A Seaside Theme Brings Home The Beach

Whether it's the soft rush of waves, the smell of sea salt, or the way the sunlight dances on the water, a visit to the ocean rejuvenates many a soul. That's undoubtedly why a seaside theme remains a popular choice for interior decorating.

The best place to begin a seaside or nautical decorating theme at home is with a coastal color scheme. Popular wall colors include sea foam green or pale blue, with accents of the marine blue that marks the start of deep water seen from the shore. An alternative would be a neutral palette reminiscent of the beach itself, with sand, beige, tan or white like clouds and sand dollars. A neutral palette on the walls serves as a good background for more colorful accessories and furnishings, such as seashells, beach glass or citrusy brights.

Natural-fiber area rugs, especially those like woven sea grass rugs and sisal area rugs, provide texture as well as protection for wood or tile floors. Rugs of these materials recall vacation homes, where they often serve as outdoor mats and indoor floor coverings to catch beach sand. In addition, natural fiber rugs such as these are extremely durable and recyclable as well.

A room with a seaside decor would seem incomplete without artwork typical of coastal themes. Paintings of nautical or ocean scenes in simple wooden frames are perfect for this type of decorating theme. What's more, genuine paintings, rather than posters, give greater authenticity to the decor, since many artists live along the ocean and draw their inspiration from its ever-changing nature.

Surprisingly, metal sculptures are another form of artwork that seems to work well in seaside decor. Metal art gives the room some three-dimensional appeal. Topical choices could be a stunning sailboat, a school of fish wall art, or even a single large ocean denizen such as a sailfish. Artwork such as this can be the room's focal point, in which case the neutral color palette mentioned earlier should be extended to upholstery and window treatments as well. When staying with a neutral palette, add punches of color using pillows and lightweight, open-weave throws in warm colors such as hibiscus red, citrus orange and sunset coral. Or opt for a traditional nautical theme of red-white-and-blue in accessories.

Candle lanterns resembling those used by lighthouse keepers long ago can serve to spotlight a focal artwork. They also can form the bases of table lamps, or stand alone as candle holders on coffee tables, dining tables or bookcases. Candles with an ocean scent are perfect to set the seaside mood in the room when guests visits.

No seaside decor would be complete without natural treasures found on the beach. Many ocean visitors bring back sacks full of their own finds, especially seashells, beach glass and stones, all beautifully polished by the action of the endless waves. Those who don't live near a beach to collect their own specimens can find collections of these items in craft stores, or they can ask friends and family to bring some back from their ocean vacations.

The last item necessary for an authentic seaside decor is water. Aside from playing oceans sounds on a stereo or installing a saltwater aquarium (which takes considerable work to establish), the simplest way to evoke the ocean is with a tabletop display. Create your own lagoon by lining the bottom of a large, clear glass bowl with flat blue and green glass pebbles, then add distilled water and float tiny boats on top.

It may not be possible to live all year long beside the sea, but with a little decorating creativity you can keep the memories of the seaside fresh at home.