What is California Casual Style?
California Casual style, also known as California Coastal, is taking the design world by storm! Popularized by designers like Amber Interiors and Studio Mcgee California Casual takes the best of modern, rustic, and coastal to create a design style that is truly a California dream. Full of natural wood tones, neutral furnishings, coastal textures and accents, and lots of rustic finishes this style feels relaxed, casual, and sophisticated. Lovers of California Casual might also enjoy farmhouse style as this is an elevated and more modern sister of Farmhouse style and brings in many coastal elements that help make this style feel both liveable and sophisticated.
As a fan of California Casual style you likely love shopping at places like Restoration Hardware, Arhaus, Pottery Barn, and Lulu and Georgia - or the very least browzing the catalog (#onabudget). You love taking what's old and giving it a place of honor next to something sleek and casual. You are truly at home on the California coast.
The best way to begin decorating in the California Casual style is to define your color palette. Few other design styles use as wide of a range of colors as California Causal. All earth tones are fair game and mixing warm and cool is a must. Here’s one tip for creating the perfect starting place to begin decorating in the California Coastal style - white walls. Yup! Almost all California Casual spaces begin with warm creamy white walls as their base.
Warm Wood Tones
One of the things that sets this style apart is its warm rich wood tones. To slay the California Casual style don’t be afraid to bring in both mid-tone and light-tone woods, and a lot of them. All of your hard furnishings, beams on the ceiling, and closed cabinetry can benefit from warm wood tones to create a deeply restorative space. Essentially California Coastal style is like creating a zen retreat right in your living room. To do that well, you’ve got to bring the outdoors in.
Neutral Warm & Cool Color Palette
The hallmark of the California Casual style is the perfect mix of both cool & warm colors. You can nail this style by working with as many earth tones as possible and building them together through neutral seating and wood tone furniture. Layer in all of the cognac and rust oranges, sage and navy blues, charcoal grays and beiges, and of course black and white. It can be difficult to work this many colors into a room that’s why it’s important your base is as neutral as possible. We find it easiest to start with a rug that pulls a lot of these colors in and build your color palette through pillows, decor, and other accessories
Coastal Inspired Accents
My favorite part about California Casual, also known as California Coastal style is the - “I just walked off the beach and now I’m home” vibe. This style screams casual with lots of focus on natural and organic materials - linen, vintage rustic woods, cane, rattan - you name it. To capture the California dream work in some subtle coastal nods. This could be through art, cane or rattan detailed furniture, or simply textures & colors that remind you of the Pacific. These coastal elements are a must if you want to give your space a “you could track sand in here and I won’t be made about it” feeling.
Modern Furniture & Architectural Features
One of the unique features I’m seeing in some of the pioneers of this style is a focus on Spanish Revival architecture - at least on the interior. Lots of archways, plaster fireplaces, and wood beam ceilings and accents. These sharp architectural details are best paired with simple lined modern furnishings to create the sophisticated edge the California Casual style touts so seamlessly.
Rustic Decor & Finishes
Our favorite aspect of this style is that it takes what was formally stuffy and “too precious to touch” and makes it feel casual, touchable, and nostalgic. Decorating with vintage and rustic decor is the fun part! Of course, you’ll want to start with what you have, but what a great time to go finding! Think old worn pottery, rustic wood trays, brass and marble bowls and decorative objects, dried florals, and more. Find yourself the biggest rustic pottery lamp and you can pretty much call yourself a pro at decorating in the California Casual style.
Things to consider when decorating in the Modern Classic Style
Okay! So you think you are ready to take things out west and decorate in the California Casual style, great! The key to nailing this style is utilizing a wide range of earthy neutrals. Don’t be afraid to put a navy blue pillow next to a rust-colored one, the blend of warm and cool is exactly what gives California Casual style its zen appeal. Once you nail the color palette layer in your coastal & rustic decor details and features for a truly “fresh from the beach” feeling. Finally don’t forget about wood tones, none of that dark espresso wood here it’s all about the mid-tones, but avoid being tempted to add mid-century modern furniture. Clean, simple, modern lines are what give California Casual homes their liveable luxury.
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