A coastal bathroom, tried on your own bathroom.

What makes a coastal bathroom

• Light surfaces. White or sand-colored tile on the walls and floor, sometimes with painted wood paneling.
• Soft blue or sea green. On a vanity, one tiled wall or the towels.
• Light or painted wood. A white or pale oak vanity, and wood or painted beams where a ceiling has them.
• Natural textures. Woven baskets, linen or cotton curtains, and a cotton or jute mat.
• Simple warm metal. Brass or brushed nickel taps and a plain framed mirror.

What to check on your own bathroom

A photo of someone else’s bathroom can’t tell you how the style sits with your light, your proportions and the things you are keeping. These are the points to look at once it is on your photo:

• Tile you would keep. See whether the style works with your existing floor or bath, since those are the most expensive things to replace.
• Light. A bathroom with a small window, or none, needs warmer whites and good lighting to avoid looking grey.
• Fixtures the design moved. A design can show a toilet, basin or window where yours is not. Judge the colors and materials and ignore the layout.

Before

After

Before and after comparison. Drag or use arrow keys to reveal more of either image.

Where it works, and where it doesn’t

It suits small bathrooms, which pale colors open up, and family bathrooms, since it is relaxed and easy to add to. Much of it is paint, textiles and accessories, so a version of it is possible without retiling.

It is weaker in a windowless room, and it can tip into a theme. Leave out shells and signs and let color and texture do the work. Woven and wooden items also need good ventilation to last in a damp room.

How to see it on your own bathroom

1. Photograph the bathroom. Shoot from the doorway with the lights on, using your phone’s normal 1x lens, so as much of the room as possible is in frame. Very wide-angle shots are the usual cause of odd results.
2. Choose the room and the style. In Remodel, pick Bathroom as the room and Coastal as the style. Remodel is designed to keep the shape of the space and its windows and to change the finishes around them.
3. Run a second style on the same photo. Try Modern next and drag the slider on each. A style is easier to judge beside another one than on its own.
4. Refine the one you keep. On a paid plan, Edit changes one thing you describe and Brush changes only the area you paint over. Designs are saved in your Library beside the original photo.

Styles to compare it with

• Modern. Plainer and cooler: large neutral tile and nothing on show.
• Nautical. More literal: navy, stripes and maritime details.
• Scandinavian. White and pale wood without the blues. This one is included with a free account.

What a design can’t tell you

A design can’t tell you what the work costs, whether a wall can take new tile, or where the plumbing can go. It has no measurements, the tile and fixtures are a look to match and not specific products, and a design can add or move a fixture that isn’t in your room. Check anything like that with a plumber or contractor before you count on it.

What it costs

On the web, Coastal is one of the styles that come with every paid plan, starting with Basic at $13 a month, or $91 a year. A free account can try the same photo in Biophilic, Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian, Minimalist, Cottage, Contemporary and Farmhouse first. Every paid plan adds Edit and Brush and unlocks all the styles and room types. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.

Common questions

What colors are used in a coastal bathroom?

White and sand as the base, with pale blue, aqua, sea green or navy as the accent and light wood for warmth.

Can I get a coastal look without retiling?

Often, if the existing tile is white or neutral: paint, a new vanity color, a mirror, lighting and textiles change most of the impression.

What tile suits a coastal bathroom?

Plain white or sand-colored tile, sometimes handmade-looking with slight variation, and a pale stone or wood-look floor. Blue works best on one wall or in a band.

Is the Coastal style free to try on a bathroom?

Not this style. On the web, Coastal comes with every paid plan, starting with Basic at $13 a month, or $91 a year. A free account, with starter credits and no card, can try the same bathroom photo in Biophilic, Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian, Minimalist, Cottage, Contemporary and Farmhouse. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.