After spending almost two weeks in upstate New York recently working on a big project with Samsung that I can’t wait to show you, I got bitten by the East Coast bug. (Literally… I got eaten alive up there, but that is a different story). One of the setups we designed for the project was an East Coast inspired living and dining room and we had so much fun pulling it together that I thought a smaller, much more budget friendly version of that style would be a good one to pull together for the blog. East Coast style (or how I am choosing to interpret it) is all about a casual refinement that is inviting, comfortable and with some slightly rustic and handmade elements. Think washed linens, woven materials, hand crafted pottery and glasswork, and lots of blues, whites, creams and wood. Now we are speaking my language. So let’s pack our beach bag, jump on the Jitney, pass the rosé, and enjoy this East Coast Casual budget living room together. TGIF folks.
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Table Lamp | Floor Lamp | Wall Art (30″x40″) | Frame | Side Chair | Woven Stool | Mirror | Credenza | Blue Striped Pillow (Set of 2) | Blue Plaid Pillow | Throw Blanket | Wood Frame | String of Sea Glass Beads | Woven Basket | Blue Glass Bud Vase | Striped Basket
See what I mean, casual textiles, loads of wood, and a heavy dose of blue. I love this little room so much, it is just begging for you to kick off your shoes and relax in it. Let’s start with the sofa – shockingly this is not my favorite of the three setups but I do love the tailored look of the slipcover and the price point is very good for a Sunbrella upholstered piece. The sofa is able to be customized in a handful of different types of fabrics, but using outdoor fabric inside is one of my favorite things to do to help with durability and spills (cue small children smashing their sweet potato mash into the fabric). The rattan chairs are GOOD in person. We used them in the NY project and the scale, quality, and size is so good for that price point. You’ll also notice that we went with a rug with some variation in color and pattern in this version, why you may ask? Well because it hides stains and if it is in a heavy traffic area or say one that is going to get loads of salty ocean water and sand (like I dream this one would) it will be much more durable than a solid.
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Table Lamp | Floor Lamp | Wall Art | Side Chair | Woven Stool | Mirror | Credenza | Blue Striped Pillow (Set of 2) | Blue Plaid Pillow | Throw Blanket | Wood Frame | String of Sea Glass Beads | Woven Basket | Blue Glass Bud Vase | Striped Basket
Next up is our second version which we were able to get down to just under 3k. I mentioned that the first sofa was not my favorite, well this one is. I love the shape, the tailoring, and the look of it a bit more than the first, and the single seat cushion seals the deal for me. In case you didn’t know – single seat cushions means more seating, which I know sounds obscure, but no one wants to sit on a crack. So, for instance if the cushion is divided into two, realistically only two people can sit comfortably on it, but if it is one single cushion three people can sit “seam free”. I also love this wood and caned sideboard from Target and for that price it can’t be beat.
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Table Lamp | Floor Lamp | Wall Art | Side Chair | White Stool | Mirror | Credenza | Blue Striped Pillow (Set of 2) | Blue Plaid Pillow | Throw Blanket | Wood Frame | String of Sea Glass Beads | Woven Basket | Blue Glass Bud Vase | Striped Basket
Last but not least, the most budget friendly comes in at just under 2k for the entire look. We swapped out a lot of the major pieces but the credenza and accessories stayed the same and I am still very into the look overall. Now who has a beach house that we can come crash at for the weekend?
Let us know if you have any questions on any of the items or looks, and what style, room, or design you want us to create a budget friendly version of next. Have a good weekend.
You linked up “The Frame” TV in your last post which I love but it’s so big! Do you know if they’re going to offer any smaller sizes? I need 42″
Sorry I know you are not their customer service. If you don’t know you can just not answer 🙂
That TV is the best thing ever invented and I can’t believe it took until now to make it. Also, I LOVE these posts.
Dear Emily,
I’m fairly new to your blog (I just discovered it this summer), but I just wanted to tell you how much I love it, and learn from it! I regularly read other blogs, but yours has been, by far, the most informative and useful! I love your writing style as well as the subjects of your blog posts. The design mistake series is one of my favorites, and I really appreciate the way you share nuggets of information throughout your posts. For example, I’m in the market for a new sofa, and the tip about the single cushion was brilliant. I was concentrating on making sure the couch was long enough, never realizing that it really is the cushion that determines how many people the piece seats. Thanks for all the great information! Keep it coming!
FYI, the rug in #2 (Pottery Barn Oden Rug) is on sale today for $50 less for the 8×10 size. Happy shopping, folks. Love this room, and this series in general!
i love that target credenza and it is not in stores or available to ship. wah!
Very pretty, but not particularly east coast. But pretty! Thanks for the inspiration!
East Coast Casual is my jam! Thank you!
That credenza from Target in the second to last image is gone :(. Trying to stage a Cape Cod style house for sale and this would be perfect. Hopefully, they will restock!
I love it! I just pulled together a family room mood board for a client here in FL that looks almost identical!! It’s for their vacation home. Love the mix of high and low. Always great inspiration and sourcing links! Thanks!!
I keep considering purchasing that wood and cane Target sideboard but then noticing how much the hardware placement drives me crazy — one on the right, one on the left, then one on the right. Am I crazy?
So maybe I’m just weird, but I ALWAYS sit on the crack of couches, and when I’m barefoot, I tuck my toes into the crack under me. I like the visual appeal of the single cushion, but to me it doesn’t look as cozy. Just thought I’d bring an unexpected opinion to the table!
Hi Emily, just a note for your devs — I know a lot of readers (me included!) would love clickable image roundups. They’re a little work-intensive but look into responsive SVG imagemaps or the jQuery plugin rwdImageMaps 🙂
I have a question. The glass beads that you show are almost exactly like one I have. They are currently sitting on my nightstand around a heart shaped rock but I want to know of other ways to style them. Thanks.
Hey there! Love your blog. Actually met you at the Americana this summer while our kids ran around. Anyway, we live in the PNW and just bought our first house. Hooray! I’ve used SO many different posts of yours as we plan and design our first house. Here’s my question: paint sheens. When when went to look at our colors (decided on Oystershell by BM for the majority of the common areas) they suggested eggshell finish. What do you guys recommend? I know not gloss or semi gloss. But what about flat versus eggshell? Help!
it so good looking very beautiful , it so make each other sofa table at a very reasonable prices
emily
i have loved your style since i saw you on hgtv new design star challenge
i have a cottage in a coastal town and have white slipcovered sofa and chairs
love seagrass and denim fish whales and sailboats
without being over the top nautical i just want relaxed with an edge
also i painted all my floors a creamy white
any suggestions!
thanks
d toni
Beautiful! I particularly love the first two rugs. Your samsung instastories inspired a Red Hook Waterfront Museum visit with my kids. Forgot how neat the space was and my three year old was obsessed with the rube goldberg machine! Can’t wait to see how you style it out.
awesome