Bring The Beach To Your Home With These Coastal Decorating Ideas

Even if you are hopelessly landlocked, you can bring the refreshing feel of a cool sea breeze into your space with coastal decorating. Once found mostly in seaside regions, this decor style's popularity has now transcended geography, meaning that homes boasting coastal rooms can be found in every part of the country.

But today's updated coastal decorating style is much more sophisticated than the kitschy, nautically-themed rooms that defined this style in the past. Today's coastal decorating is characterized more by a beach-inspired palette than by an over reliance on garish beach-themed knickknacks.

A few of your beach memorabilia pieces like a beautiful conk shell, starfish, and maybe a lighthouse or nautical flag are not out of the realm of possibility. Just remember not to over do it.

The foundation of the updated coastal decor that is popular today is a thematic color scheme that calls on sea blues, crisp whites, sandy tans and an array of natural fibers to bring the outdoors inside. The look of an effectively decorated coastal environment is cozy but uncluttered, pairing interesting, sea-themed accents and art with crisp backgrounds.

A textured but sleek wall covering, such as white bead board, provides the perfect contrast for coastal decor. Bold natural textures in the form of grasses and fibers make excellent floor coverings and window treatments for coastal rooms, although it is recommended to leave windows and doors as unfettered as possible to heighten the play of sunlight within the room.

Traditionally, nautical-themed accessories have been a key part of coastal decor, but the updated version of this style demands a less cluttered look. Experts suggest shopping at flea markets or second-hand stores to find interesting items to highlight.

Small collections of items such as seashells can enhance the style, but try not to go overboard, as it were -- group themed collections together to heighten their impact and reduce the risk of sensory overload.

Simply imagine yourself on your own fantasy island. Or, if you're lucky enough, look out your window. See the emerald green water, the bubbling white of the waves crashing to the tan sandy beach and look up to the crisp blue sky. Now, hold that vision and recreate that feeling into the decor of the room of your choice.

The feeling of a coastal room should be crisp, clean, and refreshing -- assess your space with a discerning eye and edit out anything that detracts from the intended effect of calming, sea-themed bliss.