Anyone can throw around some starfish, paint an anchor on a wall and call a room “nautically-themed.” For those of us to whom good design must tell a story and require some thoughtfulness and subtlety to pull off, though, creating a sea-inspired space is just as simple; it just requires a few baby steps, visually speaking, rather than big giant footprints.
Incorporating actual objects from the ocean or oceanside is an obvious and often beautiful way to lend a sense of authenticity to a theme. The blue sea fan branch, above, from Etsy shop Nak Home, is a visually interesting but still understated way to infuse a color classically associated with all things nautical — it’s named “navy” blue for a reason, really — in an unobtrusive yet still noticeable effort at wall decor.
Grounding things with a yacht-worthy monarch rug made of natural fibers, adding a pop of art with cushions awash in botanical prints of sea anemones and grasses, and adorning the room with seafaring photography with an elegant editorial take on, say, a sailor’s lantern, are all intelligent approaches to lending a sense of the coast without hitting the eye with a tidal wave of expected icons.
Less is more where themed decor is concerned, and these elements are a chic and sophisticated way to start.
Photo credits: Nak Home, One Kings Lane, Little Birdy Cushions and Laura Ruth of Dreamy Photo
