School House White on the ceiling and woodwork in my Cornwall home, paired with Shaded White on the walls and De Nimes on the joinery.’
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
Andrea has been immersed in the world of homes, interiors and lifestyle since her first job in journalism, on Ideal Home. She went from women's magazine Options to Frank. From there it was on to the launch of Red magazine, where she stayed for 10 years and became Assistant Editor. She then shifted into freelancing, and spent 14 years writing for everyone from The Telegraph to The Sunday Times, Livingetc, Stylist and Woman & Home. She was then offered the job as Editor on Country Homes & Interiors, and now combines that role with writing for sister title homesandgardens.com.
- Emma Sims-HilditchContributing Editor
-
Pizza Bianco
This indulgent twist on a classic pizza that puts cheese front and center is perfect for sharing – no sauce, just pure, creamy indulgence
-
Eva Mendes' innovative 'Swedish Cloth' is the paper towel of the future – and it's just $3 each for her absorbent and stylish design
Goodbye paper towels, hello Cloth Envy, the actress is revolutionizing how we clean with this chic and affordable kitchen product
-
Shea McGee has just shared her top tips for an effortlessly chic yet cozy guest bedroom
Interior designer Shea McGee explains how she designs a timeless guest bedroom that's the perfect balance of cozy and chic
-
The best neutral paint colors for bathrooms that aren't white – 5 timeless shades designers always turn to
From earthy tones to soft pinks, these are designers' favorite neutral paints for bathrooms
-
Storage doesn't get more chic than this – 9 designers on how they made storage a design statement
These interior designer's projects are all brilliant examples of how to make storage more than just a place to hide things away
-
Joanna Gaines has given her Magnolia store a spring makeover – these are the 3 simple decor tips that are so easy to replicate
As spring draws near, interior designer Joanna Gaines has decorated her homeware store with farmhouse-style decor that's both elegant and uplifting
-
How to decorate a room with a high ceiling, according to interior designers
Take advantage of a high-ceilinged room with the techniques interior designers use
-
You've heard of color drenching but have you heard of stripe drenching? Here's how to bring this classic yet dramatic look into your home
We spoke with interior designers and uncovered their favorite ways to decorate with stripes in five iconic looks
-
Shea McGee uses this unpopular paint color in her home office – but color experts say it's actually the perfect shade for a calming working environment
Move over warm browns, this interior designer has chosen an unexpected cool-toned gray for her home office due to its soothing and sophisticated qualities
-
Want to know how to style a quilt to make your bed look more luxurious? Shea McGee has two simple methods
Shea uses a quilt to create a cohesive bed look that's so easy to style everyday