Maritime Interior Decorating

Put your seashell collection to good use in a maritime-themed space.

A maritime, or nautical, decorating theme will infuse your home with a fresh, sea-inspired look. Decorate your home with breezy color schemes, ocean treasures and rustic wood pieces. Even if you don't own a beach house or live near the ocean, you can celebrate your love of the sea by giving any room in your home a maritime-themed face-lift. Use the beach and sea life as inspiration when designing the casual look.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Maritime-themed textiles, such as pillows and rugs
• Seashell-inspired decor pieces, such as picture frames and lamps

Instructions

1. Paint the walls a sea-inspired color. Choose a light blue, sandy brown or crisp white hue if you prefer a soothing neutral look. Pick coral orange, bright turquoise or nautical red if you want to give the space a pop of color.

2. Choose relaxed furniture items in airy colors. Decorate a living room with a couch and love seat set featuring sea glass-blue cotton upholstery. Place a vintage wood sea captain's chest in front of the couch as a creative coffee table. Enhance a bedroom with casual woven rattan or a whitewashed wood bed headboard, night stand and dresser set.

3. Decorate with maritime-themed textiles. Place decorative pillows featuring whimsical crab or lobster patterns in couch corners or on top of a bed. Update a wooden hallway or entranceway with a long blue rug featuring white, tan and coral seashell patterns. Hang gauzy white or sea blue-colored curtains featuring small starfish or seahorse designs.

4. Enhance the space with seashell-inspired décor pieces. Hang a whitewash wood-framed shadowbox filled with seashells a starfish on a bedroom or living room wall. Update a boring wood-framed mirror by gluing seashells around the perimeter; hang the decorated mirror above a vanity table or couch. Decorate a night stand or side table with a lamp featuring a seashell-encrusted base and a crisp white shade. Fill light blue apothecary jars with small seashells and pieces of sea glass, and display them on wall shelves and bookcases.

References

• Completely Coastal: Ideas to Bring Home the Beach
• Craft Ideas: Seashell Picture Frame