Coastal Cottage Bedroom Makeover: Serene Seaside Style Guide

Last summer we decided to refresh our bedroom. It wasn’t that the room wasn’t lovely before — it was — but the paint had been on the walls for many years and we wanted the space to feel more like our own.

We still have a few finishing touches to complete, but here’s an update on where we are and what guided our choices.

We considered many directions for this room, but our final decision came down to a few key factors:

First, we wanted the paint to set a specific mood. Even though we love blue, we avoided painting the walls blue or blue-striped. One practical reason was to ensure our Robin’s Egg Blue Ethan Allen Quincy bed — a Facebook Marketplace find — remained the star of the room. Many blue paint samples looked too similar to the bed, so we opted for colors that let the bed stand out.

Second, we have mostly northern light through the doors and windows, so we wanted a cozier, warmer palette that would contrast with the cool blues outside and highlight the view without competing with it.

There were several other considerations that informed our choices, and because I’ve been asked so often about paint colors, I put together a paint roundup to answer those questions and a “get the look” bedroom post for this space.

Other factors that shaped our direction:

We didn’t want to invest in wallpaper or paneling right now, so paint was the most practical and affordable option.
Blue appears in other rooms of our home and will likely appear in future spaces, so this bedroom didn’t need to repeat that statement.
We wanted the room to feel like a creative, special retreat within our home.
Each room should have its own distinct personality.
We wanted a warm, inviting mood that would provide contrast to the predominantly blue views and the stormy winter grays of the island outside.
We wanted to complement our surroundings in an unexpected, personal way rather than matching them literally.

We imagined arriving at a quaint cottage-by-the-sea bed and breakfast and used that feeling to guide our decisions. That concept helped us choose a palette and furnishings that make the room feel like an everyday escape.

We also used my Room Recipe Method to refine our choices. It’s a process I rely on to make intentional, timeless decisions — not to follow trends but to design a room that feels like ours.

I teach this approach in my 5-Week Room Recipe Workshop in the HomeBody Gathering Place. The method helps you find clarity and confidence to use what you already own and to build a space that reflects your life and style.

Although we now live by the sea, the cottage-by-the-sea mood has long been my dream. Even before we lived close to water, I pictured how a room like this would feel — calm, inviting, and a little bit whimsical.

For this bedroom we chose colors and details that would make the space feel like an inn — a place that always feels a little like vacation.

Defining the mood of a room before making changes makes all the difference. We considered when and how we use this space: though it’s our bedroom, we also enjoy it during the day to watch boats, catch a sunrise or sunset, or work in a cozy spot. That influenced our decision to keep the room delightful in daylight and softly inviting at night.

Once the mood was set, we began painting and arranging furnishings.

We still need to paint the trim, but here are the paints and finishes we used so far:

Painted striped wall colors:

Classic Light Buff by Sherwin‑Williams
Misty Air by Benjamin Moore (used on walls and the ceiling)

We wanted to reuse furniture where possible, so much of the room is made up of pieces we’ve brought along through various homes.

The Quincy bed from Facebook Marketplace set the coastal tone. Bedding is from Quince in an ocean linen that complements the curtains and layers nicely for seasonal changes. I aim to buy pieces that mix well together so the look can evolve.

A vintage rattan shelf picked up at a flea market has traveled with us and continues to be useful. A dresser from a previous home returned to this room after time spent elsewhere in the house. An Ikea chair with slipcovers, a small table from my mom, layered lamps, a beaded light fixture, secondhand nightstands, and woven baskets round out the practical, collected look.

We decided not to add a rug for now to showcase the light wood floors, but we placed a washable runner next to the bed so our dogs can safely get on and off. Clear curtain rods with aged brass accents feel subtle and a bit nautical — a nice touch for the island vibe.

We found a pair of framed bird prints that were perfect for the wall. New curtain panels with a subtle island motif pull the palette together — we used a single panel on each side so they read as balanced without overwhelming the windows. For the doors, inexpensive shades are holding us over until we find the right ones.

I’ll share a follow-up showing how the room looks at night and more about the painted stripes soon. Creating a cottage-by-the-sea feel is as much a mindset as a style — it’s about shaping your home to reflect the life you want to live.

I also create seasonal Dreambooks and guides to inspire fellow cottage lovers, and I invite you to explore those if you enjoy this aesthetic. In the meantime, I’ll be back with more photos and details as we finish this room.