Coastal Color Palettes for Your Home: Throws, Pillows and Towels by Color

A coastal color palette pairs a calm base of white, sand or soft grey with one or two colors borrowed from the shore: ocean blue and teal, sea-glass green, sunset coral and pink, or citrus yellow. The easiest way to bring a palette home is through textiles, because throws, pillows and towels add color without paint and are simple to swap by season. At Riviera Towel Co. in Santa Barbara, you can shop these palettes by color with our Colorful Search tool.

Below are five palettes inspired by our stretch of the California coast, each with links that open our shop already filtered to those colors.

What colors are considered coastal?

Coastal colors are the ones you see on a beach walk: whites and sandy beiges, every shade of blue from navy to teal, soft greens, and the pinks and oranges of a sunset. Most coastal rooms use a light neutral base with one or two of these as accents.

The trick to avoiding a theme-park beach house is restraint. Choose a palette, repeat it a few times around the room, and let natural textures like cotton, jute and wood do the rest. Our guide to coastal home decor without the cliches goes deeper on that idea.

Which coastal color palette is right for my home?

Match the palette to the mood you want: calm, bright, cozy or crisp. This table is a quick guide, and each "Shop" link opens Colorful Search with those colors selected, showing only pieces in stock.

Palette	Colors	Feels like	Best rooms	Shop
Santa Barbara sunset	Coral, orange, pink, cream	Warm and joyful	Patio, living room, guest room	#col=orange,pink,white
Sea glass	Teal, soft green, white	Fresh and airy	Bathroom, bedroom	#col=teal,green,white
Sandy neutrals	Beige, grey, white, brown	Calm and minimal	Living room, primary bedroom	#col=beige,grey,white
Riviera blue and white	Navy, blue, white	Crisp and classic	Kitchen, bathroom, beach house	#col=navy,blue,white
Citrus	Yellow, orange, white	Sunny and playful	Kitchen, kids' rooms, outdoor dining	#col=yellow,orange,white

How do I create a Santa Barbara sunset palette?

Start with a cream or white base, then layer coral, pink and orange in small doses: a towel draped on a lounger, a pillow, a throw folded at the foot of the bed. Think of the sky over the harbor or Shoreline Park at golden hour.

Sunset tones work especially well outdoors, where a bright Turkish towel can serve as a lounger cover or tablecloth. Search pink and orange to see what is in stock, and add a California Poppy Hook Pillow (from $64) for a nod to the state flower. For a warm glow after dark, light a California 8oz Candle (from $28).

How do I use a sea glass palette?

Pair teal and soft green with plenty of white for a fresh, watery look that feels like sea glass on the sand. It is a natural fit for bathrooms, where towels carry most of the color.

Stack bath and hand towels in two or three shades of teal and green, keep the walls light, and add one natural texture such as a woven basket. Search teal and white or browse hand and tea towels in teal. The Turkish Cotton Waffle Towel (from $38.98) and Waffle Hand Towel (from $18) add a spa-like texture. Our spa bathroom guide has more ideas.

How do I decorate with sandy neutrals?

Layer beige, oatmeal, grey and white in different textures so the room feels rich instead of flat. Neutrals are the most relaxed coastal palette and the easiest to live with year round.

Throws do the heavy lifting here. Shop beige blankets and throws, or grey if your sofa leans cool. Good picks include the Herringbone Throw Blanket (from $68), the Umbria Throw Blanket (from $88), the Diamond Woven Blanket (from $88) and the Alpaca Throw Blanket - More Colors (from $130). The Whistler Fleece Wrap Throw (from $68.98) comes in soft shades such as sand and grey. See our best throw blankets for a coastal home for a full comparison.

How do I style a Riviera blue and white palette?

Navy, bright blue and white is the classic seaside combination, crisp in a kitchen and timeless in a bathroom. Use white as the base and let blue appear in stripes and patterns.

Search navy and white for towels and throws, or narrow to navy Classic towels. Add a Navy Stripe Buoy Hook Pillow (from $35) to a reading chair, and hang a Sorrento Hand Towel (from $16) in the kitchen. If you love blue, try blue and teal together for a deeper ocean look.

How do I add a citrus palette without overdoing it?

Use yellow and orange as accents against white: a pillow, a tea towel, a single bright throw. A little citrus goes a long way and instantly makes a room feel sunny.

The Lemons Hook Pillow (from $62) is a cheerful start. Search yellow for towels and throws, and bring the palette outdoors with a bright towel as a table runner or picnic cover. Our beach towel color guide shows how the same colors work at the beach.

How do I shop a palette by color?

Open Colorful Search on the rivieratowel.com homepage, tap the colors in your palette, and narrow by category such as Blankets, Robes or Hand & tea towels. You will see only in-stock pieces, and "Change colors" or "Show all" resets the search.

Every collection page has a "Shop by color" row too, and links like rivieratowel.com/#col=teal,white open the search pre-filled. Read our Colorful Search how-to for every tip. When you build a set, "Buy 2, save 10%" applies automatically on Riviera towels, blankets and robes.

Where can I shop coastal home textiles in Santa Barbara?

Visit Riviera Towel Co. at 17 W. Gutierrez St. in downtown Santa Barbara, just off State Street, to see our throws, pillows, hand towels and Turkish towels in person. Seeing colors side by side is the surest way to build a palette.

You can also shop online with free shipping on orders over $95, and add gift wrap with a handwritten card for $10 if your palette is a housewarming present.

FAQ

What is a coastal color palette?

A coastal color palette combines a light neutral base like white, sand or soft grey with accent colors from the shore, such as ocean blue, teal, sea-glass green, sunset coral or citrus yellow.

What are the best coastal colors for a living room?

Sandy neutrals with a blue or teal accent are the easiest to live with. Layer beige, grey and white throws, then add color with one or two pillows.

How can I add coastal color without painting?

Use textiles. Throws, pillows, hand towels and Turkish towels add color quickly and are easy to change with the seasons.

How many colors should a coastal palette have?

Two or three colors plus a neutral base usually looks best. Repeat each color a few times around the room so it feels intentional.

Where can I find coastal throws and towels by color?

Use Colorful Search at rivieratowel.com to see in-stock throws, towels and robes in the colors you choose, or visit Riviera Towel Co. at 17 W. Gutierrez St. in downtown Santa Barbara.

Bringing the coast home? Visit our shop at 17 W. Gutierrez St. in Santa Barbara or call 805-560-1571. We offer free shipping on orders over $95, and 5% of our net profits go to organizations that heal and protect the ocean we all love, with $76,439.30 donated so far.