We have long been fans of Coco Tully and COTE Interiors. Her effortless laidback luxury style is what coastal design dreams are made of.
Find out why Coco has chosen to use Coastal Vintage pieces in her studio and how to create the perfect coastal haven.
Tell us about yourself and your design journey.
I’m Coco Tully, founder and creative director of Cote Interiors. I grew up on a small island in Belize, which shaped my love of colour, natural materials and relaxed coastal living.
Before interiors, I worked in fashion in New York and London, including at J.Crew and Burberry. After moving to Sydney, I studied interior design and founded Cote in 2018. Today, I lead our team from our studio in Fairlight.
How would you describe your design style?
Laidback luxury designed for the everyday.
Our interiors are layered, relaxed and refined, with natural materials, vintage pieces, beautiful textiles and colour. There is often a coastal influence, but it is more about lightness, warmth and ease than a particular look.
Tell us about your studio and how it came to life.
I had always wanted Cote to have a physical home that reflected the feeling of our work.
When we found the Fairlight studio, it had beautiful light and great bones. We designed it to feel more like a home than an office, with vintage furniture, artwork, textiles and collected objects throughout.
It is now a space where our team works collaboratively and where clients can experience the Cote world in a very tangible way.
What makes a home feel timeless rather than trend-driven?
Choosing things you genuinely love rather than trying to recreate a particular look.
Natural materials, thoughtful proportions and pieces with age will always feel relevant. I also think the most timeless homes evolve gradually and include furniture and objects collected across different periods and stages of life.
Why do you love incorporating vintage and antique pieces into your spaces and projects?
Vintage pieces add warmth, character and a sense of history. They stop a newly designed space from feeling too perfect or as though everything arrived at once.
Even one old table, cabinet or piece of art can completely change the feeling of a room.
Why have you chosen Coastal Vintage pieces in your space?
Coastal Vintage has the kind of pieces I’m naturally drawn to with objects that feel found rather than simply purchased.
Their vintage glass, timber and maritime pieces bring warmth, personality and a subtle connection to life by the water. They sit beautifully within the relaxed, collected feel of the Cote studio.
What’s your biggest styling tip for creating a relaxed, collected home?
Don’t try to finish everything at once.
Mix old and new, refined and rustic, and allow the smaller layers to build over time. The best homes include things that are beautiful, useful and meaningful to the people who live there.
If you could only choose three timeless coastal pieces for your home, what would they be?
An old timber bench, a piece of vintage glass and something with a subtle maritime history, such as an old ship’s lantern or brass porthole.
All three add texture, character and a sense of story without feeling overly themed.
What makes a house feel like a home?
The people and the evidence of their lives.
The books beside the bed, children’s artwork, the dog asleep in the corner and the slightly worn chair everyone gravitates towards. Good design creates the backdrop, but a home should still feel personal, comfortable and lived in.
What’s currently on your Coastal Vintage wish list?
A beautiful old glass cabinet for the studio, filled with fabric remnants, shells and collected objects.
I also always have room for another vintage timber bench, stool or special maritime piece. The trouble with one-of-a-kind finds is that you often don’t know what is on your wish list until you see it.
See more from COTE Interiors HERE.
