How to Decorate a Room With a Beach Theme

Beach themes can be a soothing and aesthetically pleasing way to decorate guest rooms, bedrooms and even family rooms. Evoking the sights, smells and sounds of nature and the spirit of vacation, beach themes require a little planning and elbow grease. With a few items imported from the ocean front, you can create a relaxing room that hearkens back to the sand and sea.

Things You'll Need

• Paint and paintbrushes
• Surf- or sea-themed bedspread
• Wicker furniture
• Beach-inspired posters
• Thong sandals
• Small glass bowls
• Sand
• Tea lights and pillar candles
• Beach towels
• Fabric flower leis
• Dried sea grass
• Small woven baskets
• Seashells
• Fishing net
• Hammer and nails
• Hot glue gun
• Lighter or matches

Instructions

1. Paint the room in beach colors. Coat the walls with light blue paint to evoke the sky. Use a sponge to streak in purples, yellows or oranges toward the top of one wall to create a sunset effect. Use a dark blue or green to create an ocean effect on the lower third of the wall, capping the area with a wave pattern.

2. Add wicker furniture. Place a wicker reading chair in the corner of the room. Add a large wicker basket to hold linens and clothes.

3. Create sea baskets. Take small baskets and fill them with dried sea grass. Rest an assortment of seashells in each basket and place them on nightstands, dressers, shelves and desks.

4. Hang a fishing net. Spread the fishing net out against the wall. Use a hammer to insert nails into the wall so the net can hang properly.

5. Hammer smaller nails into the wall to hang seashells on. Use an assortment of seashells, including sand dollars and starfish, scattering them throughout the walls and interspersing them with the fishing net.

6. Hang framed beach-themed posters or prints on the walls. Use hot glue to decorate the frames with smaller seashells.

7. Hang colorful sandals, beach towels and fabric leis on the wall, orienting them at differing angles.

8. Create shelled candles. Light one pillar candle until the top begins melting and use a fine paintbrush to apply hot wax to a seashell edge. Quickly press the seashell into another candle's lower side, repeating the process until the lower portion of the pillar candle is studded in shells.

9. Fill the glass jars halfway with sand, and place tea light candles inside.

Tips & Warnings

• Finish the bedrooms with a surf- or beach-inspired bedspread to tie the room's decor together. Use colored sand from craft stores for the tea light jars if you desire.

• Never leave open flames unattended. Obtain permission from your landlord if you are renting before painting your walls.