Beach House Decor

Beach house décor has come a long way since the original beach houses were created as a way to escape the inland summer heat.

Designing a Beach House

The first thing to consider when undertaking the design of a beach house is whether you’ll also be renting it out. It’s a lot easier to decorate a home for you and your family than it is for hundreds of people. Your main concern with a rental home will be the durability of your furnishings.

Getting Started

Now that you’ve decided about the rental issues of your new house, you are ready to get started designing your home. The first place to start will be the floors. Many houses built today come with wall-to-wall carpeting because it’s cheaper than ceramic tile or hardwood floor. You’ll be dealing with a lot of sand so you want to be sure you have the right kind of floor to make your job cleaning easier. Decide what kind of floor treatment will serve you best.

Color Scheme

Many people opt for a seaside color scheme of white, blue and green. This makes for a very bright and cheery feel and lends itself to the many beach-themed accessories.

If you choose to go with beach colors, don’t forget beige and coral-colors accents. Many seashells have coral colors and are in keeping with your overall décor. Various hues of aqua blue and dark blue give a restive feel to you house.

You may opt for wallpaper in a room. This will give you another opportunity to capitalize on a beach theme.

Select Your Theme: Motifs and Accents

You have a wide range of choices when it comes to beach motifs and accent pieces. The biggest challenge you’ll face is narrowing your selections. One way you can do this is to choose a theme and stick with it throughout your beach house.

Beach House Décor: Choosing Your Theme

If you are going with a traditional beach house theme, you’ll want to find a main theme for your home.

Accents:

• Sculptures
• Pictures and Paintings
• Pillows
• Rugs
• Dinnerware
• Lamps

Nautical

You can play off of this theme with several different art objects.

• Ship Models
• Nautical Objects
• The Beach House Store

Tropical

This theme creates a kick-back décor for your home.

• Tropical Paradise
• Bamboo and Tikis

Woven Baskets

This is a great design object you can scatter throughout your home and combine with other beach objects like seashells and starfish. You can use baskets to hold magazines, video games, fruit, flowers, and other items.

• Coastal Weave Baskets
• Seagrass Baskets
• Sweater Weave Baskets

Seashells

You can purchase polished seashells and collect your own. Start a wall of shelves to display your annual finds.

• Seashell Motif
• Seashell World
• California Seashell Company

Coastal Animals and Sea Creatures

Coastal animals are a great theme for a beach home.

• Hand-carved seashore birds
• Dolphins, fish and whales
• Beach and Ocean Life

Whimsical

Fun light-hearted motifs bring whimsical beach decors alive.

Windows, Furniture and Bedding

Once you’ve decided on the theme for your house, you’ll want to narrow your furniture and window treatment choices.

Window Treatments

Many people forego traditional draperies in their beach homes. Draperies, even when opened, can block sunlight and hamper views. Modern windows and insulation eliminate past concerns about solar heat gain and no longer dictate your window treatment. The most popular window treatment is either shades or blinds. These are great for adjusting to the every-changing light and can be opened to reveal the fantastic ocean views.

Bedroom, Den and Dining Furniture

Making furniture selections will tie your design elements together. There are several popular choices for creating an authentic feeling beach décor.

Bedroom Suites

Spend your money where it actually counts. Many people skimp when it comes to the mattresses and spend their funds on the furniture instead. There’s nothing worse than a great-looking bedroom that you can’t rest in because of a poor-quality mattress.

Furniture Styles Distressed and Painted

• Painted and distressed furniture styles are often used in beach house bedrooms. If your budget is stretched, then this is a perfect Do-It-Yourself project. You can purchase furniture at yard sales and recycle by painting and distressing for a unique and cheap look.

Shutter Furniture

• Always a favorite for beach homes, this style of furniture repeats the traditional wood shutter design element and adds a nostalgic element.

Other Popular Styles:

• Sleigh Beds
• White or pastel furniture
• Dark or black finishes
• Iron Frameworks

Den Furniture

Some of the most chosen den styles.

• Rattan
• Wicker
• Leather
• Teak

Dining Tables and Chairs

Long dining tables are great for a beach house. If you use picnic-style benches you’ll have the ability to seat more than you can with chairs.

• Beach Cottage Furniture
• Tropical Island Furniture
• Pottery Barn

Bedding and Linens

You can carry your theme into the bedrooms and bathrooms with carefully selected bedding and linens. Many people like to use very bright and colorful designs.

• All Themes Bedding
• Quilts
• Blankets
• Tropical and Beach Comforters

Don’t Forget the Small Details

The key components to your beach house décor are the small touches that repeat and tie your overall design together.

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