Beach theme decorating isn't necessarily just for a beach house. If you want to bring the feel of the beach into your home, then this might be the right décor for your den or bedroom.
Five Popular Themes for Beachy Decor
You want your beach theme to be inviting and relaxing. Most people opt for a very informal theme that is conducive to a vacation retreat. You can choose a simple theme design or go for a highly sophisticated look. The choice is yours, depending on your personal style and budget.
1. Island Theme
An island theme can range from very casual to a high-end sophisticated design. Create a room that you'll swear you can feel the trade winds blowing through your windows. Go for plantation shutters for your window treatment. Dark wood stain or stark white gives you two distinct choices. The dark wood will take your room design to the feel of the island tropics, while the white wood finish will reflect a bright coastal ambiance. Don't forget to use grasscloth either as an area rug, a roll up blind, a room divider screen, switch plate covers, or even as an accent wall covering. Seagrass furniture is available in chairs, loungers and headboards. A four-poster bed is a great choice because you can hang sheer draperies from a top canopy or frame. You might also wish to mimic mosquito netting in canopy draperies. Don't forget the ceiling fan. You can use various island motifs such as palm trees, coconuts, monkeys, pineapple, and seashells in fabrics and accessories. Bamboo floors and even bamboo furniture are a nice island design choice. Contrast dark wood with light colored fabrics for a truly stunning theme.
2. Beachcomber Theme
The beachcomber theme is a whimsical style of décor that you can use to create a fun room that will always brighten your outlook. Blue and white are perfect color choices. You can toss in some authentic beachcomber motifs, such as straw beach hats, surfboards, flip flops, sunglasses, and seagulls. Don't forget the seashells. Your furniture choices can incorporate any of these motifs. Consider several surfboard shapes standing on end for a headboard or use the surfboard shape for a mirror frame. Picture frames made out of seashells and glass lamps filled with treasures from the sea make fun accessories as well as functional pieces to your room décor. Add a beach towel design throw over a lounge chair or across the foot of your bed for that day at the beach feel.
3. Authentic Beach House Theme
You may want to go for an authentic beach house theme for your entire home. This will take some planning, but can be a magical and fun experience. Go for wood floors and colorful area rugs. Keep beach colors in mind such as blue, white, green, red, and yellow. You may want to use some outdoor fabrics for cushion seating. Pine furniture is a good choice for the old-fashioned décor when knotty pine paneling was found in many coastal beach houses. Use beadboard on the walls as wainscoting or panel an entire room. You may want to use wider or thinner beadboard strips on your ceiling and paint white for a finished look.
4. Distressed and Weathered Theme
The old weathered beach house is achieved by using distressed furniture. You can paint and distress older furniture pieces to fit perfectly in your beach design. If you have hardwood floors that need refinishing, consider painting them instead, in the tradition of old-fashioned coastal homes with white-washed floors. You can also distress the floors for an authentic feel. Use a varied range of fabric textures to complete your theme. Plaids and checks are great choices as are stripes. Soften your décor with decorative pillows with patterns and designs in keeping with your theme.
5. Nautical Theme
Some people like to take advantage of a nautical theme. There are hundreds of choices for this design style. You may want to select boat-styled furniture. You might want to shop at yacht suppliers in search of the ideal accent furniture piece or brass lighting choices. You can use motifs in wall art, sculpture and fabric patterns. Ropes, anchors, lighthouses, ship wheels, buoys, and ship models are all excellent choices for a seafaring theme.
Deciding on Your Theme
Spend some time looking through various design photos online to get an idea of the kind of beach theme that appeals to you. Once you've decided on your direction, you can have fun making each selection and putting it all together into a unique beach theme decorating project.
