A California couple wanted a house that differed from its by-the-numbers neighbors. Not drenched in white, but not gloomy either. Answer: lots of oak and ‘window walls.’ ...

The best color palette for a coastal home decor style includes white, beige, and blue, so whitewashed paneling works perfectly for this theme. Faded wooden finishes are also popular in beach-style ...

A same-old-same-old Cape Cod revival there. “It’s lots of raised-panel wainscoting painted white,” said the restless couple’s designer Marie Turner Carson, “with blue mainly in fabric ...