Rent a vacation home on or near virtually every coast in the country (including surrounding lakes) and there’s a good chance the decor will be nautical in nature. But it doesn’t end there. It’s not uncommon to see coastal-themed interior design even in completely inland areas – just because no boat is within 200 miles doesn’t mean you can’t make your home look like a sailing ship.
Additionally, after being stuck indoors more than we ever thought possible during the pandemic, many people decided to freshen up their homes a little. For some, this involved adopting a coastal theme to at least make them feel like they were on vacation at a time when travel wasn’t an option.
While some coastal-themed furnishings are timeless, other times they can look dangerously like a Long John Silver’s dining room without the silent pups. So that we can avoid that Design expert Amanda Lauren shared some tips to get the nautical look you actually want – instead of throwing a few clams in a bowl and ending the day. Here’s what you should know.
Types of seaside decor
There are a few different approaches to coastal decor, some of which are more literal than others. Some nautical-style rooms are loud and proud. As soon as you walk through the door you will know that you are in a room meant to remind you of the coast. This is primarily because there are real beach and boat items everywhere – think fishing nets, nautical flags, maybe a captain’s bell, anchor pattern fabric, and of course, seashells galore.
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Other coastal-themed rooms are much more subtle, opting for a palette of blues, whites, and other neutrals, with a few key pieces that will bring you to your rich cousin’s vacation home. In the end, it makes the difference whether you decorate your home like an airy beach house as opposed to the actual beach.
How do you get a coastal look?
Of course, interior design is subjective, so ultimately fill your home with things that make you comfortable and happy. But in case you’re up for a coastal theme but feel like you’re going to be too short – or going a bit overboard – here are some of the decorating strategies Lauren discussed in an article for Forbes:
Err on the side of the subtle
Instead of sand-filled goldfish bowls then topped with (hopefully fake) starfish and a collection of seashells from your last beach visit, turn it back a little and let your furniture, colors, and other design decisions do the talking.
“Integrate details such as striped or natural fiber carpets, blue and white pillows, decorative boxes with grass cloth, sea glass beads, bamboo photo frames, etc.”, Meg Young, founder of Cailini Küsteini told Forbes.
Choose a calming color scheme
One of the hallmarks of the coastal decor is sticking to a palette of mostly blues and neutrals, but that still leaves you with a ton of choices.
“Currently and most consistently, we see trends in color palettes that are light, earthy tones with color accents, but also keep the color palettes minimal and play with textures to add depth and feel to coastal life,” said Samantha Gallacher, founder of IG workshop told Forbes.
Incorporate some wood
Even if only a few new boats are made from wood today, we still associate nautical décor with wood, since we tend to think of old wooden boats and ships as well as houses with clapboards by the sea. According to Lauren, you can add the wooden element through exposed beams or ship rags, as well as pieces of furniture such as chairs or side tables.
