5 Home Decor Tips For A Nancy Meyers Coastal Summer

Film director, producer, and screenwriter Nancy Meyers made Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, The Holiday, and many more iconic flicks. But beyond making some classic and beloved films, Meyers also established a signature interior design aesthetic. 

If you’re envisioning spending summer at the beach and entering your coastal grandmother era (like me), here are a few tips and tricks for a Nancy Meyers coastal summer at home.

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Lots of Rattan

In Meyers’ films, rattan and woven items tucked throughout the rooms give them a coastal feel: baskets, area rugs, even blinds. These are great pieces for not only the summer season but can be used throughout the year! 

Target Threshold Large Natural Woven Round Basket, $30

Target Threshold Round Decorative Basket Natural, $40

Target Nuloom Alanis Jute Area Rug, $69

Target Threshold Woven Runner Rug, $100

To keep things organized and convenient, you might want to invest in this adorable wicker tray from Target. Light and easy to carry, this item will be the perfect accessory for all those summer evenings with guests. 

Target Threshold Rattan Tray Light Brown, $15

Meyers must have a soft spot for dogs, as they appear in a few of her films! If you’re in need of a new bed for the family puppy, IKEA offers this extremely sweet rattan dog bed.

IKEA UTSADD Rattan Dog Bed, $89

You can't have a coastal inspired summer without a rattan or wicker chair. Meyers clearly loves them too, as you can find these chairs situated all over her sets. The fun thing about rattan or wicker chairs is they’re extremely versatile. Perfect for the porch in summer to soak in the hydrangeas or as a cozy office chair in the winter for reading books. 

Target Threshold x Studio McGee Woven Barrel Back Chair & Cushion, $280

IKEA also has an excellent selection of rattan chairs under $250. This adorable IKEA Wing chair reminds me of the rattan chairs my own grandmother had when I was small. 

IKEA Risholmen Wing Chair, $239

IKEA Holmsta Armchair, $219

IKEA Agen Armchair, $99

Summer is for entertaining on the patio or near the pool, and that may mean you are in need of a rattan bar cart! (There can never be too many woven or rattan textures, in my opinion.) 

Target Threshold Exmore Serving Cart Rattan, $250

Pops of Blue

Meyers is known for designing her coastal sets by mixing patterns, textures, and colors. She allows the homes to have a neutral base while simultaneously adding in patterns and bold pieces (in a way that isn’t overwhelming) to provide contrast and color. The go-to color for coastal style is blue, of course. 

In Something’s Gotta Give, Nancy and her set decorator, Beth Rubino, placed floral accent pillows in Erica’s living room, as well as on the pool deck, giving the space a fresh summer feel. In the dining area, the blue and white flower chair covers add a vintage feel. If florals aren’t your thing though, an indigo stripe or a solid blue linen pillow cover might be the perfect fit.

Oxford Light Indigo Blue Organic Cotton Pillow Sham, $59

Blue Organic Laundered Linen Throw Pillow With Insert, $69

Hydrangeas

On the East Coast, the beloved hydrangea is seen all around gardens and in vases throughout the home. In Meyers’ films, she made sure to include these charming flowers. If you’re not lucky enough to have these beauties growing in your garden out back, Hobby Lobby carries a variety of colorful faux flowers! My favorite is the noted blue, but another option is the green hydrangea or the classic white. The best part is you can re-use them each summer.

Hobby Lobby Hydrangea Stem Blue, $20

Hobby Lobby Hydrangea Stem Apple Green, $11

Hobby Lobby Hydrangea Bush White, $20

The Nancy Meyers Kitchen

I love how Nancy Meyers started a trend 15 plus years ago, and it’s still going strong. Who knew she would be the one to create the desired white kitchen look and have women begging their interior designers to give their kitchen the Nancy Meyers makeover? 

Marble countertops are featured throughout her films. If you don’t have any marble within your home, then there are a variety of ways to bring it into your space. In It’s Complicated, a beautiful marble tray is featured in the bathroom holding Jane’s favorite products. Another option is to add a marble canister for toothbrushes, or a marble utensil holder in your kitchen.

Pottery Barn Frost Marble Tray, $39

Target Threshold Utensil Holder, $25

Target Threshold Marble Canister, $15

Finding character pieces from a thrift shop or an antique sale can bring in a classical touch to a space as well. I always think of the way Meyers adds in copper pots or accessories to her kitchens. They’re usually hanging or situated on the stove at the ready. She also adds in various vintage decorative vessels or brass candlestick holders.

Crate And Barrel Emmett Antique Brass Candle Holder Set, $104

The Food Nanny Copper Ladle, $50

Books

Nancy Meyers knows the power of books. The large, white, built-in bookcases she adds to her movie sets or the way she tucks a bookshelf into the kitchen island like on Something's Gotta Give creates a cozy atmosphere time and time again.

One place I find decorative books is at Goodwill. I choose hardcover books within my color palette, but I also pay attention to the topic, the aesthetic, and the photography. I prefer books on interior design, cooking, and, of course, coastal living. I also love switching out the featured books, depending on the season. All the ones I have out now are full of flowers, light summer meals, and photos that remind me of the coast.

Al Fresco: Inspired Ideas For Outdoor Living, $15

The Brooklyn Home: Modern Havens In The City, $22

Closing Thoughts

We may not all get to live on the East Coast enjoying hydrangeas in the garden or an evening walk on the beach, but these are some simple (and affordable) ways to bring the Nancy Meyers coastal feel to your own space, creating warmth and giving you the ultimate summer escape at home.

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