Do you love the cool, calming colors of the ocean? Enjoy the soft crunch of golden sand between your toes? Feel inspired by crashing waves against a stormy sky? We know it can be hard to leave the beach behind at the end of our summer holiday, we can’t bring golden sands back to New York City but these fabulous nautical themed decor ideas should help a little! 

Play With Color

One of the easiest ways to inject a seaside theme into your home without it looking like you’ve walked into a little boy’s nursery is to play with color. Choose shades that’ll work in harmony together such as the baby blues, slate grays, sea foam greens and off whites. Don’t be afraid to add splashes of coral and primrose here and there, either to warm the cold palette. 

Keep It Neutral

Lots of beach houses give off a relaxed, understated vibe thanks in part to their light, airy interiors. Choose neutral, sandy colored carpet with a soft pile and select furniture with a pale wooden hue or an ivory, cotton, or linen white appearance. Try to avoid drapes that are too heavy and instead pick curtains that air, light, flowy and frame the windows instead of overpowering them. Don’t forget to add a mirror or two, as they’ll give the illusion that the room is bigger than it actually is as well as placing wicker chairs and end tables in suitable locations. Utilize stripes carefully; they should be an accent color or preferably an accessory so look out for cushions, tablecloths, throws and even paintings with bold blue stripes. It may not be as good as living in luxury on the stunning La Gorce Island, but with a few tweaks you can definitely make your home look just as amazing as any beach house. Now’s the time to take out all the shells, pebbles and coral pieces that you’ve collected over the years and display them on window sills and mantelpieces. Why not have some fun with your decor and pick out art that shows vintage beach scenes? 

It’s a natural, fairly inexpensive material and it’s pretty easy to find bookcases, tables, shelving and even ornaments made from driftwood. Pop the pebbles you’ve collected on top of the shelves, place any loose driftwood in a wicker basket in the corner of the room and design a feature wall with blue/gray flocked wallpaper that imitates the changing colors of the ocean. Why not make a gorgeous centerpiece for your coffee table? All you need is three or more colored sands, a tall vintage glass jar or bottle plus paper, pen and string. You’ve now designed your very own unique message in a bottle!