6 Coastal Home Designs: Reimagining the Classic Beachside Style

Coastal home designs have come a long way from their early beachside roots. Today, the style feels more contemporary, retaining the light, bright and open qualities that have long defined coastal style homes while embracing the natural tactility of modern materials.

Think warm timber, natural stone, considered metal finishes, handmade tiles and soft, tonal palettes, all working together to create interiors that feel relaxed without feeling overly themed. Texture, tone and shape converge to give the familiar Australian coastal aesthetic a more refined edge.

And there is no better setting for this evolution than Australia's coastline. From Sydney to Brisbane and beyond, our breezy beaches, lush surrounds and abundant natural light provide the perfect backdrop for homes designed around indoor-outdoor living. Add a pool of world-class architects, builders and interior designers, and it's easy to see why these homes continue to inspire.

Here are six Australian homes offering a fresh take on modern coastal design, each showing how materiality can shape our experience of a space.

The Sanctuary takes its cues from the Hamptons, the storied seaside towns of Long Island's South Fork, translating their relaxed coastal elegance into a distinctly Australian setting. Designed by Corinne and Shane Wynhoven, founders of Homes by Hoven, the family's waterfront retreat in Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast balances a sophisticated material palette with the easy rhythm of coastal living.

Blonde oak flooring, white Shaker cabinetry and brushed brass tapware create a warm, sun-washed foundation, while concealed appliances and uncluttered surfaces keep the overall aesthetic crisp and contemporary. The combination of blonde oak, soft whites and warm metal brings depth to the otherwise light palette, creating a coastal interior that feels considered rather than themed.

At the heart of the home, the open-plan living, kitchen and dining area reinforces that sense of openness. Generous proportions and a strong connection between spaces allow the Gold Coast setting to become part of everyday life, creating the relaxed flow that is central to modern Australian coastal home designs.

Just a stone's throw from Burleigh Heads' iconic beachfront, Aúra by Kamber embraces a modern coastal Mediterranean aesthetic shaped by its subtropical Gold Coast setting. Designed around an easy connection between indoors and out, the home pairs a relaxed architectural language with a richly tactile material palette.

Our tumbled aged brass tapware and shower fixtures bring warmth and character to the interiors, their evolving patina complementing the home's earthy palette. The finish feels particularly at home here: soft, aged and imperfect, much like the weathered textures found in coastal landscapes.

Japanese handmade tiles add another layer of tactility, while Sicilian Verde stone introduces organic variation that echoes the lush greenery surrounding the home. Paired with our Elysian Kitchen Mixer in the same tumbled aged brass finish, the materials create a layered coastal interior that feels grounded in its landscape.

Even the name Aúra, meaning 'gentle breeze' in Greek, speaks to the atmosphere of the home: open, relaxed and shaped by its proximity to the coast.

Vantage brings a more architectural interpretation to typical Australian coastal home designs. Created by H&H Constructions, Reece Keil Design and Studio Yugen, the contemporary resort-style residence in Queensland embraces the openness and connection to nature associated with coastal living, while taking a more sculptural approach to materials and form.

At the centre of the home, a Grigio benchtop introduces a mineral quality to the kitchen, paired with our earthy brushed copper tapware. The warm metallic finish works against the cool stone, creating contrast while maintaining the natural, grounded palette.

Across the home, square-set corners, considered brickwork and detailed joinery add a sense of architectural precision. Rather than relying on traditional beach-house cues, Vantage uses mineral surfaces, earthy metalwork and strong architectural forms to create a more contemporary expression of coastal living.

The result feels more like a private coastal retreat than a traditional beachside home, with resort-like elements woven into everyday living.

Palm Hill captures the more luxurious side of modern coastal living. Designed by Reece Keil Design and Studio White Interiors, the two-storey U-shaped residence in Reedy Creek makes the most of its elevated Gold Coast setting, combining expansive views with tactile materials and a seamless connection to the outdoors.

Panoramic glazing draws the surrounding landscape deep into the home, while the U-shaped plan creates a natural relationship between the interiors and generous outdoor entertaining areas. Together, they establish the lightness and openness that define the Australian coastal lifestyle.

Inside, a beige travertine backsplash brings soft, natural variation to the kitchen, paired with our Elysian Pot Filler in brushed copper. The earthy metal finish complements the warmth of the stone, while a raked ceiling and natural stone feature wall introduce further layers of texture throughout the living spaces.

It is a distinctly contemporary take on the beach house, where stone, timber, warm metal and abundant glazing create an interior that feels as considered as its setting.

Initium by Sunstone Group brings a quieter interpretation of coastal style to Auchenflower, one of Brisbane's leafy inner suburbs. Rather than relying on the familiar visual language of the beach house, the home draws on the qualities that make coastal interiors so inviting: light, openness, texture and a restrained tonal palette.

Warm timber, white surfaces and soft natural tones give the interiors an airy, grounded quality, creating a subtle connection to the Australian landscape beyond. The restrained palette allows the home's materials to do the work, with texture and tonal variation providing interest without overwhelming the spaces.

In departure from the warm brass often associated with coastal interiors, brushed nickel tapware brings a cooler element to the scheme. Its understated finish allows warm and cool tones to sit comfortably together, creating a palette reminiscent of sea, sky, stone and timber.

The result is coastal in feeling rather than appearance, demonstrating how contemporary material choices can reinterpret the style without relying on obvious beachside references.

Project Mona takes a softer, more organic approach to modern coastal home design, with white tapware providing an unexpected point of difference. Rather than relying on brass or brushed metal for warmth, the crisp finish works alongside oak, stone and tile to create a fresh, tonal interior.

Generous glazing, oak timber, natural stone and tile work together to create a light-filled interior that feels closely connected to its surroundings. The restrained material palette lets the textures of each element come through, from the grain of the timber to the subtle variation of stone and tile.

In New Zealand homes, the shower over bath setup is a familiar solution, especially in compact bathrooms and renovation projects where maximising space is essential. However, its practicality and space-saving benefits are worth debating. 

We examine the pros and cons of this configuration to help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your home and lifestyle.

Together, these homes show how far Australian coastal home interiors have evolved. The connection to light, landscape and indoor-outdoor living remains, but today's interpretation is more material-led, moving beyond familiar boho and beach-house references towards something quieter, more architectural and enduring.

Stone, timber, handmade tiles and considered metal finishes give these spaces depth and tactility, while restrained palettes allow the materials themselves to shape the atmosphere. Each home takes a different approach, but all capture something quintessentially Australian: a relaxed relationship with the landscape and an instinctive connection between inside and out.

As Australian design continues to embrace raw, enduring materials, coastal style homes will evolve with it. Less about recreating the beach indoors, and more about capturing the feeling of being there.

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