Fall at the Beach Mood Board & Color Palette Inspiration

Part of a Fall at the Beach Mood Board showing a hand holding shells, and seaside goldenrod, and 4 colors pulled from the photos.

Finding inspiration on a fall beach walk.

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The beach is always worthy of a mood board, and looking through my photos from many fall walks on the beach inspired me to create this one, which I’ve titled Fall at the Beach.

Even though the beach looks similar year-round, it also changes with the seasons. There are certain things that seem to stand out more in fall, like how the blue of a fall afternoon sea seems extra deep blue, the sand stays wet longer after high tide because the sun and air aren’t as hot to dry it quickly like in summer, and seaside goldenrod lines the beach paths.

Fall at the beach is also a great time for beachcombing, because the crowds are gone and not many people are walking the beach, so it feels like all of the ocean’s treasures are waiting for you to discover them. I love photographing things I find along the way, and sometimes taking something home with me if it’s really special, like a perfect (unoccupied) shell.

Take inspiration from fall along the coast with this beach mood board and color palette.


Mood boards are a great tool when starting a new project, whether you’re decorating your home, designing a brand campaign, event planning, or any other project where you need inspiration and ideas. Using a mood board that has already been created is an easy way to kickstart your own project and build on it to your liking. It can help you to stay aligned with a specific aesthetic or theme, in this case, fall at the beach. Here’s how you can use a mood board:

  • Understand the story: Every good mood board tells a story. What story is this mood board telling? What story do you want to tell?
  • Establish a theme: If you come across a mood board that evokes the feelings you’re trying to capture, you can use it to establish your theme and run with it. Let it spark your creativity and inspire additional ideas while honoring the original concept.
  • Identify key aesthetic elements: Pick out the specific elements that resonate with your project, such as color combinations, textures, mood, or style. A mood board can serve as a guide for maintaining consistency.
  • Adapt it for your needs: You can use an existing mood board as the foundation for inspiration, but start a new mood board to suit your own unique vision. Keep the parts you love and change the parts that aren’t working for you.

A fall beach aesthetic combines empty beaches filled with untouched rocks and shells, groups of sea gulls taking a rest along the shoreline, and seaside goldenrod stretching high along a path to the beach. The darker palette of deep blue water and wet beach sand mixed in with goldenrod and vibrant red of the sponge round out the fall vibes and evoke feelings of peacefulness and tranquility.

A Fall at the Beach mood board showing photos of waves washing over pebbles on the shore, sea gulls, a hand displaying shells, seaside goldenrod, a view of the beach, and a red beard sponge in the surf. 4 colors are pulled from the photos.

This mood board can inspire an appreciation for fall beach life and everything that makes it special, from the colors and textures to the ever-changing shoreline.


See another coastal fall mood board: Fall on the Coast Mood Board & Color Palette


Fall beach colors can bring a seasonal element to a traditional beach color palette. With tranquil hues like “fall afternoon sea,” earthy tones like “wet beach sand,” and vibrant accents such as “seaside goldenrod” and “red beard sponge,” you can bring a natural, autumn-like spin to an otherwise breezy ocean palette. These colors evoke the natural charm of the beach, creating a balance of relaxation and energy that you can use for everything from graphic design to personal style.

A Fall at the Beach color palette showing colors fall afternoon sea, wet beach sand, seaside goldenrod, red beard sponge, and their respective hex codes.

Use this fall beach color palette as inspiration for your own projects, like design, branding, decorating, or event planning. Hex color codes have been provided for ease of use.


Related: 6 Inspiring Tropical Color Palettes for Your Coastal Home


This fall at the beach mood board and color palette can inspire while telling the story of a coastal lifestyle and the beauty of the shoreline, even in the off-season. An unexpected combination of natural hues exists in nature, so draw on it for creativity and inspiration while working on your next project. I think this color scheme would be great for a plaid flannel shirt, or as branding colors for a website! The possibilities are endless.

Inspiration exists all around us in nature, and sometimes all it takes is a fall beach walk to find it.


Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to this beachy fall mood board and fall color palette. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration.

A graphic that shows a photo of seaside goldenrod with a beach in the background, and text over the photo that says, fall at the beach mood board and color palette.

Fall beach mood board & color palette inspiration


What will you use this fall beach mood board and color palette as inspiration for? Share your ideas in the comments.

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