SFGate

Barbara B Ruffalo IDDP Ok , it looks like half the room has a higher ceiling? You could paint the walls a relaxing water color such as Sherwin Williams " quietude " and the ceiling a color called "rainwashed". These colors will go great with your black sofa and give the room a beachy feeling

joannpb Look for an area rug with ocean colors (or the colors you prefer), add an accent chair (or chairs) in the color(s), Maybe a couple of large floor cushions in a coordinating print, toss pillows for the sofa; window swags over fishnet curtains.

If you make floor cushions, washable covers on those big pet pillows work really well. Also you could have a length of roll carpeting bound for an area rug - saves $.

decoenthusiaste Paint with Benjamin Moore's color of the year, Lemon Sorbet - a very light beachy shade of yellow. It serves as a perfect backdrop for blues and all other beachy bold and pastel shades.

blindsdirectcanada I would remove the blinds and put up Ripplefold Sheers it will make the room really bright and airy .

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/drapery-toronto/sheer-drapery.html

All About Interiors LLC Hi
I would recommend staying away from darker shades since it appears you don't have a lot of lighting in the space. Youc could go with a light color such as Ocean Air 2123-50 for the walls which would look great with black. You should probably address the windows since they are a major focal point in the room. If privacy is an issue you can do a woven weave shade with a soft valance above to finish it off nicely or roman shade with complimentary fabric colors/pattern . An area rug to define a sitting area is needed. I'm not sure what you were considering to pair with your black couch for additional seating but you could add some chairs such as these along with some occasional tables and ottoman or coffee table. Either a media table or bookshelf is needed along that long wall.
Good luck!

joannpb I just opened a realtor's ad and saw something pretty. Does this look like the direction you want to go?

judyg BM palladian blue would look great with the black.

Interiors International, Inc. Get rid of the black piece. Check out consignment shops and used furniture places. Thrift stores and even Goodwill can be great resources for furniture. Also wicker goes with the beach theme and is inexpensive.

libradesigneye Consider planking the ceiling that goes up at an angle - they make vinyl planks that are lightweight / made for the ceiling - in white, in a woodgrain - really adds a lot of beach vibe without a lot of expense. You could select a very wide pale gray washed driftwood vinyl plank element and continue it horizontally all the way down one (ideally exterior) wall to evoke original beach cottage siding / add texture and get the tonal look you seek. Your existing floor looks great for beach cottage, it could even be whitewashed or gray-washed if you are bold.

For the 8' ceiling, I love the suggestion to paint it a softer shade of the wall tone. Other elements that really evoke the beach - burlap, coir or rope wrapped elements, baskets, wicker, chinese bamboo furniture, sisal rugs, and lots of painted wood (i'd go thrifting for the furniture you need, then paint and distress them). Anything that looks like natural driftwood with a bark edge will advance this look.
Take the existing light fixtures and work them over - change out paddles to be floor wood tone / wrap the elements with rope and hot glue for flair. Dining could use a "found chandelier" spray painted dark teal or navy rather than the dark bowl i see.

Set a color story (aqua, kiwi green and khaki/stone) for instance, and then use different tones of these colors in every selection you make. Buy craigslist furniture that has good bones, and paint it in tonal variations on these colors. Select one colorful print fabric that guides your color story - if you look at a paint color chip next to your fabric inspiration and it looks good, you can use it on an old piece of furniture and know it will layer in well.One thing to be cautious about is your blue color family - blue-green / turquoise is more classically "sea" blue than indigo / navy / cobalt. Whatever major color story you start with - use that in muted tones on the walls, stick with that color family as you add blue things. You can do a room in blue greens and add one or two cobalt accents at the end, but if you mix all the way through you won't get the look you want and you won't know why it doesn't work. To mix true blue and blue-green aqua, you realy need a strong patterned fabric that brings them together well - it is better to settle on one and stick with it for a deliberate look.

Black leather is not beachy, but you can always cover it with a gray, khaki or off-white(stone) slipcover until you go a different way - slipcovers are very beachy and very practical.

lpitchko Wow, thanks for all of your amazing comments! This helps Soooo much!

Barnhart Gallery Here are pages and pages of inspiration:
http://www.houzz.com/black-leather-beach

I know what I'd do, but first, what look are you going for? Black leather tells me more mod than cod...cape cod, that is. I'm hopefully guessing you won't be themey or predictable, but rather innovative and cool.

lpitchko Innovative and cool most def

fandfauna Tubular sky lights... http://nltubular.com/

lj61 Since it is beachy you say, why don't u look at coastal living and even the new hgtv dream house maybe you could pick up some styles and ideas you like check it out.

denrecruit What's the flooring? What type of wood?

mam934 Add mirrors on the side walls to angle lighting deeper into the living area and add ceiling or wall lighting to the areas that are still dark throughout the day to mimic skylights.

Old Town Flooring What if you put the blue paint on the ceiling, instead of the walls, and used a color like "sand storm" from Valspar on the walls. It will make the ceilings feel higher and the space larger.

beachinmom We rent many beach houses ourselves and I never want to stay in one that doesn't have the colors of the ocean as the colors in the house. I want to relax and those colors just do it for me. I would find a rug or two for the floor and cover some of the dark wood. Paint the walls a soft blue or green or even a light yellow then add furniture back in. Anything that is slipcovered would be great. Change the fixture to something rattan or light weight looking. Even some bamboo blinds on the windows would be fabulous.

lpitchko Awesome just purchased bamboo blinds today, love them!

Lkristine Since it is a rental, add more color with accessories you can take with you, but paint is inexpensive for now!

ccwatters I'm partial to classic white slipcovered furniture, and Ikea Ektorp is a perfect choice since it is only $400 including the washable slipcovers. With that, I would add a pretty blue on the walls like the SW Quietude that Barbara mentioned, or BM Quiet Moments is beautiful too.
If, however, you want to stick with your leather sofa, I would keep the walls white (BM Dove White), and add some sunny/beachy other pieces like the photo below. Maybe find some ditressed/reclaimed wood pieces/tables to soften the edginess of the black sofa, a bright/happy rug, some coastal decor and wall art, and some hooks on the wall.
I would just make sure you have something dark (wood, ORB, etc) someplace else to help balance your dark sofa. And a mixture of rustic (reclaimed wood) and sleek (metal) throughout will also help make the sofa look like it belongs/was a deliberate design choice.


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mushillsshell We own a rental beach cottage in OBX - my suggest is to go w/durable. We picked up This Ends Up or Cargo wooden furnitureat Thrift stores - it's great durable & when you get tired of the color you just have new cushion covers made. Stick w/solid wood or laminate floors on the first floor, easier to clean & they don't hold sand like carpet. Check-out the interior of our cottage at vrbo.com - House #73150. We use this web site to advertise our place - we stay booked solid in season.

barbierolle Use accessories to add colors keep your walls neutral... Pop with pillows, rugs, vases, etc.