One of my favorite styles for decorating my home is the Nautical look, or, as it is known as the Coastal Look. It somehow reminds me of that careless time during the Summer or a favorite holiday spot and brings me automatic happiness. It is especially very relevant today, as so many of us will not have a chance to see the beach this upcoming Summer.

So if you are like me, and you want to freshen up a room in your home with the Nautical look, or, your entire home for the matter of fact, here are some tips on how to do it with sophistication and style and avoid doing it the other way around.

First of all, there are just simple don’ts:

1. Do not immediately dig out your old sea shore souvenirs and put it out on display. It is fine to bring some “chachkas” from your holiday trips or accept them given to you by others, but not all of them are display worthy. If you do have some that resemble real or natural things then display them, but don’t over clutter the space. For the un-displayable ones, put them in a nice box.
2. Do not just run out and get a bucket of blue paint to paint your walls blue. Although blue is a nice color, paining your walls blue may look outdated. Instead, opt for neutral colors like whites, grays, and beiges that will not overwhelm your room and keep it light and airy. A light gray color on the wall will neutralize a room and keep it feeling spaciouse, while a light beige color will remind one of sand and the dunes. It is always fun & easy to add some color and texture with your accessoreis.

Some of my souvenirs on display – a beach house and a watercolor print framed in a “beach-y” white frame from Annapolis, Maryland. 

(also notice the light gray color of my walls)

I love this ceramic fish from Portugal I brought with me last year. You can never go wrong with displaying finds made out of ceramics like sculptures, vases, coasters, you name it.

So to get your Nautical Look together, just simply follow these few guidelines:

(1) Paint Your Walls: Freshen up your walls by painting them with neutral colors. I typically opt for Deluxe Vinyl Matt paint for easy care and maintenance. This pallet from Dulux works well: https://www.dulux.cz/cs/barvy-barevne-palety#white

(2) Add Color With New Pillow Covers: Add blue accents with modern bold prints like my West & East Coast Pillow Covers and canvas texture with my Anchor pillows from the Nautical Collection:

https://theroomaccessories.cz/en/product-category/collections/nautical-cs/

Get your IKEA pillow inserts here:

https://www.ikea.com/cz/cs/cat/vnitrni-polstare-18904/

(3) Use Art and Photo Frames to Illustrate the Feel of Beach and Summer: Use photos that show the natural elements such as the sand, the sea, the twigs, etc. Use fun family photos to bring back the happy memories. 

(4) Add texture thru rugs & storage baskets: Add storage baskets or boxes to hide clutter or sort out small storage like additional photos and cables. Add runners or rugs to the floor. One of my favorites under the budget rug is LOHALS rug from IKEA. It comes in various sizes as a runner and as a rug. 

https://www.ikea.com/cz/cs/search/products/?q=lohals

If you feel like you can take bigger steps, get new furniture. My tips are canvas or wicker bed / headboard and white furniture pieces to keep the room airy.

(5) Create your personal Mood Board or follow this look: