Decorate a Beach House in Nautical Style

Online, May 22, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Decorating a vacation home can be like starting with a blank canvas, doing all the things you would love to do in your primary home. For most people, this includes great themed decor, such as the decision to decorate a beach house in nautical style. You do not have to choose cheesy anchors and cheap seashell pieces in order to get a great nautical theme throughout the beach house, though.

If you want to choose an anchor for the living room, consider a classy U.S. Navy symbol. It features a great anchor, and showing support for the troops in this manner is very patriotic. You can find great coffee table books that offer a history of the Navy and offer great artwork that looks very nautical. When paired with a few other accents, like coastal metal art or decorative metal coat racks, you achieve your goal and support your country at the same time.

For seashells, consider a nautilus shell as a modern bathroom accessory. These are very modern choices, especially if you are using a feng shui design style for the beach house. A framed print of a nautilus shell with a classic black frame is a perfect choice for a modern beach house bathroom, and the design looks great with most contemporary decor. The shape coordinates with the cool shades and clean lines presented in modern bathroom designs, and you maintain your nautical theme.

Take something classic and traditional and repurpose it for something more modern or elegant. Seashell collections used to be very popular additions to beach houses, especially in a child's bedroom. You can create a beautiful nautical centerpiece with a jar with layers of sand and seashells interspersed between the layers. In a little girl's bedroom, tie a cute pink ribbon around the mouth of the jar for a girly touch, and in a boy's bedroom you could add a realistic ceramic ship for the perfect finishing touch.

A ship's wheel is a very interesting centerpiece or mantel focal point, and it ties a nautical theme together nicely. You can find them at many antique stores, although it may need a bit of restoring, and the price depends on the shape of the wheel, its age, and where you purchase. Sometimes you can find a good deal on one that needs some restoration, but be careful to avoid those that are extremely old and brittle. They are often more trouble than they are worth, and you will pay a lot of money to make the piece presentable.

Lighthouses are also a common choice for a nautical theme. In the kitchen, bathroom, or dining room, you can use a lighthouse as a perfect focal point; especially lighthouses made from glass, crystal, ceramic, or stone and painted designs. A modern addition, such as a basic black frame or metallic-finish frame, completes the look and ensures that the accessory coordinates with the rest of the room. This is also a great way to introduce a splash of vivid color if you are decorating in color contrasts such as black and white or neutrals.