Cozy Coastal Inspired Christmas Ideas

These subtle cozy coastal Christmas ideas are just the thing to give you a nod to coastal, without being overly thematic. It could also be called blue and white Christmas decorating ideas, because the two colors favor so heavily in a coastal theme.

You won’t find seashells or palm fronds here. Instead, shades of blue, creamy caramel, sandy tan stripes, tonal whites, and a little rattan and wood top off these coastal inspired holiday decorations.

With a few tips, a coastal inspired Christmas can be cozy, blending in with your everyday decor, while evoking the feeling of coastal around the holidays.

Subtle Take on Coastal Holiday Decor

When someone says “coastal decor,” you may immediately think of seashells, nautical elements and varying shades of ocean blue. A “beachy” theme may also come to mind, but we are not talking about either scenario here. Here, we are talking about a feeling of coastal.

Think of subtle coastal Christmas decorations as updated or modern, as opposed to a literal sense of coastal.

The feeling of coastal probably brings to mind a sense of being calm, soothed and relaxed. If that is what you’re going for, subtle cozy coastal Christmas ideas are what you’re looking for.

When done right, it’s like a warm hug!

The Best Colors for Coastal Christmas Decor

Since coastal is about being near the ocean, you’re likely to see traditional coastal shades of deep ocean blues, crisp whites and sandy tan/beige. These traditional coastal colors still hold true for decorating around the holidays.

In your search for inspiration, you more likely than not have come across navy, turquoise, crisp white, and light brown colors used in Christmas decor. That said, these are not the only colors you can use to bring a coastal feel to your holiday decorations.

A couple years ago, I shifted to pastel holiday Christmas decorating. I figured muted colors would turn down the volume, so to speak, allowing for a more calming experience during the holiday season. The color red, after all, is arguably the strongest color, evoking power and energy.

Since the everyday color palette I love and use in our home is that of muted pastels and neutrals, I decided to try using that same color palette for our holiday decorations. Shades of dusty blue, sage green, blush pinks, and warm whites adorned our tree, mantel, staircase, and anywhere else I decorated.

I loved the soothing feeling it gave me, even though it wasn’t traditional Christmas colors.

Since then, I haven’t looked back.

Subtle Coastal Inspired Christmas Colors

Many of the same traditional colors can be used for coastal inspired holiday decor. When comparing traditional vs subtle coastal inspired, some of the best colors for coastal Christmas decor are broken down as follows:

Traditional Coastal Holiday Colors: - Shades of ocean blue - Crisp white - Sandy tan/beige - Coral - Turquiose - Silver

Subtle Coastal Inspired Holiday Colors: - Soft dusty blue - Crisp yet warm whites - Sandy tan/taupe - Light pink - Deep navy - Brass/gold and silver

This year, I wanted to give a subtle nod to a coastal Christmas.

I used the same soft shades of dusty blue, while adding creamy caramel, sandy tan stripes, a hint of deep navy, and tonal shades of whites.

I know it’s not for everyone, but there is not one thing in this world that is. So decorate in a way that makes you happy.

Ideas for Subtle Coastal Holiday Decorations

Creating a cozy coastal inspired holiday that is subtle, as opposed to literal, is all about combining colors, patterns and textures.

There are no literal coastal elements here; no seashells, no starfish and no overtly nautical details.

What you can take from traditional coastal decor comes in the form of updated colors, stripes, textures, and wood elements.

Wood and Rattan Ornaments
Add natural elements that you would normally see at the coast. Instead of driftwood, use unfinished/natural wood ornaments, nutcrackers or trees. I have an assortment of unfinished wood ornaments I use every year, from bells and toppers to finials. You can always paint them in the future if your tastes change.

Two of my favorite Christmas ornaments are a set of the sweetest rattan star and tree. I love how naturally textured they are against the greenery of the tree.

SOURCES: Wood Topper Ornament | Wood Finial Ornament

Brass/Gold Bells or Gold Laurel Wreaths
Silver is more common to use in coastal Christmas decor, but I like the warmth brass or gold brings to our home. I mean, the cute mini gold laurel wreaths look as sweet as a button on our tree! You can also mix silver and gold to get the best of both worlds.

SOURCES: Brass metal bell ornament (Note: The brass bells go in and out of stock, so be patient. I recommend adding the item to your cart and then click “save for later” so you can keep an eye on the price as well as when they come back in stock.)

Stripes, Velvet and Patterned Ribbon for Bows
This year, I added ribbon bows to our tree and I love it so much! In keeping with a coastal Christmas theme, I used a few different colors and patterned ribbons on the tree: a 1 ½” tan and white stripe grosgrain ribbon, a ⅞” creamy caramel saddle stitch ribbon and a ⅜” dusty blue velvet ribbon. Mixing different textures, colors and patterns makes it feel so cozy!

SOURCES: Tan white striped grosgrain ribbon | Solid saddle stitch ribbon (color oatmeal) | Dusty blue velvet ribbon

Blue and White Glass Ball Ornaments
Softer colors, such as dusty blue, tonal crisp and warm whites, and sage green, feel coastal without being heavy. In lieu of turquoise, teal and coral colors, use dusty blue, light pink and warm white glass ball ornaments.

I also use a mix of matte, frosted and glossy ornaments so the Christmas tree has variations of textures and sheens.

SOURCES: Matte White Glass Ball Ornament (similar) | Glossy White Glass Ball Ornaments (similar) | Dusty Blue Glass Ball Ornaments (similar) | White porcelain village house ornament

Mixed Greenery Garland
Mixed greenery garland reminds me of the varied coastal landscape of California. To achieve the look, use a mix of cedar, pine, eucalyptus, and/or lambs ear greenery for your garland.

I typically use two eucalyptus and two lambs ear garland on our tree. They add much needed fullness to our somewhat sparse faux tree. The lambs ear in particular gives a whimsical feel to the tree, and I love how the dusty sage looks against the evergreen.

SOURCES: Lambs Ear Garland | Eucalyptus Garland

Floral Stems and Berries
If you have never added floral stems and berries to your tree, you are missing out. I actually think mixing the two makes for a very designer inspired tree! For our tree florals, I used 5-6 large white flowers as well as dusty blue flocked berries. This is the second year I have used the berry sprays. I also have them in a flocked soft pink color.

SOURCES: Magnolia Christmas tree picks (set of 12, similar) | White poinsettias (set of 12, similar) | Dusty blue flocked berry stem (similar) | White/cream berry stems or White berry spray

Many of our Christmas decorations are from Brooke & Lou, McGee and Co., Amazon, Michael’s, Joann, and antique shops.

Gift Wrapping Ideas for a Coastal Holiday Theme

Wrapping presents is my favorite part of decorating at Christmas! I love to mix patterns and solid colors with layers upon layers of ribbon. I want the presents dripping in ribbon!

SOURCES: Blue knit lattice jute ribbon (similar) | 2.5” Blush pink satin ribbon

I always elevate the look of our presents with gorgeous ribbons and pretty wrapping paper. The Charming Christmas Presents post as well as the Beautiful Gift Wrap Ideas post will give you even more inspiration to help make your presents stand out.

For a coastal holiday theme this year, I used the same pretty wrapping paper in my ever-expanding collection. Honestly, I have talked about their wrapping paper in practically every Christmas holiday post. 

I focused on both patterned and solid wrapping papers in greens, blues and whites, with a touch of a deep navy. I then layered ribbons in creamy caramel, tan stripes, sage green, soft whites, and blues that made such an impact under—and on—the tree!

SOURCES: Blue knit lattice jute ribbon (similar) | 2.5” Blush pink satin ribbon | Tan white striped grosgrain ribbon | Solid saddle stitch ribbon (color oatmeal) | Dusty blue velvet ribbon

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Looking for more holiday content?

Learn how to wrap presents and explore Christmas ornament storage ideas or gift wrap and ribbon organization ideas.

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How to Decorate for a Coastal Christmas

When I landed on a subtle coastal inspired theme this Christmas, I immediately went to my ribbon collection. If you've read other content here, you know I have a large (and growing) collection of ribbon that I use in many projects. (You know, because every occasion calls for ribbon.)

Add Mini Wreaths to Counter/Bar Stools

Last year, I decorated each of our counter stools with a cute mini wreath. I knew I would continue the tradition this year. All I did was simply change out the ribbon to subtle coastal colors.

You can learn how to hang wreaths on chairs in this post.

Decorate Your Kitchen Cabinets

I knew I also wanted to add mini wreaths to a set of glass cabinets in our kitchen this year. You, too, should be able to hang the wreaths from your cabinets in less than ten minutes. I layered three different styles ribbon in shades of sand and blue for a coastal-ish feel. They are just about the prettiest mini wreaths!

I absolutely LOVE how they turned out! Be sure to read the full post detailing how to hang wreaths on cabinets, especially if you want to see more pretty pictures.

Make Your Own Christmas Crackers

After finding a lovely set of Morris & Co. Christmas crackers at HomeGoods a couple years ago, I wanted to make my own to match our color palette this year.

So, I created homemade DIY Christmas crackers in pretty wrapping paper and ribbons, of course.

Use Ribbons and Bows Everywhere

Technically, using ribbons and bows everywhere is not specific to coastal holiday decor. It’s really about incorporating different styles of ribbon into your decorations. Stripes are the obvious choice for a coastal theme, but saddle stitch is a complementary ribbon style to consider.

There are many ways to use bows at the holidays, including

• On vases and stockings

• A bowtie on nutcracker

• Wrapped around a wooly tree

• In a holiday tablescape centerpiece or as a napkin ring

By steering clear (see what I did there) of a literal coastal theme, you can achieve a subtle cozy coastal inspired Christmas.

How did you decorate your coastal holiday home? Leave a comment below!