Coastal Style Remodel Ideas, Each With the Humidity Check That Keeps It Looking Good

Coastal style is light, airy and natural, and each idea works best with a humidity check: floors that tolerate moisture, painted wood walls that stay dry, fans that exhaust outside and textiles kept away from water. This is general information and not legal advice, and Good Haus is a free matching service and not a contractor.

Which floors suit a coastal look in humid air?

The National Wood Flooring Association says engineered wood floors are made of real wood with multiple layers and a top layer of high-quality wood, and that because they expand and contract less than solid wood flooring they are ideal for basement installations. Shaw says its engineered hardwood is a veneer of real wood over a plywood or fiberboard core that provides greater stability against moisture and temperature changes, and that steam cleaning can damage and warp hardwood or laminate flooring. If you want a pale wood look in a humid house, ask the installer which construction the maker recommends for your room and what cleaning method it allows.

How do painted wood walls and beadboard hold up?

The EPA says wet walls should be constructed to effectively keep water from penetrating cavities in the walls and floor. For shiplap or beadboard in a bathroom or by a sink, ask the contractor what sits behind the boards and how water is kept out, and keep a wipeable paint on the surface.

Do airy rooms still need good ventilation?

The EPA says ventilation is especially important in bathrooms to remove unwanted moisture, which helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew, and that during renovation you should check that the bathroom fan exhausts a sufficient amount of air directly to the outside and not just into an attic or other space in the house. Open windows and ceiling fans add to the feeling of air, but ask the contractor to confirm that every bathroom fan is ducted to the outside.

Where should natural-fiber rugs and textiles go?

The EPA says not to install carpet near water sources or in areas with a chronic moisture problem, such as around sinks, tubs, showers and toilets. Use washable rugs with a dry backing in bathrooms and kitchens, keep natural-fiber pieces for dry living areas and ask the maker how to clean each one.

What about light, color and open shelving?

Pale walls and open shelving suit coastal rooms, but steamy rooms need wipeable paint and shelves that can be cleaned, so ask the paint maker which finish it recommends for a bathroom or kitchen and keep the care sheet with your records.

Match the Idea to the Room Before You Ask for Prices

Ask each contractor to price the same idea with the humidity check included when you request bathroom remodeling quotes, so the bids describe the same finish.