As spring approaches, I find myself daydreaming of the sights and sounds of the surf, the image of a sailboat on the horizon and running barefoot through sandy beaches.   So, with this article Colleen Lora Designs shows you how to bring that nautical feeling into your home.

I always use restraint when decorating with themes as it can easily get of hand.  I recall my teenage years when many homes were taken over by the goose theme, do you remember that one?   UGH!  However, using a theme in decorating is the best way to convey a “feeling” in your space.  It’s just like with everything in life, less is more and moderation is key.

If you would like to create a nautical feel in your home, here’s my top tips:

1.  The color blue. The power of navy blue combined with white is a classic and immediately registers the nautical theme in one’s mind.  Think of our US Navy’s uniforms, sails billowing in the wind a story sea.  And navy is HOT right now in home decorating – Ralph Lauren has always done the nautical theme well and is shown below.

2.  Flat weave area rugs.  Dash & Albert sets the standard as far as I’m concerned for bringing that East Coast, Hamptons’ feel to any decor.  And even better is that many of their patterns are available for indoor/outdoor use and are quite economical.  So, you can bring a blue and white runner into your kitchen or anchor your patio in a denim striped area rug and really deliver a lot of a bang for your buck.

3.  Moderate Nautical Accessories. Like jewelry, it’s tacky to wear it all at once so try to limit your nautical accessories.  Using one large ship’s model on a sofa table combined with some sailboat artwork would be all you need, when combined with the blue color, to create a tasteful nautical room. One ship’s steering wheel under a piece of glass would make for a memorable table top.  An apothecary jar filled with sand and seashells from vacations past is a fun project for the kids.

4.  Slipcovers. A beach side retreat is home to many guests and no one wants to worry about protecting expensive upholstery fabrics when there is so much fun to be had.  So, a slipcover is a great solution and is an excellent way of bringing new life to an older, but structurally sound piece of furniture.  The best fabric to use for a nautical inspired decor is twill, cottons and denim.  Ivory twill with a contrasting welt in navy would be stunning.

5.  Stripes: Big, and bold or thin and subtle, stripes abound in nautical scenes.  Again, it’s about the contrast of other colors against that navy blue.  Whether paired with a marine blue, yellow, white or red, navy blue is the must have ingredient.

Now that you know how to create sea-worthy spaces, I hope you feel inspired.  I recently started designing a nautical inspired guest room (of course my launching point was a Dash & Albert rug) in my own home and will post photos soon.  I’m still looking for just the right accessories.  Have fun!

Stripes abound

A Dash & Albert rug anchors the nautical living room

A Dash & Albert rug again appears in Elle Decor!

Ralph Lauren uses one large ship's model as a focal point.

Love the oars in place of window treatments

Black & White row boat art by Uttermost

Fabricut's Pattern in shades of navy and tan would make beautiful drapes!