West Coast Rustic Home Decor | Louis Duncan-He Designs

A Blend of Mountain and Sea

This gorgeous family home is an ode to classic west coast rustic home decor. It takes inspiration from the mountains, the soft calming colors of the ocean and mixes in the unique personality of a young bustling family.

I found myself scratching my head when I got the brief for this project. The ask was for a home that would distill the sense of energy and adventure of the mountains as well as a calming coastal essence. Most importantly, it needs to function for the three young energetic boys in the family. I often work with families who have multiple children. There seems to be a misconception that a home cannot be both beautiful and functional for children. This is totally achievable with good planning and an appreciation for how you actually live (not on Instagram photos).

My strategy is to always start building around function. What does each room need to do? How does the family utilize each space? The kitchen nook and living room had to comfortably accommodate 8-10 people at any given time. This was the starting point for planning and conceptualization for this home.

Home build by Treehouse Developments

The overall color palette and tone of the room takes inspiration from a piece of art in the families collection. It is a beautiful mountain scape with subtle native references. I chose to feature it on the main dining room wall. It is the first main site line a visitor comes in contact with as they walk into the house. I think it’s so important to feature and take inspiration from the treasures in a families collection. Normally when I design a home that is west coast inspired, I stick with colors in an organic and natural palette (blue, teal, green, brown, beige, grey…etc), similar to this elegant west coast home I worked on last year. However, because the mountainscape is filled with reds, earthy tones, and global influences, I needed to find a way to incorporate these colors into the rest of the house.

The Design Inspiration and Catylyst

The formal dining room blends west coast rustic and cozy cabin lodge by mixing a wood-paneled ceiling with a coastal mountain themed area rug

The Perfect and Peaceful Master Bedroom

The master bedroom took inspiration from a cozy cabin. It also needed to serve as a sanctuary for sleep and intimate space for connection and relaxation. The wooden beams added to the vaulted ceiling mimic a cozy west coast cabin. Soft beach tones add a calming ode to the ocean. A pivotal part of this room was the custom artwork that was commissioned and created by Crooked Tree Studio. The blend of perfectly unhinged planks of woods and the calming colors of the sea was the perfect marriage and centerpiece to set the tone above the mantle.